Description
Creamy Penne Rosa: Pasta in a rich tomato cream sauce with garlic, basil, and Parmesan. Ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained and chopped
- Optional: 1/2 cup cooked chicken or sausage, sliced
Instructions
- Cook the Penne: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (about 10-12 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Incorporate Tomatoes and Paste: Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Break up the crushed tomatoes with a spoon.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Cream and Broth: Stir in heavy cream and vegetable broth.
- Season and Adjust: Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add sun-dried tomatoes or cooked chicken/sausage, if using.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Incorporate Cheese and Basil: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.
- Serve: Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the chicken or sausage.
- For a vegan option, substitute the heavy cream with a plant-based cream alternative and nutritional yeast for Parmesan cheese.
- The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- This dish can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water or vegetable broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer it for a longer period of time to allow it to reduce and thicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes