There are some dinners that feel like a warm hug in a bowl, and this Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta is precisely that. It’s the meal we turn to after a long day when we crave something deeply comforting yet don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. I make this at least once a week – it’s become a family favourite that never fails to get everyone around the table. The magic is in its balance: the sweetness of slow-cooked tomatoes, a mellow hum of garlic, and a luxurious, creamy finish that coats every single piece of pasta.

This isn’t just another tomato pasta recipe. We achieve a remarkable depth of flavour by using a combination of rich tomato passata and intensely savoury sun-dried tomatoes. The sauce is velvety without being heavy, and the fresh basil stirred through at the end lifts everything with its bright, aromatic notes. It’s a dish that works beautifully for a satisfying weeknight dinner but is also special enough for a relaxed weekend meal with friends.

Recipe Overview

This recipe creates a silky, rich tomato sauce with a pronounced garlic backbone, all brought together with creamy mascarpone. The key is to build layers of flavour, starting with the aromatics and allowing the tomatoes to gently simmer before adding the cream. I used to struggle with getting the sauce consistency just right until I discovered the power of starchy pasta water – it’s the secret to a sauce that clings perfectly.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta

• Genuine Flavour: The combination of sweet passata, intense sun-dried tomatoes, and six cloves of fragrant garlic creates a sauce that tastes like it has been simmering for hours. The mascarpone adds a subtle tang and a wonderfully smooth texture.
• Ready in About 30 Minutes: This is a genuinely straightforward meal that comes together while your pasta is boiling, making it ideal for those busy evenings.
• Flexible Recipe: This sauce is a fantastic base. You can stir through a couple of large handfuls of fresh spinach at the end until it wilts, add some sautéed mushrooms, or even add some leftover shredded chicken from our Juicy Chicken Recipe.
• Great for Weeknight Dinners: When you need a reliable and delicious meal that doesn’t require a lot of fuss or complicated ingredients, this is the recipe to reach for.
• Family Tested: My children adore this pasta. They say the sauce is ‘super silky’, and it’s one of the few meals where clean plates are guaranteed without any negotiation!

Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 20 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For this recipe, we rely on quality pantry staples to build a deeply flavourful sauce. I always recommend using a good quality passata, as it forms the base of the sauce. I prefer using Mutti for its consistent sweetness and vibrant colour.

• 400g dried pasta (Rigatoni, Penne, or Paccheri work well)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 50g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 500g tomato passata
• 120g mascarpone cheese
• 50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra for serving
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to your preference)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• A small bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked and torn

Sara’s Tip: Don’t discard the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar! Use a tablespoon of that instead of regular olive oil for sautéing the shallot and garlic. It adds an incredible layer of savoury, sun-kissed flavour right from the start.

How to Make Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta

This process is all about building flavour in layers. We’ll start by creating an aromatic base, letting the tomato sauce simmer to develop its taste, and then finishing it with creaminess right at the end.

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a mugful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander.
2. Sauté the Aromatics: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the finely diced shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
3. Add the Garlic and Tomatoes: Add the sliced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic brown, as it can become bitter.
4. Build the Tomato Base: Stir in the tomato purée and dried oregano, and cook for one minute until it darkens slightly. This step cooks out the raw taste of the purée.
5. Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the tomato passata, season with salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let it bubble away gently for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
6. Make it Creamy: Turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Add the mascarpone and grated Parmesan to the sauce, stirring until they have completely melted and the sauce is smooth and pale orange. This is the point where I find that a gentle hand is key; you don’t want the sauce to boil after adding the dairy.
7. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta directly to the pan with the sauce. Toss everything together thoroughly to coat every piece of pasta.
8. Adjust Consistency: If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. The starch in the water will help the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta beautifully. I usually add about 100ml. Keep tossing over a low heat for a minute.
9. Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Stir through the torn fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately in warm bowls with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and a good crack of black pepper.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: When adding the mascarpone and Parmesan, ensure the sauce is on a very low heat. If the sauce is boiling vigorously, the dairy can split, resulting in a grainy texture. Gentle heat is your friend here.
• The Secret Step: Don’t underestimate the reserved pasta water. I learned that this starchy liquid is the key to a professional-quality sauce. As explained by food science experts at Serious Eats, the starch acts as an emulsifier and thickener, binding the sauce to the pasta for that perfect, non-watery finish.
• Make-Ahead: The tomato base of the sauce (up to step 5) can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, gently reheat it and continue from step 6.
• Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce, as it will thicken upon cooling.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large pot for boiling pasta
• Colander
• Large, deep frying pan or a shallow casserole dish
• Tongs or a pasta fork for tossing
• A mug for reserving pasta water

