Creamy tomato sauce pasta is a comforting pasta dish made in a rich luscious tomato sauce with a bonus of broccoli that not only provides a nutritional boost but also adds to the color appeal.
Creamy Tomato Sauce is another winner pasta recipe in my kitchen. My kiddo's love it and we make it quite often.
The pasta sauce used for this recipe is a cream cheese tomato sauce and it is creamy, rich, thick (coats the pasta well) & super delicious. I add broccoli with my pasta as not only it is my lil ones favorite veggie but also this combination tastes great and the rich broccoli green color compliments the orange sauce color, making it even more appetizing.
Recently tried this pasta dish in Instant pot and totally loved the results and the convenience of one pot cooking. For making in Instant pot, I prefer cooking the pasta with tomato sauce first and then adding the creamy components and broccoli and letting the steam cook the broccoli. This gives the perfect result where the broccoli is not overcooked but perfectly al dente with its green color maintained.
Ingredients
You just need a few ingredients to make this delicious tomato sauce pasta
Cream - For creamy texture of this recipe I'm using a combination of cream-cheese and heavy whipping cream. I find these two gives the required thickness and perfect texture that we like. But like most of my recipes, this one is highly customizable and you could use either one of these too.
Tomato Sauce - I'm using store bought tomato sauce but tomato puree or your favorite marinara sauce can used instead as well.
Broccoli - My lil one loves broccoli with her pasta so this is our favorite veggie. Spinach or kale can be added with it or in place of it.
Aromatics and spices - We can't forget these core ingredients, onions, minced garlic, and seasonings (just the basics).
That's all you need, so now lets make it!!
Can I make creamy tomato pasta sauce Vegan
Yes, simply replace the butter with olive oil, cream cheese with vegan cream cheese and cream with coconut cream.
How to make creamy tomato sauce pasta with Broccoli
You can make this recipe as a one pot meal using instant pot or on stove top cooking the sauce and pasta seperate and then mixing the two . Both ways it turns out delicious!! Please refer to the recipe card for stove top instructions. Below are the step by step using Instant Pot.
Step by Step using InstantPot:
Start the Instant Pot on saute mode and to it add the butter. Once butter is melted add the garlic, bay leaf and onions and saute until the onions are translucent.
Deglaze with 2 tablespoon water if required. Switch off the instant pot, add in the seasoning (dry parsley, Italian seasoning, dry oregano, red chili flakes, salt & pepper). Stir for couple of seconds until the spices are fragrant (caution not to burn them).
Add the pasta spreading evenly followed by tomato sauce, 2 cups of water or vegetable stock, Stir and press the pasta to be under water.
Close the Instant pot lid with vent to sealing and cook for 5 mins. Once done cooking, do a quick release after 5 mins.
Give the pasta a mix and add in the cream cheese, broccoli, mix slightly and close the lid for 10-15 mins. The steam from the cooked pasta is sufficient to cook the broccoli al dente and melt the cream cheese. Alternately to quicken this wait, boil the broccoli separately and add to the pasta at the end.
Open the lid, give everything a good mix. Add in some cream and water/broth to adjust the consistency of pasta sauce (if needed). This pasta will absorb all moisture as it sits which can make pasta soft and the sauce to dry/thicken. If this happens, adjust the consistency with broth or cream.
Our delicious creamy tomato sauce pasta with Broccoli is ready!! Serve hot topped with some grated parmigiano-reggiano and freshly cracked black pepper and red pepper (optional). Enjoy with Garlic Bread
More one pot Pasta recipes to try:
Creamy Garlic Pasta with veggies
Beet and Carrot Mac and cheese
Hope you enjoy this Creamy Tomato Sauce Pasta with Broccoli as much as we do!! If you give this recipe a try, we did love to hear from you ❤️ Please let us know your rating ⭐️and feedback in the comments below. Thank you!
