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!
Fettucine Alfredo – also try this One Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
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).
This sauce impressed my boyfriends very Italian mother!! So good
You nailed it Brittany – wahoo! N x
Can you prepare this sauce ahead of time and reheat?
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.
Wahoo! I’m so glad you loved it Patrice! N x
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!
Wahoo, that’s awesome Elena!! N x
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 🙂
It’s my first to cook and my parents loved it.
Thank you for this good recipe☺️
I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan for 2 years from 2010-2012 and there was a restaurant called Cafe Terrace Nirai that served this similar dish but with shrimp. I fell in love with it and have searched through and tried many recipes for eight years! I made this tonight for my family and they’re just as in love with this dish! Thank you so much!!!
I will must try this recipe in the home because this is a very simple and tasty sauce recipe. So thanks for sharing this recipe.
You’re so welcome Anwer! N x
Great simple sauce and recipe, tastes amazing – we added baked salmon sides
My son needs a vegetarian dish for his Food Technology high school class tomorrow. I have all the ingredients ready and the instructions look very straightforward. He’s going to do a test run for tea tonight. Looking forward to it!
Yum, sounds divine Mike! N x
My son made this recipe! He’s 16. We added prawns to it.
We didn’t have garlic or milk so subbed with garlic powder and left the milk out. Its delicious! Thank you for taking the time to create such a lovely blog.
That’s awesome Savage, I love hearing about young people in the kitchen, it’s never too early to start! N x
Just had Creamy Tomato pasta. I used Linguini And added some bacon and it was great. What made a big was removing the pasta once cooked and adding it to the pan of sauce directly (tip from chef Theo Randall). I have made three of your recipes and all have been great. A big thank you.
Hello! Do you think mascarpone would work instead of the heavy cream?? Thanks!
Hi Lynz, yes it would be super luscious! You may need to mix it with a little water depending on how thick it is. N x
What type of cream did you use? Like the label name?
Bulla Thickened Cream 🙂 N x
This is the easiest, most delicious pink sauce!! I even had everything in the pantry/fridge. We served it with chicken cutlets on top and there were no leftovers! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Didn’t have passata so I used a tin of crushed tomatoes + tomato paste. Fresh basil (what’s left of my plant as it’s full on flowering), extra garlic, olives and it was delish ! Next time I might skip the cream
Sounds perfect Johanns!! N x
can you not put the vegetable stock powder in and just put real veggies?
Wow! My family liked this better than fettuccine Alfredo. That used to be the favorite but now they say this is.
Woah, that’s great Penny!! N x
this pasta is amazing, it tastes really really good
I’m only 16 and I could make it so it’s that easy
NGL I made this and I’m 14 and it is bangin
Well done Jessica!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it – N x
I have made this so many times, it so great! Literally a perfect weeknight dinner. I also discovered how amazing tomato purée is and have been using it all the time in many other recipes. Thanks for this yummy pasta!
Love this recipe base. Most of the time I chuck in some chorizo and sweet paprika. Also some baby spinach for some veg. Kids love it!
Sounds great Jade!
I’m a student and I rarely cook from scratch but this was absolutely delicious and took no effort at all!! It came out tasting so delicious and I was so happy I actually made something tasty for once (: Definitely will be making this again. p.s this website is so cute, i love the check boxes
Thanks so much for letting me know Niki! – N x
WOW! I just made this for dinner, and it was fabulous. I’m going to try your Lemon Chicken Breast recipe tomorrow. Thank you for a wonderful website–so glad I found it!
I hope you love Lisa, let me know how it goes!