Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printable)

Bowtie pasta in a silky tomato basil cream sauce. Easy, vegetarian, and ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - ½ cup heavy cream
08 - 1 tsp sugar
09 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 1 tsp salt, plus additional for pasta water
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs & Cheese

12 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
13 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bowtie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and drain pasta in colander.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Simmer 2 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes creamy.
05 - Add cooked pasta to sauce with reserved pasta water. Toss ingredients together until pasta is evenly coated.
06 - Stir in fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Cook 1-2 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Transfer to serving bowls while hot. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour cooking but you'll be eating in thirty minutes.
  • The cream turns ordinary canned tomatoes into something that clings to every bowtie fold.
  • You can make it with pantry staples and whatever herbs are left in the fridge.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day after the flavors settle in.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the secret to a sauce that clings instead of sliding off.
  • Add the cream off high heat or it might break and look grainy instead of smooth.
  • Fresh basil goes in at the very end, cooking it too long turns it dark and bitter.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, a splash of that reserved pasta water loosens it right up.
03 -
  • Use the best canned tomatoes you can afford, they're the foundation and cheap ones taste tinny.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh off the block, it melts smoother and tastes sharper than the pre-grated kind.
  • If you like more garlic, add an extra clove, but watch it closely so it doesn't burn and turn bitter.
  • Toss the pasta in the sauce for a full minute so the bowties soak up the flavors instead of just sitting in them.
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