Pink pasta! Spaghetti tossed with a creamy tomato sauce that’s totally slurp worthy, this Creamy Tomato Pasta is silky and indulgent tasting but the tomato cream sauce doesn’t actually have that much cream in it!
Serve it as is, or use it as a base for your own add-ins. Try tossing through some shredded leftover Roast Chicken or Poached Chicken, or adding a handful of spinach.
Creamy tomato sauce for pasta
Is it pink? Or orange?
It doesn’t sound nearly as fun to chat to you about an orange pasta sauce.
I’m sticking with pink.
Pink tomato cream sauce!
“This pasta with tomato cream sauce is a less guilty way to get your creamy pasta fix!”
Tomato cream sauce – a healthier creamy pasta!
This is the first recipe I’ve made for my website after being away for almost a month, firstly on the annual RecipeTin Family trip to Japan, followed shortly thereafter by a trip with friends to New Zealand.
You would think that she who sulked so mightily when she found her jeans were just as snug post-trek as they were pre-trek would be inspired to be share some bright, fresh salads, “goddess cleansing bowls”, be converted to zoodles or cauliflower crust pizza.
But alas, no. She craves creamy pasta. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Well, at least this is a less guilty creamy pasta! There’s a generous amount of tomato cream sauce in this pasta (you’ll see in the video) but it’s mostly tomato and milk.
And actually, this can even be made without cream. Cream isn’t a pantry staple for me so I sometimes make the Creamy Tomato Pasta sauce just using milk and adding an extra dollop of butter to add richness.
I’ve provided the recipe plain which is how I usually have it, because it’s so lovely and saucy it deserves to be twirled and slurped just as it is. However, add-ins are entirely possible and I’ve provided some tips in the recipe for how to do so.
Try this with a fresh garden salad with a Balsamic dressing, French or Italian dressing on the side. If you feel like going all out, add a side of Better-Than-Dominos Garlic Bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread. Enjoy! – Nagi x
More ways to get your creamy pasta fix!
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Fettucine Alfredo – also try this One Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta
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Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
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Browse all pasta recipes
Pasta with tomato cream sauce
Watch how to make it
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Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 300g/10 oz spaghetti
- 2 tbsp / 30g unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- ½ onion , finely chopped
- 1 cup / 250 ml tomato passata / tomato puree (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup / 185 ml heavy / thickened cream (Note 2 for subs)
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml milk , low fat
- 3/4 cup / 30g parmesan , finely freshly grated (Note 3)
- 1 tsp dried basil, or other herb of choice
- 1 tsp chicken or vegetable stock powder , or 1 bouillon cube, crumbled (Note 4)
- Finely ground pepper + salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a big pot of boiling water for time per packet MINUS 2 minutes. Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta cooking water.
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, cook until translucent - about 2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir until parmesan is melted. Turn heat up slightly and simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.
- Add pasta. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce thickens and is clinging to pasta instead of swimming on the base of the skillet (video shows this well). Use reserved pasta cooking water if required to thin the sauce out if it gets too thick.
- Serve immediately, garnished with more parmesan and parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Just like his Mama, he needs a creamy pasta fix every now and then too….
….. though I am happy to say his Mama doesn’t have this problem (Food Catching Chest Hair).
Hils Elliott says
Good recipe, thank you. I used a stick blender when it was cooked for a completely smooth sauce.
Shea says
I tried this today. Tweaked it a little and used penne + fusili.
Also added mozzarella and various seasonings like all purpose and Italian. Made it into a pasta bake with loads of Parmesan + mozzarella on top and its incredible!
NT says
Fabulous! Made this to go with store bought cheese tortellini and it was delicious.
