Roasting fresh cherry tomatoes first brings in a new depth of flavor. They bring a little sweetness, along with vegetable broth and a hint of chili, making it so delicious. The cream cheese finishes it off, creating a creamy tomato sauce that clings perfectly to pasta, especially spaghetti! While this recipe works with any dried pasta, I particularly love it with spaghetti. This will become a new family favorite recipe for sure.
First, I need to apologize for another tomato sauce. I can’t help it, they are so delicious. I have to have the most over the top pasta sauce photo (you will see below) so please still make it! When I was thinking about a new recipe I went back to my simple creamy tomato pasta and wanted to add a new twist. I roasted the tomatoes with some lemon and garlic and blended them. I am pretty sure this kind of sauce is what they served for the last supper. It is quite literally mouth watering..
Easy Cream Cheese Tomato Pasta Sauce
No matter how amazing you think this cream cheese tomato pasta sauce one sauce is, it tastes even better, Pinky promise! With roasted tomatoes, lemon and garlic it’s that perfect mix of flavors to make your taste buds sing.
Ingredients
You’ll need for this Cream Cheese Tomato Pasta:
Fresh cherry tomatoes – if they are in season for you then find the most delicious ones you can! Lower heat with some kosher salt and olive oil. They will collapse, the tomato juices forming a delicious jammy texture.
Fresh garlic cloves – a key ingredient in any kind of tomato pasta sauce in my opinion! Look for firm fresh cloves.
Fresh lemon juice – I love a citrusy punch in pasta, it goes so well with creamy tomato sauces. Don’t use bottled, fresh is best. The squeeze of lemon over the top at the end is also optional but adds such a brightness.
Dried chilli flakes – completely optional if you don’t love spice.
Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth – This provides a flavorful base for the sauce, deglazing the pan and adding depth.
Cream cheese – Doesn’t this cooked tomato sauce just make you want to take a dive in it?! You can use any cream cheese you like, full fat or not. It melts in perfectly with all the tomato juices to together. I haven’t tested with any other cheese so use cream cheese if you can. Any kind, even the flavoured ones would be yummy!
Fresh basil and parmesan cheese to finish is a lovely touch but not essential.
How to make the sauce
Please read the full recipe and try and use the below photos as a guide, I know you can make up this delicious dinner for yourself, loved ones, friends and family!
- Preheat oven and roast the tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, lemon juice on top.
- Roast until they have collapsed and have a lot of juice.
- After letting them cool slightly you are going to blitz them with a hand blender straight in the oven tray. That way you preserve all the juice. You could put them all into a food processor if you prefer.
Choose your pasta!
While this sauce works beautifully with many pasta shapes, I particularly love it with spaghetti. The creamy tomato sauce clings perfectly to the long strands. Of course, feel free to use your favorite pasta? If you want to make your own pasta, check out my Green Pasta Sauce post for a good starting point. You could also have a look on my Instagram for some guidance!
Blending the tomatoes in the baking dish will mean you don’t lose any of those precious juices.
Expert tips
- If you want to prep ahead you can roast the tomatoes the day before. Blend them when at room temperature and store in the fridge until the next day. This is such a handy tip to have up your sleeve for any guests.
- You want to melt the cream cheese into all that amazing tomato juice gently. Same goes with cooking the cooked pasta in the sauce at the end. Lower the head down to low heat if you need too.
- If you are boiling dried pasta then it is such a great side. Boil the pasta at the same time as cooking the tomatoes so you can add them straight in. Fresh pasta should only take 2 – 3 minutes to boil so you can make the sauce then boil when you need.
- Under cook your pasta by a minute. That way it can finish cooking in the actual sauce to take on the flavour without over cooking. See my Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce post for more on this technique.
- Use a heavy bottomed saucepan for the cooking of the sauce. Never make a pasta recipe if your tomatoes aren’t nice and bubbling evenly, it needs to be on a medium heat so a heavy bottom pan is best.
Other pasta dishes to try
Do you trust me enough to try some of my other pasta sauces ?! I have so many easy tomato sauces and I use cream cheese in a few. If you love this please make sure you try my Mafaldine Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce, my Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pasta with Ricotta and my Lemon Pepper Sauce For Pasta. For a classic, quick, and versatile option, be sure to check out my Easy Penne Pasta With Marinara Sauce recipe.
Did you make this recipe?
I would love it if you could leave a review and star rating below! It really helps others discover this recipe. And if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @minelabakes – I can’t wait to see your delicious creations!
FAQs
What cream cheese is best to use for pasta?
I have used a plain flavoured cream cheese but you could use absolutely any! Use full fat or not, whatever your preference is.
How much salt should I put in the pasta water?
This is a tough thing to answer as it depends what kind of salt you use. I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt and for two people I boil the pasta in 1.5L water so obviously double for four. For every litre of water I use with pasta I use 7.5 grams of salt per litre of water. So for 3 litres of water, 22 grams of salt or roughly 1.5 tablespoons.
Can I store pasta sauce?
If I am cooking for one I always love storing any leftovers. This sauce should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for no more than 3 – 4 days.
Want to try some other dishes?
While pasta is my specialty, I also have some delicious pasta salads that can be served as side dishes or lighter meals. Try my Healthy Creamy Ditalini Pasta Salad Recipe or my Elote Pasta Salad Recipe for some fresh and flavorful options!
Want to make any of my recipes or pasta shapes?
I LOVE seeing your creations! Please leave a review below and tag me on instagram when you put a photo up, it makes my day!
Recipe
Cream Cheese Tomato Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 500 grams cherry tomatoes any tomatoes will work
- 2 garlic cloves sliced thinly
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice plus an extra for serving
- 1 tablespoon tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ – ½ teaspoons pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 100 grams cream cheese
- Pasta – I recommend using spaghetti for this recipe, but any shape will work.
- parmesan and basil to serve optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (390f).
- Place the tomatoes in a baking dish big enough to fit them all in one layer.
- Mix the garlic with the olive oil and drizzle over the tomatoes.
- Drizzle the lemon juice over the top.
- Sprinkle the pepper flakes, salt and pepper over them. I have put a range on the pepper flakes. If you don't want much spice go for the quarter teaspoon, it doesn't bring much.
- Roast in the oven for 25 – 30 mins until they have collapsed and have released a lot of juice.
- Let them cool slightly then blend with hand mixer straight in the oven dish (see notes) doesn't need to be too smooth.
- Make sure the mixture is mixed well and set aside.
- Put your pasta on to boil and when it almost ready continue on with making the sauce if you haven't started already.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the vegetable broth and let it reduce for 2 minutes
- Add the tomato mixture and let it bubble gently for a minute.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and gently stir until it has melted into the tomato mixture, 2 – 3 mins. Lower the heat if you need.
- Add your cooked pasta, a big ladle of pasta water and let it bubble away gently for 2 minutes.
- It should have a nice gentle bubble the entire time, never too vigorous. If the heat is too high, lower it.
- Serve with a good squeeze of lemon (an optional but lovely finishing touch I think), some fresh basil and a really big dousing of parmesan.
Notes
- Use any kind of cream cheese, full fat or not.
- I blitz the tomatoes straight in their oven dish so I don’t lose any of those precious juices!
- If you want to use canned tomatoes instead you could follow this process. Cook one onion really gently on a medium heat for 15 – 20 mins (or until soft), add the garlic for another 10 mins, add two tins of tomatoes and cook for 45 mins. Then blend and make the sauce as normal. That length of cooking the onion just helps add a sweetness which you will lose not having the fresh tomatoes.
- Using a good heavy bottomed pan is always a good idea for sauces, it helps bubble things evenly and gently.
