Western
Creamy Tomato Pasta (No Cream)
A silky tomato sauce made creamy with a splash of milk — comforting, kid-friendly, 18 minutes.
About this recipe
Creamy Tomato Pasta (No Cream) is a western lunch for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot., and it takes around 18 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 180g pasta
- 3 tomato
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 onion
- 60ml milk buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Boil pasta until al dente, reserve some water, drain.
~9 min
- 2
Soften onion and garlic in oil; add chopped tomato and cook down to a sauce, 6 min.
~6 min
- 3
Stir in milk and a splash of pasta water; simmerSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → 2 min, season, toss with pasta.
~3 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 14 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
Frequently asked
How long does Creamy Tomato Pasta (No Cream) take to make? +
Around 18 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Creamy Tomato Pasta (No Cream) ahead of time? +
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
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