Cheesy Tomato Pasta
Cheesy tomato pasta is easy to make with Red Gold Tomato Concentrate because the flame-grilled Roma tomatoes, oven-roasted onions, and caramelized garlic is already in the concentrate. You can bypass all the tedious chopping and simmering!
This cheesy tomato pasta relies on the intense, smokey-sweet foundation of Red Gold to create a velvety, restaurant-quality sauce in less than 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- Pasta: 300g of your favorite shape (Penne, Fusilli, or Rigatoni work beautifully to catch the sauce)
- Red Gold Concentrate: 3–4 tablespoons (adjust to taste)
- Butter or Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon
- Liquid Base: 120ml warm pasta water (reserved from boiling) + 100ml heavy cream (or cream cheese for an extra thick texture)
- Cheese: 1 cup grated mature Cheddar or Mozzarella (plus extra Parmesan for serving)
- Finishing touch: Freshly cracked black pepper and a handful of fresh basil leaves (optional)
Method
1. Cook the pasta: 10 min.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to package instructions until just al dente. Important: Scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water right before draining, then set it aside. Drain the pasta.
2. Activate the Red Gold: 2 min.
In the same pot or a wide pan, melt the butter (or heat the olive oil) over medium heat. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of Red Gold Concentrate. Stir it in the warm fat for 1 to 2 minutes; this wakes up the roasted tomato, onion, and garlic notes, releasing a rich, caramelized aroma.
3. Create the silky base: 2 min.
Pour in the heavy cream (or cream cheese) along with 1/2 cup of your reserved warm pasta water. Whisk gently over medium-low heat until the concentrate smoothly integrates with the liquid to form a vibrant, creamy orange sauce.
4. Combine and melt: 2 min.
Toss the drained pasta directly into the sauce. Lower the heat completely, scatter in your grated cheese, and stir continuously. The residual heat will melt the cheese into a perfectly smooth, stringy, emulsified sauce. If it’s too thick, splash in a little more pasta water.
Chef’s Tip: Always melt your cheese on very low heat or off the burner entirely. Direct, high heat causes dairy to split, leading to a grainy sauce rather than a glossy, cohesive coat!