Rigatoni With Creamy Tomato Sauce

Love this Simple Rigatoni with Creamy Tomato Sauce – The subtle touch of cream gives this sauce a velvety texture that’s just delectable. As elegant as this looks, it’s that easy to prepare.

This recipe has been one of my family’s favorites for many years.

I started making this when I first got married. My husband had told me he liked plain pasta sauces and nothing spicy. So, what was a new wife to do? Go through all the cookbooks she can find for simple and mild pasta sauces. 

I found a recipe in one of those little magazine type cookbooks you find with the other regular size magazines at the front of the grocery store by the cashier. It was for “Everyday Italian Cooking” 

This recipe was in that little cookbook magazine. I have been making it ever since. Now my kids love this dish too. 

You know, I went to look for that little cookbook in a box of old cookbooks but, it wasn’t there. By now, I know the recipe by heart. I must have not kept it for other recipes. 

 What we all like about this tomato sauce is the subtle small touch of cream that gives the sauce a velvety texture. It’s totally delectable. And, the easiest recipe.

That’s probably why, I never needed to save the recipe nor did I write it down anywhere until I decided to share it on my blog.

My family loves the pasta as is, you can add some grilled chicken on top, toss in some sweet peas, or steamed broccoli is always a good choice for an added vegetable. 

The dish is great for company since it doubles and triples well and even for larger crowds too. Great to bring to potluck dinners. Check out the recipe and enjoy with family and friend. Add your own special touch. 

 Rigatoni with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, vegan butter, or olive oil
• 2 small shallots or 1 small onion, chopped into fine pieces.
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 28 ounce can crushed or chopped tomatoes, no salt added if available, for chunkier sauce use chopped tomatoes.
• 2 tsp brown sugar, optional
• 1/8 – 1/4 cup heavy cream that has been warmed up right before adding to sauce.  I used 1/8 cup
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 1 – 2 tbsp cooking liquid
• 1 -2 tbsp plus more for sprinkling on top grated parmesan cheese, you can leave this out if you want.

Crushed or chopped tomatoes from a can work great in this recipe

Rigatoni is a great noodle to cling on to sauces

Directions:

1. In a medium to large non stick pan, melt butter, add shallots and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic. Sauté until fragrant. About 1 minute longer. Try not to burn the garlic.
2. Add wine to deglaze the pan. Love that sizzle sound and smell. Cook down wine for about 3 minutes.
3. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar if using, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes. The sauce should thicken a little.
4. Add cream. Stir around. Let cook for about 5 minutes on low.
5. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add in 1/4 tsp sea salt. Add rigatoni, stir to break up any noodles. Cook as per package directions. While boiling, take out 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid and add to sauce. Stir again and let cook on low. Add parmesan cheese, Stir in until melted and combined.
6. Drain pasta well, DO NOT RINSE PASTA. Add drained pasta to sauce. Toss around gently to coat all rigatoni.
7. Plate up, sprinkle parmesan cheese if adding more. Toss basil and parsley on top.

Enjoy the deliciousness!

Check out two more delicious pasta dishes…

Chicken Pasta with Nonna’s Sauce

Skillet Chicken Fajita Pasta

Print

Rigatoni with Creamy Tomato Sauce

The subtle touch of cream gives this sauce a velvety texture that’s just delectable. As elegant as this looks, it’s that easy to prepare.

Course pasta, Pasta Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword pasta, rigatoni, tomato sauce

Servings 4

Author Pam

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 small shallots or 1 small onion, chopped into fine pieces.
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 28 ounce can crushed or chopped tomatoes, no salt added if available, for chunkier sauce use chopped tomatoes.
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar, this is optional
• 1/8-1/4 cup heavy cream that has been warmed up right before adding to sauce. I used 1/8 cup
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 1-2 tbs cooking liquid
• 1-2 tbsp plus more for sprinkling on top grated parmesan cheese, you can leave this out if you want.

Instructions

1. 1.In a medium to large non stick pan, melt butter, add shallots and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic. Sauté until fragrant. About 1 minute longer. Try not to burn the garlic.

   2.Add wine to deglaze the pan. Love that sizzle sound and smell. Cook down wine for about 3 minutes.

   3.Add crushed tomatoes and sugar if using, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes. The sauce should thicken a little.

   4.Add cream. Stir around. Let cook for about 5 minutes on low.

   5.Bring a large pot of water to boil, add in 1/4 tsp sea salt. Add rigatoni, stir to break up any noodles. Cook as per package directions. While boiling, take out 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid and add to sauce. Stir again and let cook on low. Add parmesan cheese, Stir in until melted and combined.

   6.Drain pasta well, DO NOT RINSE PASTA. Add drained pasta to sauce. Toss around gently to coat all rigatoni.

   7.Plate up, sprinkle parmesan cheese if adding more. Toss basil and parsley on top. Enjoy!

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