By Emma Hartley, Food EditorReviewed & updated July 2026
If there's one dinner that earns a permanent spot in your weeknight rotation, it's this creamy tomato basil pasta. It comes together in about 20 minutes with pantry staples, tastes like it took far longer, and reheats beautifully for lunch the next day.
The secret is building a quick sauce that's rich without being heavy — a splash of cream rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes, and fresh basil at the end keeps it bright.
Quick navigationCurated by Emma · 5 min readWhy you'll love this recipe
- Fast. Start to finish in about 20 minutes.
- Pantry-friendly. Most of it lives in your cupboard already.
- Forgiving. Swap the cream for half-and-half, add spinach, or toss in cooked chicken.
Tips for the best results
Salt your pasta water generously — it's your only chance to season the pasta itself. Reserve a little starchy cooking water before draining; it helps the sauce cling. And don't let the garlic brown, or it turns bitter. Love this flavor profile? Our creamy tomato soup uses the same trick for silky texture.
Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
A rich, 20-minute weeknight pasta with a quick tomato-cream sauce and fresh basil.
☆☆☆☆☆
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) penne or rigatoni
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, torn
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
Instructions
- Step 1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Step 2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Step 4. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and Parmesan until smooth. Loosen with a splash of reserved pasta water if needed.
- Step 5. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat. Stir in the fresh basil, taste, and adjust salt. Serve hot with extra Parmesan.
Make it your own
Stir in a few handfuls of baby spinach with the cream, add cooked Italian sausage or shredded rotisserie chicken for protein, or finish with a drizzle of chili oil. It's a sturdy base recipe that welcomes whatever you have on hand. For a richer weeknight pasta, try our creamy chicken alfredo, or the viral baked feta pasta when you want the oven to do the work.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make it dairy-free? Yes — use a splash of full-fat coconut milk or a cashew cream in place of the heavy cream, and skip or swap the Parmesan for a dairy-free alternative.
How do I store leftovers? Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.
Can I freeze it? Cream sauces can split a little when frozen, but it's still tasty. Freeze for up to 2 months and reheat low and slow.
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Tips, substitutions & storage
Make it your own: No heavy cream? Half-and-half, or whole milk loosened with a teaspoon of flour, works; for dairy-free, full-fat coconut milk keeps it silky. Fresh basil can be swapped for a teaspoon of dried, stirred in early so it softens.
Storage & reheating: Keep leftovers airtight in the fridge up to 3 days. Cream sauces tighten as they cool, so reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk or pasta water to bring back a glossy consistency. It doesn’t freeze well — the cream can split — so make it fresh.
Serve it with: a green salad and garlic bread for a full dinner; fold in rotisserie chicken or seared shrimp for extra protein.
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Further reading & trusted sources
The step most people skip
A pinch of sugar isn’t cheating — canned tomatoes are acidic and a little balances them. The bigger move is simmering long enough to cook off the tinny, raw-tomato edge.
Emma thinks a recipe has failed if it needs a long backstory before the ingredients — so hers get straight to the point, with the small technique notes that actually change how a dish turns out. She leads The Nourish Kitchen’s recipes and food guides, writing each one to work in a real, busy kitchen rather than a photo studio. AI tools help with research and drafting, and a human checks every recipe for clarity and food safety before it publishes. Nutrition figures are honest estimates, never guarantees.