Oven Baked Creamy Tomato Pasta

This baked creamy tomato pasta is a comforting weeknight meal that’s perfect for when you want something rich and satisfying with minimal effort. It delivers a glossy tomato sauce and a golden, crunchy parmesan top without needing more than one pot and one tray.

Serves 4

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30 minutes

Looking for more creamy tomato pasta? Try my Tomato & Mozzarella Baked Rigatoni, my Tomato & Burrata Gnocchi, or my Spaghetti and Meatballs.

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Helpful Tips

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing is not recommended, as the cream sauce can split on reheating.
Reheat gently in a covered pan on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.

Substitutions

Small pasta shells → any short pasta shape, such as penne or fusilli.
Chicken bone broth → chicken stock
Chilli flakes → omit entirely for a mild version, or add extra for more heat.

Serving Suggestions

Serve straight from the tray with a simple side salad.

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Ingredients Directions

Serving Scaler

Serves 4 1x 2x 3x

Ingredients

For the sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes, or more to taste
1L (4 cups) tomato passata
300g (1¼ cups) thickened cooking cream
1/3 cup chicken bone broth
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the pasta:

450g small pasta shells
40g (½ cup) parmesan cheese, grated, plus 30g (⅓ cup) extra for topping

To finish:

Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Preheat the oven grill to high.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the passata, cream and chicken bone broth. Season with salt and pepper, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta shells in a large pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than the packet instructions. Drain.
Stir the parmesan through the sauce.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat then transfer everything to an oven-safe dish.
Top with the extra parmesan and grill in the oven for 8 minutes, or until the top is golden and crunchy.
Drizzle with olive oil to serve.

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Nutritional Information

( per serving, based on 4 )

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	820 kcal
Protein	32 g
Carbohydrates	90 g
Fat	38 g
Fibre	1 g

Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a general reference only. Actual values may vary. This is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.