Clara says
I come from a pretty traditional Asian family with parents who don’t like cream-based pastas because they’re too ‘cheesy’, which sucks for me since I looove anything with cream. It was my turn to cook dinner tonight and I really wanted to make something that wasn’t just plain tomatoes, which is why I’m so thankful I stumbled across this recipe!! It was super easy to cook, and my parents scraped the sauce clean off their plates. I added some broccoli into the sauce in the beginning with the onions and garlic and it tasted SO. GOOD. I still have left over tomato paste, so I’m definitely making this again sometime soon! Thank you so much!!
Also, I was wondering if you have any tips on how I can freeze this sauce for later? I feel like it would go amazing with other dishes. Thanks in advance!
Jenny says
Would minced pork work with a creamy tomato sauce?? Generally don’t see it in creamy sauces..
Kasia says
Very good! Easy to make. Even my picky eater was happy.
I just wish I had chopped the onion to really small pieces because it was a little too crunchy and visible.
But anyway thank you very much, it saved my busy day!
Sharon Carter says
First time I had this type of sauce was when I visited my Sister in Germany. I love it, server over delicious Lasagna. There were a lot of Italian restaurants there.
Fiona says
Nagi i came addicted to this website! I doing various meals everyday and all the family loves it! Wow! I am so happy that I discovered you, cooking is fun now! Xxx
Celia says
Soo glad!! I added a bit of sugar and some zucchini and spinach! Couldn’t stop eating it so easy snd good! Made sautéed shrimp on the side with salt, pepper, and Paprika. He was so blown away. Said it taste like restaurant quality ❤️
Wertygo says
Love the recipe, is super tasty, only one problem feeding this to two grown man leaves them hungry and the pasta doesn’t last for long. Any idea what meat could be added to this?
Sharon Carter says
Add meatballs, I would simmer meatballs in regular sauce. Also any chicken would be good. I would pour over instead of add spaghetti in sauce.
Charlie says
So delicious!
Fran says
Thanks for the recipe Nagi. I just made it for dinner for the family and it was amazing. Didn’t have passata so I subbed it for 400gm tin of chopped tomatoes. It came out perfect. Exactly what I was looking for.
Darren Peel says
This recipe is my go to for spaghetti. Just recently added a twist by adding a couple of table spoons of Nduja (sausage type paste). Just add it towards the end of frying the onion and garlic and continue as normal.
Narjes says
It was sooo delicious and tasty 10/10, I’ll approve this recipe.
Shelley says
This was great, I was feeding a lot of people so I doubled the sauce and added ground beef and sausage, mushrooms, and spinach with 1 lb of rigatoni. It was a little bitter for me but after I added 1 tbsp of sugar it was fabulous!
Nagi says
Hi Shelley, that could be the tinned tomatoes – I struggle to find a brand here that aren’t a little sour – but you’re right, a little sugar will balance this 🙂 N x
Renee says
So delicious, the whole family loved it. I add chicken
Kathryn Turley says
SO YUMMY
Rhirhi says
Oh em gee! Simple but this rocks! Thanks for another great one, Nagi! Btw, because of Dozer we got ourselves a Goldie. Lol
Brittany says
This sauce impressed my boyfriends very Italian mother!! So good
Nagi says
You nailed it Brittany – wahoo! N x
Corey says
Can you prepare this sauce ahead of time and reheat?
Patrice Welch says
I have been looking for a pink sauce recipe for awhile. This was a hit!. Absolutely delicious and easy. I was wondering if I can make ahead and freeze it.
Nagi says
Wahoo! I’m so glad you loved it Patrice! N x
Elena says
Hi! I was out of time, and needed to do something really quick (my son was starving!), but took a few minutes to navigate on internet, looking for a pasta sauce. Saw your recipe, and made it immediately.. Let me tell you: it was great! And saved our lives (at least my sons’ … hahaha). Thanks!
Nagi says
Wahoo, that’s awesome Elena!! N x
Elissa says
Loving your blog! Made this a couple of months ago when our family did Meatless May. Another winner with the family. Will try it next time with prawns next time 🙂
Jomanah Sameh says
It’s my first to cook and my parents loved it.
Thank you for this good recipe☺️