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One pot creamy tomato basil pasta on white plate with parmesan breadstick.

One Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 ¾ cups chicken broth, I use low sodium
  • 1 pound spaghetti, broken in half
  • 4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 heaping teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ to 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
  • ½ cup (about 43 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • In a large pot (5- to 6-quarts), combine the milk, broth, spaghetti, garlic, oregano, cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and gently simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring often so the pasta doesn’t stick. Adjust the heat accordingly especially at the end. Cook until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  • Off the heat, stir in the basil leaves and the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately (if you want it slightly thicker, let it rest 5-10 minutes; it will thicken as it stands).

Notes

Noodles: I use regular spaghetti noodles with a cooking time of 10-11 minutes for al dente on the back of the package. Incidentally, whole wheat spaghetti works well in this recipe, too - increase the broth to 3 cups and check the package directions for correct cooking time.
Basil: if you don't have fresh basil, try subbing in 1 to 2 teaspoons dried basil, and add it with the dried oregano instead of at the end.