Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printer view)

Vibrant bowtie pasta in a creamy tomato basil sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, this easy Italian classic is perfect for weeknight comfort food.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 additional for pasta water
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs and Cheese

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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bowtie pasta according to package directions 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 to 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, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Lower heat and stir in heavy cream. Simmer for 2 minutes until sauce becomes creamy and slightly thickened.
05 - Add cooked pasta to the sauce along with reserved pasta water. Toss thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
06 - Stir in fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Distribute pasta into serving bowls and top with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta and chop an onion.
  • The creamy tomato sauce is the kind that makes you scrape the bowl clean with bread.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce cling to the noodles in a way plain water never will.
  • Add the cream off high heat or it might split and turn grainy instead of smooth.
  • Fresh basil goes in at the end, cooking it too long kills that bright green flavor you want.
03 -
  • Cook the tomato paste for a full minute before adding the crushed tomatoes, it deepens the flavor and gets rid of that metallic edge.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre shredded, it melts smoother and tastes sharper.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, this is your last chance to adjust the seasoning without guessing.
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