5-Ingredient Tomato Butter Pasta

Tomato butter pasta is a short-ingredient dinner where technique matters more than the shopping list. Butter rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes, Parmesan adds saltiness and depth, and reserved pasta water helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of sitting separately in the pan.

Save pasta water before you drain

The starchy cooking water is one of the most useful ingredients in the whole recipe. Add it a little at a time after the pasta goes into the sauce. You may not need the full amount, so start small and stop when the sauce looks glossy and coats the pasta.

Give the tomatoes time to lose their canned taste

Crushed tomatoes need a short simmer before they taste rounded. If the sauce still tastes sharp and raw, keep it gently bubbling for a few more minutes before adding the pasta.

5-Ingredient Tomato Butter Pasta

A silky tomato butter pasta made with five main ingredients and a little reserved pasta water.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 300 g pasta about 10.5 oz
• 1 can crushed tomatoes about 400 g / 14 oz
• 3 tablespoons butter about 42 g
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan about 45 g

Method

 

1. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the drained pasta, remaining butter, and Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
5. Taste and add black pepper or a small amount of salt if needed. Serve immediately.

Add the final butter off the strongest heat

Adding some butter near the end helps the sauce feel smooth and emulsified. Very high heat can make the fat separate, so reduce the heat before tossing the pasta with the final butter and Parmesan.

Choose pasta based on the texture you want

Spaghetti or linguine gives a silky, sauce-coated result, while penne or rigatoni catches more sauce inside the pasta. Both work; the main thing is to stop cooking at al dente because the pasta will keep cooking briefly when it is tossed with the sauce.

What can go wrong

• If the sauce looks greasy, add a small splash of pasta water and toss vigorously.
• If it looks watery, keep tossing over gentle heat until it thickens around the pasta.
• If the Parmesan clumps, the pan may be too hot; lower the heat before adding more.

What counts as five ingredients?

The five main ingredients are pasta, canned tomatoes, butter, garlic, and Parmesan. Salt, pepper, and pasta water are treated as basic kitchen staples if you choose to use them.

Make it more substantial

Cooked chicken or white beans can add protein, while roasted vegetables make the plate feel fuller. Add-ins should be already cooked so they only need to warm through with the pasta.

More short-list dinners

Compare all five short-list meals in our 5-ingredient dinner recipes roundup.

Try our 5-ingredient chicken pasta or 5-ingredient honey garlic chicken, and browse the 5-ingredient recipes collection.