Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce (Print version)

Silky sauce featuring roasted garlic bulbs blended with cream, tomatoes, and herbs for a comforting Italian meal.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 large whole garlic bulbs
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
04 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

→ Dairy

05 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

08 - 12 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine)
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice tops off garlic bulbs to expose cloves. Place each bulb on foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap tightly. Roast for 35-40 minutes until golden and soft. Cool slightly.
02 - Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skins into a bowl and mash into a smooth paste.
03 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
05 - Stir mashed roasted garlic into skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.
06 - Stir in butter and cream. Simmer 2 minutes, then add Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated.
07 - Toss cooked pasta into sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed for desired creaminess. Serve immediately garnished with additional basil and Parmesan.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic becomes naturally sweet, almost caramelized, without any added sugar
  • This sauce comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day as the flavors deepen
02 -
  • Do not skip wrapping garlic tightly in foil or it will dry out instead of roasting into sweet paste
  • Pasta water is your secret weapon for silky, restaurant-style sauce that actually clings to the noodles
03 -
  • If your garlic cloves seem small, use an extra bulb to ensure enough flavor
  • Let the sauce rest for 5 minutes off the heat before serving to let the flavors settle
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