Tomato-Cream Sauce

Name: Tomato-Cream Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 shallot (sliced and diced); 4 cloves garlic (crushed); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3, 14.5 ounce cans (fire roasted, diced tomatoes); 2 teaspoons salt; pepper (to taste); 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup half and half

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Tomato-Cream Sauce is a ridiculously easy scratch made red sauce. All you need is a handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese, a shallot, garlic, half and half and a few cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes. It's ready to serve in about 20 minutes. Spoon it over store-bought tortellini or ravioli and elevate the presentation of a quick meal.

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Tomato-cream sauce on top of plain and spinach tortellini. — This red sauce is scrumptious on tortellini. Just add a little sprinkle of fresh parmesan and you are good to go.

Ingredients to have on hand

shallot
garlic
fire roasted, diced canned tomatoes
parmesan cheese
half and half

The Best Red Sauce

The secret to the flavor and texture with this red sauce is canned tomatoes, but not just any kind. Use fire roasted, canned tomatoes. The fire roasting adds so much rich flavor.

Fire roasted tomatoes are game changers when it comes to creating a delicious base for your red sauce.

Shallots and garlic in a pan on the stove, simmering in olive oil. — The smell of garlic and shallots in olive oil, this is what kick starts your red sauce and creates a beautiful base for the flavor.

Top Tips and FAQ

Can I use an onion instead of a shallot?

Yes! Although onions have a slightly more robust taste than shallots, they come pretty close. And the texture is very similar.

I recommend using a small yellow onion if you don't have a shallot on hand. Shallots are a bit more mild than onions, so you may notice a slight difference in how the sauce tastes.

For the best results, dice the onion into very, very small pieces, just as you would if you were dicing a shallot.

I can't find fire roasted tomatoes, can I substitute for another variety?

Yes, San Marzano style canned tomatoes are a good substitute, they are naturally sweet and are a close substitute.

Tomato-cream sauce in a pan on the stove with a wooden spoon. — Once the sauce is blended, it just needs to simmer for a few minutes. That's it! You're done.

My family loves this red sauce and I have a feeling this will become your go-to "marinara" for spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna or any pasta dish that needs a red sauce. It's light on the cream, but big on flavor.

How to Blend the Ingredients

If you don't have an immersion blender yet, this recipe for Tomato-Cream Sauce is a good prompt to get one. You just might be surprised by how often you use it. It's so handy. I went for years without one and I don't know how I got by without it in my kitchen.

Tomato cream sauce in a small ball. — This red sauce tastes as good as it looks. It's thick and delicious on any pasta or even as a pizza topping!

More Ideas

Here are a few additional recipes that go great with tomato-cream sauce and a big plate of pasta:

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