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcooking the Garlic: Garlic goes from fragrant to burnt and bitter in seconds. Sauté it over a medium heat and only for a minute or two until it’s aromatic. As soon as you can smell it strongly, it’s time to move to the next step.
• Adding Cream to a Raging Boil: As mentioned in the tips, adding mascarpone or any cream to a rapidly boiling sauce is the quickest way to make it split. Turn the heat right down to the minimum before stirring in the dairy for a silky smooth result.
• Forgetting to Salt the Pasta Water: This is the first and best opportunity you have to season the pasta itself. The water should taste like the sea. This base level of seasoning makes a huge difference to the final dish.

Delicious Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, feel free to get creative. This sauce is incredibly adaptable and provides a great canvas for other ingredients.

• Spicy Arrabbiata Style: Double the amount of red pepper flakes or add one finely chopped red chilli along with the garlic for a fiery kick.
• Vegan Option: Substitute the mascarpone with a high-quality dairy-free cream cheese or cashew cream. Use a vegan Parmesan alternative or nutritional yeast for that cheesy, umami flavour.
• Add Some Protein: This sauce is a wonderful partner for protein. Stir in cooked prawns during the last few minutes of cooking, or top with grilled chicken breast. Our Bruschetta Chicken would work wonderfully on the side.

What to Serve With Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta

While this dish is a complete meal in itself, a few simple sides can turn it into a more substantial spread.

• A Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad with a sharp vinaigrette dressing cuts through the richness of the creamy sauce perfectly. Think rocket, cucumber, and a lemon-based dressing.
• Crusty Garlic Bread: It’s almost a requirement! Use it to mop up every last bit of that delicious sauce from your bowl.
• Wine Pairing: A dry and crisp Italian white wine like a Pinot Grigio or a light-bodied red like a Valpolicella complements the tomato and garlic flavours without overpowering them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta

A rich and luscious pasta dish featuring a creamy tomato and mascarpone sauce, infused with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 680

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 400 g dried pasta Rigatoni, Penne, or Paccheri work well
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot finely diced
• 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 50 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 500 g tomato passata
• 120 g mascarpone cheese
• 50 g Parmesan cheese finely grated, plus extra for serving
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional, adjust to your preference
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• A small bunch of fresh basil leaves picked and torn

Method

 

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a mugful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander.
2. Sauté the Aromatics: While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the finely diced shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
3. Add the Garlic and Tomatoes: Add the sliced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic brown, as it can become bitter.
4. Build the Tomato Base: Stir in the tomato purée and dried oregano, and cook for one minute until it darkens slightly. This step cooks out the raw taste of the purée.
5. Simmer the Sauce: Pour in the tomato passata, season with salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let it bubble away gently for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
6. Make it Creamy: Turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Add the mascarpone and grated Parmesan to the sauce, stirring until they have completely melted and the sauce is smooth and pale orange. This is the point where I find that a gentle hand is key; you don't want the sauce to boil after adding the dairy.
7. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta directly to the pan with the sauce. Toss everything together thoroughly to coat every piece of pasta.
8. Adjust Consistency: If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. The starch in the water will help the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta beautifully. I usually add about 100ml. Keep tossing over a low heat for a minute.
9. Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Stir through the torn fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately in warm bowls with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and a good crack of black pepper.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.

I really hope you give this Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta a try. It’s a recipe born from many weeknight experiments, and it’s now a cornerstone of my family’s meal rotation. It’s simple, satisfying, and always gets compliments. If you make it, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below – I love hearing from you! Happy cooking, Sara.