Go Back

Creamy Tomato Ricotta Pasta

Creamy tomato ricotta pasta is a one-skillet rigatoni dinner with a silky blush-pink sauce. The pasta is coated in a thick tomato-cream ricotta mixture and finished with fresh basil and parmesan shavings for a restaurant-style texture.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni pasta base
  • 1 lb rigatoni Use dried rigatoni for best tube coating.
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes From a can.
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 4 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese Grated.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste.
  • 0.25 fresh basil For serving.
  • 0.25 extra parmesan For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the rigatoni
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and set aside the drained pasta.
Build the tomato-cream sauce
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant and lightly sizzling.
  2. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally as the sauce thickens slightly and reduces.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, then stir in ricotta, heavy cream, and parmesan. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce turns smooth and creamy.
Coat and serve
  1. Add the rigatoni to the skillet and toss to coat in the tomato ricotta cream sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until the sauce clings to every tube.
  2. Serve immediately with fresh basil and extra parmesan on top. Finish with an even sprinkle so each bite has creamy sauce, herb aroma, and salty cheese.

Notes

Pro tip: Stir ricotta in gradually and keep the heat at a gentle simmer to prevent graininess. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and rewarm with a splash of water or cream. Freezing is not recommended because creamy ricotta sauces can separate when thawed. For a vegetarian swap, keep it as-is; for a lighter option use part-skim ricotta and half-and-half instead of heavy cream.