Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant bowtie pasta tossed in a silky tomato basil cream sauce. Simple, elegant, and ready in 30 minutes.

# Components:

→ 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 - ½ cup heavy cream
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar
09 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional for pasta water
11 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs & Cheese

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

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain pasta in a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce becomes creamy and slightly thickened.
05 - Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the reserved pasta water. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
06 - Stir in the fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1–2 minutes to allow flavors to meld together. Adjust seasoning to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed.
07 - Transfer to serving dishes and serve hot, topped with additional grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every ridged edge of the bowtie pasta, so each bite tastes complete and creamy.
  • It comes together in half an hour, which means you can start cooking when youre already hungry and still eat at a reasonable time.
  • The fresh basil stirred in at the end brings a brightness that makes the whole dish feel alive, not heavy.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, because I forgot once and the sauce was too thick and sticky, and adding plain water didn't help at all.
  • Add the garlic after the onion softens, not at the same time, or it will burn before the onion is ready and leave a bitter taste in the whole dish.
  • Stir in the cream off high heat, because the first time I made this I let it boil and the sauce broke into a grainy mess.
03 -
  • Use a large enough skillet so you can toss the pasta directly in the sauce without it spilling over the sides, because I've made that mess twice.
  • If the sauce looks too thick after adding the pasta, don't hesitate to add more pasta water one tablespoon at a time until it loosens to a silky consistency.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, because once everything is combined it's harder to adjust the seasoning evenly.
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