Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant bowtie pasta in creamy tomato basil sauce. Vegetarian, easy, and 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 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar
09 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
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 extra for serving

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bowtie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water and drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3-4 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 if using, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes while 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 sauce along with reserved pasta water. Toss until thoroughly combined.
06 - Stir in fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1-2 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Serve immediately while hot, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like a fancy Italian dinner but comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta and chop an onion.
  • The cream mellows the tomatoes into something velvety and comforting without being heavy.
  • Every piece of bowtie pasta holds onto the sauce like it was made for it.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, I learned this the hard way when my sauce seized up and turned gloppy without it.
  • Add the garlic after the onion, not at the same time, or it'll burn and turn bitter while the onion is still raw.
  • Lower the heat before you pour in the cream, high heat can make it curdle and separate into an oily mess.
03 -
  • Use a spider strainer to scoop the pasta straight from the pot into the sauce, you'll bring some pasta water with it automatically.
  • Grate the Parmesan on the finest holes of your grater so it melts instantly and disappears into the sauce instead of clumping.
  • If you want deeper flavor, add a splash of white wine after the garlic and let it cook off before adding the tomatoes.
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