One-Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta
One pot, 25 minutes, and dinner feels handled.
If you’re too tired to juggle multiple pans, make this on a night when you need dinner to be easy but still feel like real food. Everything cooks in one pot, including the pasta, so there’s less chopping, less watching, and less cleanup. The sauce is creamy, tomatoey, and comforting without asking much from you. It’s not fussy, and it doesn’t aim to be restaurant-perfect — just dependable, warm, and good enough to get you fed fast. Serve it as-is, or add a handful of greens if you want to feel a little more organized than you do.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — small, finely chopped
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 oz diced tomatoes — 1 standard can, about 14.5 oz
- 3 cup vegetable broth
- 12 oz dried pasta — short pasta like penne or rotini
- 1 tsp kosher salt — plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes — optional
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh basil — torn or chopped, optional
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened.
- 2 Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, pasta, salt, black pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using.
- 3 Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- 4 Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if needed. Let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken, then top with basil and serve.
Variations
- Vegetarian extra-greens version — Stir in 2 cups baby spinach at the end and let it wilt into the hot pasta for a slightly brighter dinner.
- Faster shortcut — Use pre-chopped onion and jarred minced garlic, then start with the tomato paste so you still get a rich base quickly.
- Ingredient swaps — Swap Parmesan for Pecorino Romano, or use half-and-half instead of heavy cream if that’s what you have.
Notes
If the pasta looks dry before it is tender, add a splash more broth or water. For a looser sauce, keep a little extra liquid in the pot before adding the cream. Use a short pasta shape so it cooks evenly in the one pot.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot or deep skillet — It gives the pasta enough room to cook evenly while the sauce thickens in the same pan.
- Wooden spoon or spatula — It helps you stir frequently so the pasta does not stick as the liquid reduces.
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