Baked Creamy Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients List

• 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 (6 ounce) cans tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 pinch white sugar

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1 small bunch fresh basil, finely chopped

Instructions

Start by gathering all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain the pasta, saving 1 cup of the cooking water.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion in the oil until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste, then cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens.

Stir in cream and Parmesan cheese. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.

Add some of the reserved pasta water to the sauce and mix in the cooked penne.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in cherry tomatoes, half of the mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Add additional pasta water if needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Transfer the penne mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nutritional Information (per serving)