Tomato Pasta Recipe: Rich, Rustic Rigatoni Without Cream
A rich and flavorful rigatoni pasta made with a simple tomato-garlic sauce — no cream, just pantry staples and lots of fresh flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: ½ onion (diced), red pepper flakes, fresh basil
- Optional: Parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté garlic (and onion if using) until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste, then crushed tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 10–15 mins.
- Toss drained pasta with sauce, adding pasta water if needed.
- Serve hot, topped with herbs and optional cheese.
Notes
- Add olives or spinach for extra flavor.
- Store leftovers up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Freeze sauce for later use.