Creamy Tomato Pasta in 20 Minutes

This creamy tomato pasta turns a tin of chopped tomatoes and a splash of cream into a glossy, restaurant-style sauce. It is quick enough for a midweek dinner but rich enough to feel like a treat, and it feeds four for the price of a takeaway starter.

When you want something comforting without the fuss, this is the pasta to make. A tin of tomatoes is softened with garlic and a little sugar, then enriched with cream until glossy and smooth. It clings to every strand and tastes far more indulgent than the short ingredient list suggests. Ready in the time it takes the pasta to cook.

Ingredients

• 350 g dried pasta — penne, rigatoni or spaghetti
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion — finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic — crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 150 ml double cream
• 40 g Parmesan — finely grated, plus extra to serve
• 1 handful fresh basil — torn, optional
• to taste salt and black pepper

Method

1. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 5 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring now and then.
3. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the purée darkens slightly and smells rich.
4. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and add the sugar. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up any large pieces, until the sauce thickens and no longer tastes raw.
5. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and Parmesan until you have a smooth, glossy sauce. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
6. Tip the drained pasta into the sauce and toss to coat, loosening with a splash of the reserved pasta water until it clings silkily to every piece.
7. Serve straight away, scattered with torn basil and extra Parmesan.

Serve it with

• Warm garlic bread or focaccia
• A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
• A glass of chilled white or light red wine
• Extra grated Parmesan at the table
• A scatter of chilli flakes for heat

Why this works

Cooking the tomato purée before adding the tinned tomatoes deepens the flavour, while the starchy pasta water emulsifies with the cream to give a sauce that coats rather than slides off.

Common swaps

• Use crème fraîche or mascarpone in place of double cream for a slight tang
• Swap Parmesan for a vegetarian hard cheese to keep it strictly veggie
• Stir in a handful of baby spinach at the end for extra greens
• Add a pinch of dried chilli flakes for a creamy arrabbiata
• Use passata instead of chopped tomatoes for a smoother sauce

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding the cream over a high heat, which can cause it to split; keep the pan low and gentle
• Skipping the pasta water, so the sauce sits loosely rather than clinging
• Not cooking the tomatoes long enough, leaving a raw, sharp taste
• Under-seasoning; tomato and cream both need a confident hand with salt

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool leftovers quickly and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing: The sauce freezes well on its own for up to 2 months; freeze before adding the pasta and defrost fully before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a pan over a low heat with a splash of water or milk to loosen, stirring until piping hot throughout.

Allergen notes: contains Milk, Gluten. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.