Quick & Creamy Tomato Pasta That Won’t Break the Bank
KEY INFO
Total Cost: $5-8 for entire meal
Cost per portion: $1.25-2.00
Ingredient breakdown per portion:
– Pasta: $0.20
– Tomatoes: $0.40
– Cream: $0.30
– Parmesan: $0.30
– Garlic: $0.10
– Butter/oil: $0.10
– Seasonings: $0.05
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy (perfect for beginners)
Dietary tags: Vegetarian, easily adaptable to vegan
Price level: Very inexpensive
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Essential tools:
– Large pot for pasta
– Medium skillet or saucepan
– Sharp knife
– Cheese grater
– Measuring cups
Money-saving alternatives:
– Use any pot if you don’t have a skillet
– Pre-shredded cheese works (though it costs more per ounce)
– Garlic powder instead of fresh garlic
– Skip the grater and buy pre-grated Parmesan
INGREDIENTS
Main components:
– 8 oz (225g) dried pasta – any shape you have on hand
– 1 can (14 oz/400g) crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
– ¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
– ⅓ cup (30g) grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
– 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
– 2 tbsp tomato paste
– 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
Seasonings:
– 1 tsp Italian seasoning (or ½ tsp each dried basil and oregano)
– Salt and black pepper to taste
– Pinch of sugar (balances the acidity)
Optional garnishes:
– Fresh basil leaves
– Red pepper flakes
– Extra Parmesan cheese
METHOD
- Start your pasta water boiling in the large pot with plenty of salt. Add pasta when water reaches a rolling boil.
- Heat butter or oil in your skillet over medium heat while pasta cooks.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Don’t let it brown or it’ll taste bitter.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. This deepens the flavor and removes the raw taste.
- Pour in canned tomatoes along with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar. Let it bubble gently for 5-8 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Lower heat to medium-low and slowly stir in cream. Never let the sauce boil once cream is added or it might curdle.
- Add half the Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. The sauce should coat the back of your spoon.
- Drain pasta (save ½ cup pasta water) and add directly to the sauce.
- Toss everything together for 1-2 minutes. Add pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce seems too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or sugar as needed.
CRUCIAL TIPS
Money-saving secrets:
• Buy pasta in bulk when it’s on sale – it keeps forever
• Use store-brand canned tomatoes – they’re often just as good
• Heavy cream goes further than you think – this recipe uses less than most
• Grate your own Parmesan from a block – it’s cheaper and melts better
Success guarantees:
• Keep heat low after adding cream to prevent curdling
• Salt your pasta water generously – it should taste like seawater
• Save pasta water – it’s liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency
• Taste before serving – every can of tomatoes is different
Storage wisdom:
• Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days
• Reheat gently with a splash of milk or pasta water
• Freezes for 1 month (texture may change slightly)
Scaling made simple:
• Recipe doubles or halves perfectly
• For larger crowds, use 2 oz pasta per person as a side, 3-4 oz as a main
Common mistakes to dodge:
• Boiling the sauce after adding cream (causes separation)
• Overcooking pasta (it continues cooking in the hot sauce)
• Making sauce too thick (thin with pasta water, not plain water)
• Forgetting to taste – seasoning makes or breaks this dish
Smart Variations That Save Money
Protein additions (use what you have):
• Leftover rotisserie chicken
• Frozen cooked shrimp
• Canned tuna
• White beans
Vegetable boosters (frozen works great):
• Spinach (wilts right in)
• Mushrooms (fresh or canned)
• Bell peppers
• Zucchini
Dairy-free version:
• Swap cream for full-fat coconut milk
• Use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan
• Add extra garlic and herbs for flavor depth
I’ve been making versions of this creamy tomato pasta since my university days when my food budget was practically nonexistent.
The beauty lies in its flexibility – I’ve used everything from dented cans of tomatoes marked down at the grocery store to the fancy San Marzanos when I’m feeling flush.
What never changes is how this simple combination of tomatoes, cream, and cheese transforms basic pasta into something that feels like a warm hug.
Your family will think you spent way more than you did, and that’s exactly the kind of kitchen magic we’re after when we’re cooking smart on a budget.
