This creamy tomato garlic pasta is my go-to when I want something cozy without a ton of effort. Fresh cherry tomatoes cook down into a rich, garlicky cream sauce, and it all comes together in about 30 minutes with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen.
I make this on repeat after long days, and the one thing I always tell people is to let the cherry tomatoes fully break down before the cream goes in. That's where all the flavor comes from. A splash of white wine and a little sugar balance out the acidity so the sauce tastes rich and rounded instead of sharp.
If you love easy pasta dinners like this one, you are going to absolutely love my Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe, Creamy Shrimp Linguine & Creamier Carbonara!
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Ingredient Notes
- Cherry Tomatoes: cook down into the base of the sauce. Regular tomatoes chopped, canned diced, or sun-dried all work, though fresh cherry tomatoes give the brightest flavor.
- Dry White Wine: deglazes the pan and adds depth. Swap for chicken or vegetable broth, or water with a small splash of vinegar, to skip the wine.
- Sugar: just a teaspoon to balance the acidity. (Currently listed twice, collapse to one.)
- Heavy Cream: makes it creamy. Half and half works for lighter, but the sauce will be thinner.
- Flour: whisked into a slurry to thicken. Cornstarch or arrowroot too.
- Rigatoni: holds the sauce well. Penne, fusilli or any short pasta works.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Tomato Garlic Pasta Recipe
Sauté veggies & add white wine.
Add in the heavy cream & simmer.
Mix in the cooked pasta.
Serve & enjoy!
Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep the Ingredients: Mince the garlic and slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Sauté the Garlic: Heat 4 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and cook about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Do not let it brown.
- Cook the Tomatoes: Add 3 cups of cherry tomatoes and another ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in 1 cup of dry white wine, letting it simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of chili flakes and 2 tablespoon of tomato paste, mixing everything together.
- Add the Cream & Sugar: Pour in 2 cups of heavy cream and stir. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Slowly stir this into the sauce to thicken it, cooking for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 teaspoon white sugar to balance the acidity.
- Season & Combine: Stir in ½ cup of chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked rigatoni, ensuring it remains al dente to avoid overcooking.
- Finish Cooking: Let the pasta simmer in the sauce for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan, extra parsley, and a sprinkle of black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fridge: airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce.
- Freezing: not recommended. Cream sauces can separate when thawed.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Frequently Asked Questions for Creamy Garlic Tomato Pasta
How do you balance the taste of tomatoes in pasta?
The sugar and cream do it. A teaspoon of sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes so the sauce isn't sharp, and the cream smooths everything out. Cooking the cherry tomatoes down until they're soft first helps too.
Is it better to use raw or cooked garlic in pasta?
Cooked! Sautéing the garlic just until it smells fragrant takes away the raw, sharp bite and makes it sweeter. Just keep it moving so it doesn't brown.
Can I make this without white wine?
Yes! Just swap the wine for chicken or veggie broth, or water with a little splash of vinegar or lemon. It won't be quite as deep in flavor but it'll still be really good.
Can I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh cherry tomatoes?
For sure. A 14 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes works great, but fresh cherry tomatoes give you a brighter sauce. If you go with canned, just cook it down a little less.
How do I keep the cream from splitting?
Keep the heat low once the cream goes in and don't let it boil hard. It also helps to let the cream sit out for a bit first so it's not fridge-cold when it hits the pan.
Related
Looking for other pasta recipes like this? Try these:
Desserts
These are my favorite dessert recipes to serve with this creamy pasta:
Krithu says
it was too good! thank you
Morgan Berriochoa says
Amazing! I love this one!
Maria says
I honestly forgot to add the salt and pepper at the end BUT truthfully it was still great without. Bought some freshly made pasta too and it really took this to the next level. Also didn't add chili flakes and sugar but it was completely fine without.
Jenny says
Excellent!
Chris Fagan says
Hello!
What is the best way to measure cherry tomatoes to cups? Is there an up to ounce measurement I can do?
Theresa says
It was good, but a little too rich. I think next time I'll scale back on the cream or cut it with regular milk.
Also, sugar is listed twice in the ingredient list, but no where in the steps for when to add it. I just didn't add it, and it tasted good.
Alexia says
Was amazing the first time, making it again tonight!
Emily says
One of our favorite recipes! Make it often 🙂 One thing I change however is the order of steps. Cooking the garlic first (for a total of 15-20 min when combined with the tomatoes) doesn’t make sense, and causes it to get burnt very quickly. I first cook the tomatoes and then add in the garlic for MAX 2 minutes and they get plenty toasty that way. Can’t imagine leaving it on medium for 20 min lol
Hayley says
What is the sugar for?
Maja Ilic says
Hey Hayley! It's to balance out the acidity from the tomatoes! Trust me, you won't taste it, but its important to add!!
Jan says
When is the sugar added?
Maja Ilic says
To balance out the natural acidity, so the tomatoes don't make it too "sour" & it has more of a balanced & caramelized flavor!:)
Hayley says
I’m not a big pasta person. I also never write recipe reviews, but this pasta recipe deserves 5++ stars. Everything about it came out perfect and will be adding this to my regular dinner list. And if you like drinking wine, I found it fun to sip on the wine in the recipe while cooking with it lol.
Though the recipe doesn’t tell you when to put in the sugar, I just put it in the same time I added the heavy cream and came out great!
Mic says
I made a bunch of substitutions (coconut cream instead of cream, vegetable broth and a splash of vodka as I had no wine, and I didn’t have any parsley) and this still turned out absolutely bomb. Thanks for a great, flexible recipe!
Nola says
One of my all time favorite meals now! So easy and quick to make, the flavors are exceptional!
Emily says
I have used this recipe about 7 times and I’m obsessed!
Sam says
very creamy and delicious whole family loved it.
Corey says
This one has become a household favorite! The only thing I'd change about the recipe is it says to sautee the garlic for 5 minutes on medium--the garlic would be burnt to a crisp, and I'm pretty sure that's just a mistake. 30 seconds, then throw in the tomatoes.