Go Back
Creamy Tomato Pasta
Print

Creamy Tomato Pasta

My favorite pasta dish! Penne pasta smothered in a creamy tomato sauce and topped with mountains of grated cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Ready to serve in 20 minutes!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword comfort food, cream sauce, Quick
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 lb penne pasta
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 heaping tsp dried basil
  • 1 heaping tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water (what you cooked the pasta in)
  • 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

PREP INSTRUCTIONS

  • Chop shallot and set aside.
  • Grate cheese and set aside.
  • If using parsley for garnish, chop and set aside.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

  • Cook penne pasta according to package instructions. Near the end of the cooking time, carefully scoop out 1 cup of pasta water. Set reserved water aside, then you can drain the pasta like usual. Set cooked, drained pasta aside.
  • While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and add chopped shallot. Stir to coat and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and golden.
  • Deglaze the skillet with a splash of the chicken broth, stirring to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Slowly stir ingredients together for 4-5 minutes, until smooth and thick.
  • Stir the remaining chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, and pepper into the skillet. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
  • Add cooked, drained penne pasta to the skillet, along with the butter, grated cheese, and 1/4 cup (just 1/4!!) of the reserved pasta water. Stir pasta into the sauce, which should start to thin out from the pasta water. If you want the sauce a little thinner, stir in another 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water. I used a total 1/2 cup of pasta water in my version, FYI. Discard whatever remaining pasta water you don't use.
  • When sauce has reached your desired thickness, remove skillet from heat. Serve Creamy Tomato Pasta immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and extra cheese if desired.