Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

4.87 from 15 votes

This creamy tomato basil pasta recipe is a delicious meatless meal that's fast, simple to make, and is perfect for in-season summer tomatoes and fresh basil!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy tomato basil pasta recipe, tomato basil pasta sauce

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoon flour
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken/veg broth
1 cup heavy/whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard optional
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup basil (tear it up) or more, to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
When the pasta is about 10 minutes away from being done, add the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it melts, make a quick roux by sprinkling the flour in and cook for about 1 minute, stirring fairly often.
Add in the garlic, followed by the wine (or broth). Let it bubble until it's reduced by half (approx. 30 seconds to 1 minute).
Whisk in the cream, Dijon mustard, and Italian seasoning until you've got a smooth sauce.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Cook the sauce for another 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened up a bit.
Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and basil.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until coated (I usually add a tablespoon or so of the pasta water to the sauce prior to draining it, especially if it's become a tad too thick). Serve immediately with more freshly grated parmesan if desired.

Notes

Serves 2-4 depending on how hungry people are/what else you serve it with.
I don't recommend subbing the cream for a lower fat alternative. It may not thicken the same, and the acidity from the tomatoes could curdle it. You could try adding more flour if you use half-and-half.
You don't need to be too precise with the tomato size so don't worry about weighing them. One larger tomato will work fine.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition