Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce (Print Version)

Creamy sauce featuring sweet roasted garlic, basil, and Parmesan paired with tender pasta.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

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

→ Dairy

05 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

→ Pantry

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

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs to expose the cloves, place each bulb on foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap tightly. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and soft. Let cool slightly.
02 - Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a bowl and mash into a paste.
03 - Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta following package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the pasta.
04 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in mashed garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced tomatoes, chopped basil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if used. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Stir in butter and heavy cream, simmer 2 minutes, then add Parmesan cheese and mix until combined.
07 - Toss cooked pasta into the sauce, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired creaminess.
08 - Plate immediately, garnished with extra basil and Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Roasted garlic loses its bite and becomes naturally sweet, making this sauce approachable even for garlic skeptics.
  • The whole process feels restaurant-quality but requires almost no skill, just patience while the oven does the work.
  • It's one of those dishes that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really only spent about 10 minutes actively cooking.
02 -
  • Don't peel the garlic cloves before roasting—the skin protects them and keeps them from drying out, and they slip out effortlessly once roasted.
  • Save that pasta water religiously; it's the difference between a sauce that coats your pasta and one that pools at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Taste the sauce before it goes into the pasta, because once you add the pasta, it's harder to season correctly.
03 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy when you add the cream, remove it from heat and whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream—this usually brings it back together smoothly.
  • Fresh grated Parmesan is absolutely worth the extra minute it takes because it melts seamlessly, while pre-grated cheese often stays grainy and separate.
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