Creamy Tomato Sauce with Cream Cheese is a swoon-worthy sauce that is perfect for pasta or zucchini noodles! (I adore it on this Zucchini Ravioli!) Looking for a new topping for chicken? This is one you are going to love. It comes together in less than twenty minutes, making this rich and creamy sauce perfect for a weeknight meal.
I've always loved a rich, creamy sauce, and sometimes a straight red sauce can be a little sharp for me late in the evening.
Cutting the acid with a little cream cheese fixes that, and it makes the sauce taste like something special in the process.
Cream cheese melts into the tomatoes for a smooth, rich sauce without a long simmer or a pile of ingredients. This tomato cream sauce is ready in about twenty minutes and it's just as good on zucchini noodles as it is on pasta.
It's also a rich served as a spaghetti sauce with cream cheese. When I want a straight red sauce, I make my Crockpot Marinara.
Simple Ingredients
One 14.5-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and an 8-ounce block of cream cheese are the base of this tomato sauce with cream cheese. Cut the cream cheese into small cubes before you add it. This makes the melting process much quicker.
Variations for This Recipe
- For a touch of heat, add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper.
- For a unique flair, stir in 1 cup of feta cheese with the cream cheese. Add in ¼ cup tomato paste.
A Few Things I've Learned
- Make sure you stir almost constantly when you add the cream cheese. A whisk works best to achieve a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Don't forget to remove your pan from the stove before whisking in the cream.
- This sauce may be made ahead and frozen. I like to freeze it in mason jars. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat.
- If the sauce turns grainy, the heat was too high or the cream cheese was too cold. Turn the burner to low and keep whisking. Starting with cream cheese that has softened on the counter helps.
How to Make Cream Cheese Tomato Pasta Sauce
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Tools for Making This:
- Medium Saucepan
- Garlic Mincer (expensive, but 100% worth it)
- Whisk
20-Minute Creamy Tomato Sauce with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter grass-fed or Garlic Ghee
- ½ red onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream or quinoa cream
Instructions
- Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onion, and cook for 8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for five minutes.
- Cut cream cheese into small cubes and add to the saucepan.
- Reduce heat to low, and cook until melted stirring often.
- Remove from heat and stir in cream.
Heidi says
I loved it... thanks so much!
Wendy Polisi says
So glad that you enjoyed it.
Linda Davidson says
So easy!! I did make a minor change, I added some Locatelli cheese to cut flavor since I didn’t have feta and no heavy cream so I used milk. It was very creamy, sauce really wasn’t thin at all. My family Loved it!
Wendy Polisi says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Great Bonnie says
This recipe sounds delicious, I will definitely try it .....
Wendy Polisi says
I hope you enjoy it!