You’ll Never Boil Pasta the Same Way After Trying This Creamy Tomato Trick

What if the best creamy tomato pasta used no cream — and needed only one pan? This clever method turns the pasta’s own starch into a glossy sauce that clings to every twist.

The trick hiding in the pan

Cooking pasta in a measured amount of stock concentrates the starch instead of pouring it down the sink. That starch emulsifies with oil and cheese for a restaurant-style finish.

Ingredients

• 300g fusilli or penne
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 600ml hot stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 80g cream cheese
• 50g grated Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese
• Basil, salt and black pepper

Method

1. Warm the oil in a wide pan. Cook garlic and chilli for 30 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes, stock, oregano and pasta. Bring to a lively simmer.
3. Cook uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until just tender.
4. Turn off the heat. Stir in cream cheese and Parmesan until glossy.
5. Rest 2 minutes, loosen with hot water if needed and finish with basil.

The step most people miss

Switch off the heat before adding cheese. Boiling can make dairy split; residual heat melts everything into a smooth sauce.

Serves 4 • Prep 5 minutes • Cook 20 minutes