Description
A creamy and flavorful Tomato Pasta Sauce with cream cheese that comes together in just 10 minutes. This easy stovetop recipe combines garlic, onion, tomato passata, and herbs, enriched with cream cheese and parmesan for a luscious, comforting pasta sauce perfect for any quick dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta
- 8oz (225 grams) pasta (long or short pasta will work)
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ brown or white onion, finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- ¾ cup (200 ml) tomato passata (aka tomato puree)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tbsp of chopped fresh basil)
- ½ cup (120 grams) cream cheese (Philadelphia recommended)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ cup (60 ml) reserved pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- â…› teaspoon black pepper, plus more to serve
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, usually about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the pasta type. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water for the sauce.
- Prepare Sauce: While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat and melt the butter or warm the olive oil. Sauté the minced garlic, diced onion, and chili flakes for about 2 minutes until fragrant and the onion is translucent.
- Add Tomato and Basil: Pour in the tomato passata and add the dried or fresh basil. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Incorporate Cheeses and Pasta Water: Stir in the cream cheese and grated parmesan until melted and smooth. Add the reserved pasta water gradually to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Combine with Pasta: Toss the drained pasta in the creamy tomato sauce until evenly coated. Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese sprinkled on top for added flavor.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water as it helps adjust the sauce consistency and adds extra flavor.
- Use cream cheese at room temperature for easier melting into the sauce.
- Adjust chili flakes according to your spice preference or omit for a mild sauce.
- Fresh basil can be substituted for dried basil for a fresher herb flavor.
- This sauce pairs well with both long pastas like spaghetti and short pasta shapes like penne or fusilli.
