I love it when simple ingredients come together to make something special. Tomato Butter Pasta is exactly that: rich, velvety, and packed with flavour. It’s one of the first dishes I learned to cook and I still have it regularly.
Today, I’m excited to show you how to make the perfect Tomato Butter Pasta from scratch. Tips, troubleshooting tricks, and easy variations you can try at home included!
Quick Recipe Overview
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Serves | Difficulty |
| 5 minutes | 30 minutes | 35 minutes | 2-4 people | Easy |
Why You’ll Love Tomato Butter Pasta
- Simple pantry ingredients — tinned toms, butter and pasta is all that’s needed.
- Minimal prep — one pan for sauce, one pot for pasta.
- Incredible flavour — butter mellows the acidity of tomatoes and gives a slightly creamy silky feel
- Endless customization — spice it up, add veggies, or keep it as is
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pasta: Spaghetti, linguine, or use rigatoni like I do for extra chew. Allow 100g of pasta per person.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is great for seasoning control, but you can use salted butter if that’s all you have; just be careful when adding salt.
- Canned whole tomatoes: I use San Marzano for the richest flavour, but any good tinned chopped tomatoes will work (here’s why San Marzano tomatoes are special).
- Onion: a medium chopped onion gently softened in butter provides great flavour
- Dried Oregano: extra flavour to the sauce (I love oregano in my tomato sauces, try my Spaghetti Napoli)
- Salt and Pepper: Essential seasoning.
- Parmesan cheese: For finishing. You can also try adding my Pangrattato breadcrumbs to finish this dish.
- Fresh basil & parsley: For a touch of colour and herby flavour
How to Make Tomato Butter Pasta (Step-by-Step)
Make the Sauce
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Finely dice one onion and add it to the pan
- Saute gently to soften (we don’t want colour on the onion)
- Add the oregano and fry for 30 seconds to bring out the flavour of the dried herb
- Add the tinned tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer
- Stir occasionally, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
- After about 30 minutes, the sauce should be thick and glossy.
Don’t panic if it looks thin early on! It thickens over time
Cook the Pasta
- Boil a large pot of salted water.
- Cook your pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions — it should be slightly underdone as it will finish cooking in the sauce. Tip: Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining! You’ll use it to bring the sauce together.
Blitz sauce and combine
- Add a little pasta water to get the right consistency to the sauce then blitz with a blender/stick blender to get an ultra-smooth pasta sauce
- Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce
- Toss together over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the pasta soaks up all that buttery tomato goodness.
- Add splashes of reserved pasta water if needed, this will help the sauce stick to the pasta
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Finish and Serve
- Serve immediately with finely chopped parsley and basil stirred in and top with grated Parmesan cheese
- Plate that pasta and enjoy!
Common Problems (And How to Fix Them)
| Problem | Solution |
| Sauce too watery | Keep simmering gently without cranking up the heat. |
| Sauce too acidic | Add another tablespoon of butter or a pinch of sugar. |
| Pasta clumps together | Toss immediately into the sauce with some pasta water to keep it loose. |
| Bland flavour | Upgrade your canned tomatoes and don’t be shy with the salt or butter. |
Pro Tips for the Best Tomato Butter Pasta
- Whole tomatoes over diced: They yield a richer flavour.
- Slow simmer: Don’t rush — great taste takes time.
- Reserve pasta water: A splash can fix any dryness or thickness in the sauce.
- Finish pasta in sauce: Pasta absorbs the sauce and binds perfectly.
- Use quality butter: Good butter makes a huge difference to the taste and mouthfeel
- Serve Immediately: This pasta sauce can go cold quickly so serve immediately, in warm plates
Variations and Add-Ins
- Add heat: Stir in red pepper/chilli flakes with garlic.
- Creamier sauce: Swirl in a splash of double cream or mascarpone cheese at the end.
- Boost protein: Top with grilled chicken, shrimp, or sausage.
- Sneak in veggies: Spinach, roasted peppers, mushrooms — mix it up!
- Make it vegan: Swap butter for a vegan alternative and sprinkle nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use ripe, flavourful ones. Blanch them to remove skins, chop, and simmer down until saucy. It’s more work but worth it.
Long strands like spaghetti or linguine are classic, but rigatoni and penne capture the sauce well too – I love the chew of rigatoni!
.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water.
Yes — the sauce freezes very well! Freeze separately from the pasta for up to 2 months
Tomato Butter Pasta is proof that comfort food doesn’t have to be difficult to make. Whether it’s a quick weeknight meal or impressing guests with your “secret” homemade sauce, this dish always delivers big on flavour with little effort.
Take your time and enjoy every buttery, tomatoey bite!
Try Another Recipe
Tomato Butter Pasta: The Ultimate Comfort Food (Recipe, Tips & Troubleshooting)
Equipment
- 1 saucepan (for the sauce)
- 1 saucepan (for the pasta)
- 1 chefs knife
- 1 microplane grater
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 blender/stick blender
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 75 g unsalted butter (diced)
- 1 400g tin of San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped basil
- 200g rigatoni
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Sauce
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Finely dice one onion and add it to the pan
- Saute gently to soften (we don’t want colour on the onion)
- Add the oregano and fry for 30 seconds to bring out the flavour of the dried herb
- Add the tinned tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer
- Stir occasionally, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
- After about 30 minutes, the sauce should be thick and glossy.
- Don’t panic if it looks thin early on! It thickens over time
- Cook the Pasta
- Boil a large pot of salted water.
- Cook your pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions — it should be slightly underdone as it will finish cooking in the sauce. Tip: Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining! You’ll use it to bring the sauce together.
- Blitz sauce and combine
- Add a little pasta water to get the right consistency to the sauce then blitz with a blender/stick blender to get an ultra-smooth pasta sauce
- Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce
- Toss together over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the pasta soaks up all that buttery tomato goodness.
- Add splashes of reserved pasta water if needed, this will help the sauce stick to the pasta
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Finish and Serve
- Serve immediately with finely chopped parsley and basil stirred in and top with grated Parmesan cheese
- Plate that pasta and enjoy!
Notes
- Allow for 100g pasta per person. This recipe makes up enough sauce for 4 people depending on how ‘saucy’ you like it. I like my pasta saucy so I have said it makes enough for 2 people, but can stretch to 4.
Hi, I’m Paul! I’m a passionate home chef, recipe developer, and food lover who believes that cooking should be fun, rewarding, and stress-free! Through Scoffs & Feasts, I share my favorite tried-and-tested recipes, cooking tips, and troubleshooting advice to help home cooks gain confidence in the kitchen. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced foodie, I hope my recipes inspire you to try something new.