Tomato Basil Bowtie Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant bowtie pasta tossed in a silky tomato basil cream sauce. Ready in 30 minutes for an easy weeknight meal.

# What You Need:

→ 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, optional
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

# How-To Steps:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in less than 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all afternoon simmering sauce.
  • The cream blends with the tomatoes into this velvety, restaurant-style sauce that clings to every pasta fold.
  • Fresh basil stirred in at the end adds a brightness that makes the whole dish feel alive.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now.
02 -
  • Don't throw out that pasta water, the starch in it is what helps the sauce stick to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add the garlic after the onion has softened, if you put it in too early it burns and turns bitter.
  • Stir the cream in off high heat or it can break and turn grainy, low and slow is the way to go.
  • Fresh basil should go in at the very end, cooking it too long makes it taste dull and lose that vibrant green color.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-grated stuff, it melts better and tastes infinitely more flavorful.
  • If you want a smoother sauce, blend it with an immersion blender before adding the cream.
  • Toast the red pepper flakes in the oil for a few seconds before adding the onion to release their heat and flavor.
  • Always cook your pasta one minute less than the package says if you're tossing it in the sauce, it'll finish cooking in the skillet and soak up more flavor.
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