Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant bowtie pasta tossed in a silky tomato basil sauce with cream. A simple, satisfying weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 1 tsp sugar
09 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
10 - 1 tsp salt, plus additional for pasta water
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs & Cheese

12 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
13 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bowtie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Lower heat and stir in heavy cream. Simmer for 2 minutes until sauce achieves creamy consistency and slight thickening.
05 - Add cooked pasta to sauce with reserved pasta water. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
06 - Stir in fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1-2 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Divide pasta among serving bowls. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all afternoon cooking, but it only takes half an hour from start to finish.
  • The creamy tomato sauce clings to every curve of the bowtie pasta, so each bite is perfectly coated.
  • Fresh basil and Parmesan transform canned tomatoes into something that feels restaurant special.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients in your pantry right now.
02 -
  • Don't add the cream while the heat is too high or it might break and look grainy instead of silky.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, I've forgotten it more times than I'd like to admit and the sauce never comes together as well without it.
  • Fresh basil goes in at the very end, if you add it too early it turns dark and loses that bright herbaceous punch.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet instead of a saucepan so you have room to toss the pasta directly in the sauce without making a mess.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh right before adding it, the difference in flavor and meltability is worth the extra thirty seconds.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time instead of plain water, the starch makes everything come together like magic.
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