Italian-American · main

One-Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

Name: One-Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
Prep time: 24 min
Total time: 24 min
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: olive oil — 27 g; yellow onion — 110 g; garlic — 12 g; red chili flakes — 3 g; tomatoes — 794 g; low-sodium beef broth — 710 g; shell pasta — 340 g; salt — 5 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; heavy cream — 118 g; parmesan cheese — 114 g; unsalted butter — 27 g; basil — 59 g

One-Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta reads umami 5.8, richness 5.5 and salinity 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 24 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.5 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.0 / 10
Sour & Bright — 2.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.1 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.8 · Richness 5.5 · Salinity 4.7 · Allium 4.4 · Herbaceous 4.2 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Floral 2.0 · Sourness 2.0 · Fruity 1.9 · Nutty 1.8 · Heat 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Citrus 1.5 · Earthy 1.3 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (13)

olive oil — 27 g
yellow onion — 110 g
garlic — 12 g
red chili flakes — 3 g
tomatoes — 794 g
low-sodium beef broth — 710 g
shell pasta — 340 g
salt — 5 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
heavy cream — 118 g
parmesan cheese — 114 g
unsalted butter — 27 g
basil — 59 g

Time & effort: about 24 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 105.7 kcal, 4.2 g protein, 4.6 g fat, 13.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, pasta, salt, and black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, 4-5 minutes.
Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook, stirring every few minutes to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 12-15 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated.
Stir in the Parmesan a handful at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
Stir in the butter until melted and the sauce clings to the pasta.
Fold in the torn basil.
Taste and season with more salt if needed, then serve right away topped with extra basil and Parmesan.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with Burrata — Italian-American
Rigatoni alla Vodka with Italian Sausage — Italian-American
Baked Tortellini in Creamy Tomato Sauce — Italian-American
Penne alla Vodka — Italian-American
Chicken Parmesan Meatball and Ricotta Bake — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.