Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta Recipe
This creamy tomato garlic pasta is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender penne or fettuccine combined with a rich sauce made from sautéed garlic, diced tomatoes, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. It’s quick to prepare and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz penne or fettuccine pasta
Sauce
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (no added sugar)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta until al dente, which takes about 8-10 minutes depending on the type and brand. Drain the pasta when done but reserve some of the cooking water for later use.
- Sauté Garlic: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and golden brown, roughly 2 minutes, taking care not to burn it.
- Add Tomatoes: Add the diced tomatoes with their juices to the skillet. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes until it reduces slightly and thickens.
- Add Cream: Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Allow the sauce to bubble gently for 2 minutes to blend the flavors and thicken the sauce.
- Incorporate Cheese and Season: Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts fully into the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper according to taste.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to combine well, adding some reserved pasta cooking water if necessary to loosen the sauce and achieve the desired consistency.
- Serve: Serve the creamy tomato garlic pasta hot. Optionally, garnish with additional Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Notes
- To prevent garlic from burning, keep the heat at medium and stir frequently while sautéing.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce, but the texture may be less creamy.
- Reserve pasta water is useful to adjust the sauce consistency without diluting flavor.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese melts better and has more flavor than pre-grated varieties.
- This recipe can be made with gluten-free pasta to adjust for dietary needs.
Keywords: tomato pasta, garlic pasta, creamy pasta sauce, easy pasta recipe, Italian pasta dish, weeknight dinner
Find it online: https://ricoloranz.com/creamy-tomato-garlic-pasta-recipe/
