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Creamy Garlic Tomato Pasta

Creamy Garlic Tomato Pasta (Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor)

This is the kind of dinner I find myself making on nights when I didn’t really plan ahead, but still want something warm, filling, and homemade. Around here, that usually means pulling out whatever vegetables we have—onions, carrots, peppers, tomatoes—and turning them into something that feels a little special.
This pasta is simple, but it doesn’t taste simple. The garlic and butter build the base, the vegetables cook down into a rich tomato layer, and then everything comes together in a creamy sauce that coats every bite.
No cream. No cheese. Just real ingredients and a method that works every time.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g spiral pasta
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 4 –5 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 –2 green peppers chopped
  • 2 –3 carrots diced or thinly sliced
  • 4 –5 medium tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup chicken stock or water + stock cube
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Optional: dried herbs oregano, basil, or mixed herbs

Method
 

  1. Start by cooking your pasta in salted water until just tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and let it cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  3. Add the carrots and green peppers and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Then add the chopped tomatoes and let everything cook down until the tomatoes break apart and form a rich, slightly thick base.
  4. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well—it will look a bit thick at this stage, but that’s exactly what you want.
  5. Slowly pour in the milk while stirring to keep the sauce smooth, then add the chicken stock. Let the sauce simmer gently until it thickens into a creamy consistency.
  6. Season with salt, pepper, and any herbs you like. Taste and adjust as needed.
  7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir until everything is well coated. Let it sit for a couple of minutes off the heat so the pasta can soak up the flavor.
  8. Serve warm.

Notes

  • If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of milk or stock
  • If it feels too thin, simmer a few extra minutes
  • Chop carrots small so they cook quickly
  • This recipe is very flexible—adjust based on what you have. Sometimes I swap the carrots for broccoli – so yummy. 

Emily’s Notes

Some nights, you just need a dinner that comes together quickly without sacrificing comfort. This creamy garlic tomato pasta is one of those recipes I find myself reaching for again and again.

It uses simple ingredients, comes together in about 30 minutes, and somehow feels like so much more than the effort it takes to make. The creamy sauce is rich without being heavy, and the garlic adds just the right amount of flavor to make everyone ask for seconds.

I love having a few dependable weeknight recipes like this in my back pocket. They’re the meals that carry us through busy school days, long afternoons, and evenings when we just want to gather around the table without spending hours in the kitchen.

Whether you’re feeding a family or simply looking for an easy, comforting dinner, I hope this recipe becomes one of those reliable favorites you come back to again and again.

A warm kitchen setting with linens and wooden decor on a stool.

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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Leave a comment below and let me know what you served it with. Some of our best dinner ideas have come from conversations around the table.

From Our Kitchen Notebook

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If you’re looking for a flexible, weeknight-friendly dinner, this one is definitely worth keeping in your rotation.
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A Little About Me

I’m Emily — a wife, mom of three, and home cook who believes some of life’s best conversations happen around the table.

Our family moved back to Uganda after more than a decade away, and our kitchen has become a place where old favorites, new flavors, and everyday moments come together. Here, I share the recipes we actually make for our family—from homemade bread and simple weeknight dinners to treats worth baking again and again.

I’m so glad you stopped by. I hope you find something your family will love, too.

Meet Our Family →

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If you’d like more family recipes, ordinary moments, and stories from life here in Uganda, we’d love to have you around the table.

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Made with love,

Emily

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