Effortless Tomato Basil Pasta Cream Sauce (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Sauce
01 -
0.25 teaspoon garlic salt
02 -
0.5 teaspoon dried parsley
03 -
0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
04 -
0.5 teaspoon onion powder
05 -
1 teaspoon soy sauce
06 -
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
07 -
1 teaspoon hot sauce
08 -
240 ml chicken broth
09 -
240 ml half and half
→ Pasta and Garnish
10 -
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, optional
11 -
8-10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded
12 -
150 grams cherry tomatoes
13 -
225 grams orecchiette pasta
14 -
75 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
15 -
1 tablespoon softened cream cheese, optional
16 -
3 tablespoons plain flour
17 -
3 garlic cloves, minced
18 -
3 tablespoons butter
19 -
120 ml dry white wine
20 -
225 grams ground sausage
21 -
2 teaspoons olive oil
# Instructions:
01 -
Sprinkle ribbons of basil along with some fresh cracked black pepper over the top before you dig in.
02 -
Gently toss the drained noodles into the skillet with your sauce. Drizzle in the fresh lemon juice if you want, then move the skillet off the stove.
03 -
Mix in your cherry tomatoes, and stir in the cream cheese until it blends in. Slowly add all the grated Parmesan while mixing, then slide the sausage back into the pan. You can loosely cover the pan to keep everything warm until the noodles are finished.
04 -
Bit by bit, pour your saucy mixture into the skillet. Stir as you go so it stays nice and thick. You want it to come up to a bubble, then just turn the heat down low.
05 -
Drop the orecchiette into your boiling water and cook until they're just right, following the package time. Drain and set aside when they're ready.
06 -
Toss the chopped garlic into the skillet and cook for a minute. Throw in the butter to melt, then work in the flour slowly while stirring the whole time. Keep mixing until it doesn't smell like raw flour anymore—should only take a minute or two.
07 -
Switch off the heat, pour in your white wine, then set the heat around medium. Use your spatula to scrape up any brown bits, let it bubble away until the wine's half gone, about four minutes.
08 -
Heat the oil in your big skillet on medium-high. Toss in the sausage and break it into chunks as it cooks. Let it brown well, about seven minutes, then take out the sausage and set it aside.
09 -
Fill your big pot with water, salt it, and get it boiling for the noodles.
10 -
Pour the half and half, broth, hot sauce, Dijon, soy sauce, onion powder, oregano, parsley, and garlic salt into a pitcher or cup. Give it a good stir and set to the side. Get the rest of the stuff measured and ready so you’re set to go.
# Notes:
01 -
If you grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-shredded, it’ll melt smoother and taste better in this creamy sauce.
02 -
For the wine, go for a dry white you’d drink like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio—if not, use a non-alcoholic wine or even broth instead.
03 -
Toss in cream cheese for some extra smoothness, but skip it if you want—it’s totally optional.
04 -
If you don’t want to use whole cherry tomatoes, cut them in half, or just use drained canned tomatoes to keep it simple.
05 -
To make basil ribbons, stack the leaves, roll them up tightly, and slice thin with your sharpest knife.
06 -
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or stash ‘em in the freezer for up to 3 months.