Creamy Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

• 250 g Pasta of choice
• 3 tbsp Butter (1 tbsp is added to the pan with the oil; the source does not specify when the remaining butter is added.)
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 tbsp Fresh garlic (Minced)
• 0.5 Onion (Thinly diced)
• 4 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1.5 cup Unsweetened heavy cream
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese
• 0.5 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt (To taste)
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tbsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp Red chili flakes
• 0.5 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp Parsley (Chopped, for garnish)
• 0.5 cup Reserved pasta water (Reserve from cooking the pasta; use as needed to loosen the sauce. A splash is also used to deglaze the pan.)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

3. 3

   Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the heated oil.

4. 4

   Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the diced onion and cook until translucent.

6. 6

   Add the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.

7. 7

   Deglaze the pan with a splash of the reserved pasta water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

8. 8

   Season the tomato mixture with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and red chili flakes.

9. 9

   Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine.

10. 10

    Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer.

11. 11

    Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.

12. 12

    Stir over low heat until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth.

13. 13

    Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until evenly coated.

14. 14

    If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water as needed until it reaches the desired consistency.

15. 15

    Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve hot.

Notes

The source does not specify how the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter are used after the initial 1 tablespoon is added. It also does not provide an exact amount of pasta water for deglazing or thinning; add it as needed.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• creamy
• stovetop
• quick meal
• Italian-inspired