Description
A silky, tomato-forward sauce brightened with garlic and herbs, tossed with pasta for a comforting weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 8 oz Pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 small Onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 can Tomatoes (14–16 oz) — whole or crushed
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Heat gently until combined.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan. Toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs to loosen.
- Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan until melted into the sauce. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Plate and garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley before serving.
Notes
For a lighter sauce, swap half-and-half for heavy cream. Use gluten-free pasta to make the dish gluten-free. If using dried basil, use 1 tsp instead of fresh.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian