Creamy tomato butter pasta Calories

Creamy tomato butter pasta is made with pasta, butter, tomato paste, and cream; salt and black pepper are common seasonings. Parmesan, garlic, or chilli can be added, but they are optional and will change the flavor of the simple tomato-and-cream sauce.

Yes, tomato paste is a good fit for creamy tomato butter pasta and gives the sauce a concentrated tomato flavor without adding much liquid. Cook it briefly in the butter before adding the cream to soften its raw taste.

Heavy cream or cooking cream works well in creamy tomato butter pasta because it makes a smooth, rich sauce. Add it over low heat and avoid a hard boil. Lighter cream can also work, though the sauce may be thinner and less rich.

Short shapes such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work especially well for creamy tomato butter pasta because the sauce clings to their ridges and hollows. Long pasta can be used too; toss it thoroughly with the sauce before serving.

To keep creamy tomato butter pasta from becoming greasy, use moderate heat and stir the cream into the cooked tomato paste gradually. Toss the pasta with the sauce and a little starchy cooking water; this helps the fat and liquid combine rather than separate.

You can freeze creamy tomato butter pasta, but the cream sauce may separate or become grainy after thawing. For a better texture, freeze the cooked pasta and tomato-butter base separately from the cream, then combine and warm them gently when serving.

Creamy tomato butter pasta keeps for about three to four days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Chill it promptly after cooking, and reheat only the portion you plan to eat so the sauce is not repeatedly warmed and cooled.

To make creamy tomato butter pasta less rich, use less butter and replace some of the cream with milk or pasta water. You can also add spinach, peas, or roasted vegetables, which bring freshness and make the sauce feel less heavy.

Chicken, prawns, or white beans all work in creamy tomato butter pasta. Cook chicken or prawns separately before stirring them into the finished sauce; add drained white beans near the end so they warm through without breaking apart.