Description
A rich and flavorful Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta recipe ready in just 30 minutes, perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner. This dish features halved cherry tomatoes simmered with garlic, white wine, and a hint of chili flakes, all brought together with heavy cream and parmesan cheese for a luscious sauce coating tender rigatoni pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes (Halved)
- 3–4 cloves Garlic (Minced)
- to taste tablespoons Fresh Parsley (Basil is an alternative)
Pantry
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- to taste teaspoon Salt (Add during cooking)
- ½ tablespoon Chili Flakes (Adjust for spice tolerance)
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste (Can be omitted if tomatoes are ripe)
- 1 tablespoon Flour (Use cornstarch for gluten-free)
- ½ cup Dry White Wine (Can substitute with vegetable broth)
- 12 ounces Rigatoni (Can substitute with penne or fusilli)
Dairy
- 1 cup Heavy Cream (Can substitute with half-and-half or yogurt)
- to taste tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (Can use nutritional yeast for vegan)
Instructions
- Mince Garlic: Finely mince 3-4 cloves of garlic to prepare for sautéing.
- Halve Tomatoes: Slice 2 cups of cherry tomatoes in half to release their juices during cooking.
- Heat Olive Oil: Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Cook Tomatoes: Add the halved cherry tomatoes along with a pinch of salt, cooking them until they begin to soften.
- Add Wine: Pour in ½ cup of dry white wine and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes to enhance the sauce’s flavor and reduce its acidity.
- Mix in Flavors: Stir in ½ teaspoon of chili flakes and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to build depth and subtle heat.
- Add Cream: Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into the pan, stirring continuously until the sauce is well combined and creamy.
- Thicken with Flour: Create a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water, then add this to the sauce to thicken it gently.
- Combine Pasta: Gently fold in 12 ounces of cooked rigatoni pasta, ensuring it is evenly coated, and let the mixture simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pan from heat, cover it, and let the pasta sit for 5 minutes to fully absorb the flavors. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the regular flour with cornstarch and ensure the pasta is gluten-free.
- If vegan, replace heavy cream with coconut cream or a plant-based alternative and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
- Adjust chili flakes to suit your preferred spice level or omit for a milder dish.
- Dry white wine can be substituted with vegetable broth for a non-alcoholic version.
- Ripe tomatoes can allow you to skip the tomato paste if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: creamy tomato garlic pasta, easy pasta dinner, 30-minute pasta recipe, rigatoni pasta recipe, Italian pasta dish
