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Creamy Tomato Ricotta Pasta

Creamy tomato ricotta pasta with rigatoni coated in a silky, blush-pink tomato cream sauce. Cook in one skillet for a thick, creamy texture—finished with fresh basil and parmesan shavings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni and sauce
  • 1 lb rigatoni Use rigatoni for best sauce cling.
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes Choose crushed tomatoes for a smooth, thick sauce.
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta Stir in off heat briefly if your ricotta looks lumpy, then resume gentle simmer.
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream Adds richness and helps the sauce stay creamy.
  • 4 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese Grated.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste.
  • fresh basil For serving.
  • extra parmesan For serving.
  • 0.5 cup pasta water Reserve 1/2 cup while cooking.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente, about 8–10 minutes, then reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain. Set pasta aside off heat.
Build the tomato-garlic base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly so the garlic turns fragrant but doesn’t brown.
Simmer the crushed tomatoes
  1. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, then bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Cook until slightly thickened and fragrant with visible bubbles.
Make the creamy tomato ricotta sauce
  1. Reduce to low and stir in ricotta, heavy cream, and grated parmesan until smooth and creamy, then simmer for 3 more minutes. Keep stirring so the sauce looks glossy and thick, not grainy.
Toss and serve
  1. Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet and toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach a silky consistency. Toss until each rigatoni tube looks evenly coated.
Finish
  1. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil and extra parmesan. The sauce should cling thickly, with a fresh green and white finish.

Notes

Pro tip: if the sauce looks even slightly split, keep the heat on low and stir continuously while adding a splash more pasta water. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a tablespoon of milk or pasta water to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because ricotta-based sauces can separate after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, use part-skim ricotta and replace heavy cream with half-and-half (the sauce will be slightly thinner).