Description
This creamy tomato pasta sauce with cream cheese is a deliciously simple recipe that combines tangy tomato passata with smooth cream cheese and parmesan for a rich, flavorful pasta dish. Ready in just 10 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that feels indulgent yet easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8oz (225 grams) pasta (long or short pasta will work)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ brown or white onion, finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- ¾ cup (200 ml) tomato passata (tomato puree)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon 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
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add pasta. Cook until al dente following package instructions. A couple of minutes before the pasta is done, scoop out approximately 1 cup of pasta cooking water, reserving it for later.
- Sauté Aromatics: While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, finely diced onion, and chili flakes if using. Cook gently for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and softened.
- Add Tomato and Basil: Pour in the tomato passata and sprinkle the dried or fresh basil on top. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to develop flavor.
- Incorporate Cheeses: Stir in the cream cheese and freshly grated parmesan along with ¼ cup of reserved pasta water. Keep stirring until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and emulsified. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as desired.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Drain the cooked pasta and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well for about 10 seconds to coat the pasta evenly. Add more reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve: Turn off the heat and serve immediately. Optionally garnish with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy your creamy tomato pasta!
Notes
- Using cream cheese in the sauce adds richness and a velvety texture without needing heavy cream.
- Reserve pasta cooking water to adjust sauce consistency; its starch helps bind the sauce to the pasta.
- Fresh basil can be used instead of dried for a brighter herb flavor.
- Chili flakes are optional and can be adjusted based on your preferred heat level.
- For a dairy-free alternative, substitute cream cheese and parmesan with vegan cheese options.
