Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printable Version)

Vibrant bowtie pasta in a silky tomato basil cream sauce. Ready in 30 minutes. Easy, vegetarian, and absolutely comforting.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta

→ Sauce

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

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream swirls into the tomato sauce and turns it into something silky that clings to every ridge of the pasta.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now, which makes it perfect when the grocery store feels too far away.
  • It tastes like youve been cooking all day, but youll be sitting down to eat in half an hour.
  • The fresh basil at the end makes the whole dish smell like summer even in the middle of February.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, I forgot once and had to add plain water which made the sauce thin and sad instead of silky.
  • Add the cream off high heat or it can break and turn grainy, learned that the hard way during a dinner party.
  • Dont skip salting the pasta water generously, underseasoned pasta cant be fixed later and the whole dish will taste flat.
  • Fresh basil goes in at the very end or it turns black and loses its magic, dried basil is not a substitute here.
03 -
  • Use a skillet wide enough to toss the pasta in the sauce instead of a tall pot, it makes coating everything so much easier and you look like you know what youre doing.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, the pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • If you want deeper flavor, add a splash of balsamic vinegar or a pinch of dried oregano to the tomato sauce while it simmers.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta and adjust the seasoning then, its easier to fix than trying to season the whole dish at the end.
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