Description
A creamy and flavorful tomato pasta sauce made with tomato passata, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese, perfect for coating your favorite pasta for a quick and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8oz (225 grams) pasta (long or short pasta will work)
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 (tomato puree)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tbsp 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. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and sauté minced garlic, diced onion, and chili flakes for 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Simmer Sauce: Add tomato passata and dried or fresh basil to the skillet. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes to blend flavors.
- Add Cream Cheese and Parmesan: Stir in cream cheese, grated parmesan, and reserved pasta water into the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, stirring until smooth and creamy.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Return drained pasta to the skillet and toss well in the sauce to coat evenly. Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help it cling to pasta.
- Use cream cheese at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Adjust chili flakes according to your desired heat level or omit for a milder sauce.
- Fresh basil can be substituted for dried basil for a fresher flavor.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and taste.
