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Creamy Tomato Ricotta Pasta

Creamy tomato ricotta pasta with rigatoni coated in a thick blush-pink tomato cream sauce. This ricotta pasta recipe simmers crushed tomatoes into a silky, smooth sauce and finishes with parmesan and fresh basil.
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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: 745
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni
  • 1 lb rigatoni
Tomato base
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 0.25 cup parmesan cheese grated
Seasonings
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
For serving
  • fresh basil
  • extra parmesan

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente, about the package time. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set the rigatoni aside.
Make the tomato garlic base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring so the garlic doesn’t brown.
Simmer the crushed tomatoes
  1. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Create the creamy tomato ricotta sauce
  1. Reduce heat to low and stir in ricotta, heavy cream, and parmesan until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer for 3 more minutes.
Toss and serve
  1. Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet and toss in the tomato ricotta sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency, then serve topped with fresh basil and extra parmesan.

Notes

For the silkiest texture, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once dairy is added to prevent graininess. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat on low with a splash of milk or reserved pasta water. Freeze yes (up to 2 months), but sauce may thicken—loosen during reheating. Vegetarian swap: use vegetable broth only if you ever add liquid from scratch; this recipe is already vegetarian-friendly.