Creamy Tomato Sauce Pasta with Broccoli
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups dry uncooked pasta bowtie (farfalle) or penne or elbows or any of choice
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth/Water (for instant pot cooking only)
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- 1-2 cups broccoli florets
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp sugar (optional to balance tartness)
Seasoning and spices
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon dry parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes optional, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper powder adjust to taste
For Serving
- few tbsps parmigiano-reggiano grated, for serving
- dry parsley flakes
- Freshly cracked black pepper optional, adjust to taste
- red pepper flakes optional, adjust to taste
Instructions
Stove Top Method:
- Boil water in a large pot & season it well with salt. Add the pasta to the boiling water & cook pasta as per package instructions. When the pasta is almost cooked add the broccoli florets to the water. Allow to boil with pasta for 2 mins and then strain and add in cold water to maintain the green color.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water as this can be used to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
- Strain the pasta & keep aside. Sprinkle some oil to avoid them sticking to each other.
- In a pan add butter, bay leaf, minced garlic and onions & cook till onions turn transparent.
- Now add the spices, tomato sauce and cook for 5 mins or till the sauce slightly thickens up.
- Add the cream cheese and cream and mix until the cream cheese has melted. You will get a nice orangish color & a rich creamy texture. Cook it for another 2 mins & then add your cooked pasta & broccoli to it. Mix well.
- Our delicious creamy tomato sauce pasta with broccoli is ready!! Serve hot topped with some grated parmigiano-reggiano and freshly cracked black pepper and red pepper (optional).
Instant Pot Method:
- Start the Instant Pot on saute mode and to it add the butter. Once butter is melted add the garlic, bay leaf and onions and saute until the onions are translucent.
- Deglaze with 2 tablespoon water if required. Switch off the instant pot, add in the seasoning (dry parsley, Italian seasoning, dry oregano, red chili flakes, salt & pepper). Stir for couple of seconds until the spices are fragreant (caution not to burn them).
- Add the pasta spreading evenly followed by tomato sauce, 2 cups of water or vegetable stock, Stir and press the pasta to be under water.
- Close the Instant pot lid with vent to sealing and cook on manual mode (or pressure cook mode) on high for 5 mins. Once done cooking, do a Quick Release after 5 mins.
- Give the pasta a mix and add in the cream cheese, broccoli, mix slightly and close the lid for 10-15 mins. The steam from the cooked pasta is sufficient to cook the broccoli al dente and melt the cream cheese. Alternately to speed up, boil the broccoli separately and add to the pasta at the end.
- Open the lid, give everything a good mix. Add in some cream and water/broth to adjust the consistency of pasta sauce (if needed).
- Our delicious creamy tomato sauce pasta with Broccoli is ready!! Serve hot topped with some grated parmigiano-reggiano and freshly cracked black pepper and red pepper (optional).
Notes
- This pasta will absorb all moisture as it sits which can make pasta soft and the sauce to dry/thicken. If this happens, adjust the consistency with broth or cream.
- Tomato puree or marinara sauce can be used in place of tomato sauce.
- Spinach or kale can be added at the end along with broccoli or in place of it.
Happy Cooking!!
Shweta
Made the double batch as described except I added A LOT more broccoli that I was trying to use up quick... OMG!!
This sauce is amazingly delicious. 12/10 will def be cooking again. Absolutely amazing.
A double batch with more broccoli sounds perfect!!Thank you so much!! and so happy to know you will make this again!!
Hi , what setting on the IP do you cook the pasta for 5 min? Thank you
Hi Natalie, Thanks for checking. Please cook on manual or pressure cook mode on high pressure for 5 mins. I've updated the recipe card too.
I love the recipe the only problem is it didn’t make enough sauce when I made it any suggestions?
To add to another comment this is for the vegan one
hi, thanks for trying the recipe. Maybe try increasing the amount of water or broth the next time if you prefer more sauce.
Looks delicious.
What can we substitute for heavy cream? Or just cream cheese and tomato pasta sauce is good enough?
Hi Madhu, thank you so much! You can substitute heavy cram with half and half or milk, the consistency will change compared to cream. Or use only cream cheese and adjust consistency with water/broth or milk to your liking.
Creamy & delicious!!
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