Creamy Tomato Pasta From Pantry Staples (20 Minutes)

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz) short pasta such as penne or rigatoni
• 1 can (400 g / 14 oz) chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) cooking cream, or 100 g cream cheese
• 40 g (½ cup) grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Pinch of chili flakes
• Salt, black pepper and fresh basil

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package says. Before draining, save a cup of the pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, warm the oil and garlic in a large pan over medium heat for 1 minute, until fragrant but not brown.
3. Add the tomato paste, oregano and chili flakes and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the canned tomatoes and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring now and then.
5. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the drained pasta, the parmesan and a splash of pasta water. Toss over the heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce is glossy and clings to the pasta. Serve with basil.

Nutrition per serving

kcal

570

Protein

18 g

Carbs

80 g

Fat

19 g

Tips

• Frying the tomato paste for a minute removes its raw taste and makes the sauce deeper.
• Add spinach, leftover chicken or a can of tuna in the last step to make it more filling.
• For a lighter version, use milk thickened with 1 teaspoon of flour instead of cream.