Description
This Tomato Pasta Sauce with Cream Cheese is a rich and creamy Italian-inspired sauce perfect for elevating your favorite pasta dishes. With a flavorful blend of crushed tomatoes, herbs, and smooth cream cheese, this sauce is easy to make on the stovetop and delivers a deliciously comforting meal in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Creamy Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- ½ cup milk or cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Garnish
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and sauté onion: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add garlic and cook: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add tomatoes and seasonings: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer the sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop the flavors and thicken the sauce slightly.
- Add cream cheese and melt: Reduce heat to low and stir in the softened, cubed cream cheese. Continue stirring until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Incorporate milk/cream and Parmesan: Add the milk or cream and grated Parmesan cheese if using. Stir to combine and simmer for another 2–3 minutes until heated through.
- Serve and garnish: Serve the creamy tomato sauce over your favorite cooked pasta and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- This sauce pairs well with penne, spaghetti, or rigatoni pasta varieties.
- For added protein, stir in cooked chicken, sausage, or ground beef during the simmering step.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest texture and richest flavor.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to taste for more or less heat.
