5 from 2 votes

There are few meals that I love more than a big steaming bowl of creamy pasta. This one hits the spot every time—it’s very simple to make and the flavors blend together perfectly. It’s a great vegetarian dish as written, but if you want it to meat it up you can add Italian sausage or some cooked chicken breast.

A longer pasta, like fettuccine, works best with this sauce—you want something with as much surface area as possible to coat with all that deliciousness. I love my cream sauce with a kick, so I doubled the crushed red pepper. If you like it spicy like me, you should do the same.

📋 Recipe

Rich and Creamy Tomato and Basil Pasta

There are few meals that I love more than a big steaming bowl of creamy pasta. This one hits the spot every time—it’s very simple to make and the flavors blend together perfectly.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Dinner, Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 162kcal

Author: Ben Rayl

Ingredients

8 oz pasta - uncooked
1 tablespoon butter
½ onion - chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can diced tomatoes - not drained 14 oz
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup basil - fresh
2 tablespoon parmesan cheese - grated

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. While the water is heating, you can prepare the sauce.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another minute or two.
Stir in the tomatoes and salt and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has cooked away. Remove from heat and let stand for a minute, then whisk in the milk.
Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Add the basil, Parmesan cheese and tomato mixture and toss to coat. Garnish with additional chopped basil and Parmesan cheese.