Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printable View)

Vibrant bowtie pasta tossed in creamy tomato basil sauce. A simple, satisfying Italian-inspired main dish ready in 30 minutes.

# 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 - ½ cup heavy cream
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar
09 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
11 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs & Cheese

12 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
13 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ 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 3–4 minutes until soft. Add 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 if using, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce is creamy and slightly thickened.
05 - Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with reserved pasta water. Toss to combine.
06 - Stir in the fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1–2 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Serve hot, topped with extra Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under half an hour but tastes like you simmered it all day.
  • The creamy tomato sauce clings to every twist of the bowtie pasta in the most satisfying way.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, I forgot once and the sauce was too thick and clung to the pan instead of the noodles.
  • Add the cream off high heat or it can break and get grainy, low and slow is the move here.
  • Fresh basil goes in at the very end so it stays vibrant, cooking it too long turns it dark and dull.
03 -
  • Use a skillet big enough to toss the pasta in the sauce, it makes everything come together so much easier and creates less mess.
  • Let the tomato paste cook for a full minute before adding the tomatoes, it caramelizes slightly and adds a deeper, sweeter flavor to the whole dish.
  • If the sauce feels too thick after adding the pasta, do not be shy with that reserved pasta water, add it a little at a time until the consistency feels right.
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