This creamy tomato pasta is made with cherry tomatoes for a fresh take on a classic! You'll love the fresh creamy tomato sauce with fresh pasta for a simple weeknight meal.
20ouncesfresh cherry tomatoesabout 4 to 5 heaping cups
4clovesfresh garlic, minced
¾ to 1cupheavy creamor to taste
⅓cupfreshly grated parmesan cheeseplus more for garnish
½teaspoonGranulated sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼cupfresh sliced basilplus garnish
Instructions
In a pot with generously salted water, cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water for later.
Heat a few generous drizzles of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to blister.
Then, add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant. Press down the tomatoes (I use a potato masher) to release their juices and make a rustic-style sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the heavy cream. If needed, add some granulated sugar (about a half teaspoon) to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Then, add the cooked pasta into the sauce.
Add freshly grated parmesan cheese and sliced basil. If needed, season with more salt and pepper, along with some of the reserved pasta water until you get your desired consistency.
Garnish with more parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Prefer to use canned tomatoes? Use your favorite marinara sauce or canned crushed tomatoes instead.
To press down the tomatoes, you can use a potato masher.
Storage: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a skillet, adding a splash of heavy cream to loosen the sauce. This will make the pasta creamy again.
Substitutions and Variations
Tagliatelle pasta: Use any pasta of choice such as fettuccini, spaghetti, pappardelle. Short pastas, like penne or rigatoni work too. For a lighter dish, use zucchini noodles or whole grain pasta.
Cherry tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes or marinara.
Add a protein such as chicken, shrimp or salmon.
Veggie add-ins: Spinach, zucchini, mushrooms.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are approximates only.