Why you’ll love it
Twenty minutes, one pot, and a sauce so silky you’ll wonder why you ever bought the jarred stuff. The secret is a splash of cream and a knob of butter whisked in at the end, plus a ladle of starchy pasta water — the classic Italian trick that turns a simple tomato sauce glossy and restaurant-worthy.
Quick facts
- Prep: 5 minutes
- Cook: 15 minutes
- Total: 20 minutes
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340g) penne, rigatoni, or fusilli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 can (28 oz / 800g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to tame acidity)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup (25g) fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more to serve
- 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente (1 minute less than the package says). Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water — don’t skip this.
- Start the sauce. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Simmer. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, sugar (if using), salt, and pepper. Simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Make it creamy. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream and butter until melted and smooth. Add the drained pasta plus 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water; toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce clings to every piece (add more pasta water a splash at a time if needed).
- Finish. Off the heat, toss in the basil and Parmesan. Serve immediately with extra basil and Parmesan on top.
Tips
- The pasta water is non-negotiable. Its starch is what makes the sauce silky instead of watery.
- Add protein: Toss in shredded rotisserie chicken, or sauté Italian sausage first and build the sauce on top.
- Lighter version: Swap the cream for half-and-half and cut the butter in half — still delicious.
- Storage: Keeps 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.