15 Minute Tomato Cream Sauce (For Ravioli Or Pasta)

Why You Need This In Their Repertoire

• Big on Flavor! Now even though this cream sauce is so simple, it is really big on flavor. This creamy sauce is the star of this dish and I made it to be paired with cheese ravioli and tubed shape pasta since the tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan and cream pair so well with them.
• Quick: I always need a quick meal that I can pull out of the freezer and whip up. It saves me from ordering out when there is no time to cook. The best part is by the time you are done boiling the water and cooking the pasta, the sauce will be ready.
• Versatile: I love this with cheese ravioli but this ravioli sauce is also great on spinach and ricotta ravioli, gnocchi di ricotta, or tortellini! Don't have those? No problem, you can use regular pasta. Any pasta will do.

You definitely want to try this one out! If you want more veggies in your sauce, you might like my ravioli in mushroom sauce!

How To Make 15 Minute Tomato Cream Sauce

The full recipe is at the bottom but I also wanted to show you pictures of what it looks like when you are making it in case this is your first time making a cream sauce.

• Heat The Olive Oil: The first thing you want to do is heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large sauté pan. The red pepper flakes just add a little depth of flavor to this creamy ravioli sauce but it won't be spicy.
• Add Canned Tomatoes: The next thing you are going to add is the garlic and diced tomatoes. You want to break down the diced tomatoes a little bit and let them pick up the flavor of the garlic.

• Mix in the heavy cream: Once the garlic and tomatoes have cooked for a few minutes, add the heavy cream and Parmesan and simmer for one minute.
• Add the cheese ravioli or pasta: I made a batch of ravioli to show you tossing it together in the sauce. You want to cook the cheese ravioli (or pasta) in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain then add to the pan of sauce and gently toss together.

I told you this was easy!

Storing And Re-Heating

This creamy pasta sauce stores well in the fridge or the freezer so you can make it ahead of time. To store in the fridge, allow it cool then place it in a container with a lid in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To freeze the sauce, place the cooled sauce in a freezer-proof bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. You can gently thaw it in the fridge overnight. Reheat it by adding the sauce to a medium saucepan and warm over low heat.

What To Serve With Creamy Pasta

Creamy pasta or ravioli can be a meal on its own or it can be served with delicious sides to cut through the creaminess of the dish. Here are some ideas:

• A simple salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers with a sherry salad dressing.
• Homemade Italian garlic bread
• If it is summer, simple sauteed zucchini is a great option.
• Make it really easy and do what Italian Americans often do and serve a side of fresh Italian sliced bread and butter. I love this so much!