This Perfect Tomato Cream Sauce recipe is the ultimate combination of creamy Alfredo and hearty Marinara sauces. It is so flavorful and rich, and has just the right amount of spice. This sauce starts out like a typical Alfredo recipe, but quickly transforms with the addition of Marinara sauce and spices. Tomato Cream Sauce pairs perfectly with grilled chicken or seared shrimp, and is best served with short pastas like Penne or Farfalle. The short pasta, and pretty sauce make this dish a dinner favorite for kids! Your family won’t be disappointed!
I have always had a love for Italian food, and being able to make a restaurant-quality meal at home is a wonderful feeling! I waited tables at Olive Garden for years, and Bravo is one of my most favorite restaurants. This inspired pasta sauce is similar to both the Five Cheese Marinara from Olive Garden, and the Chicken Fra Diavolo at Bravo. My easy recipe brings together both of those delicious flavors in this Perfect Tomato Cream Sauce for the at-home cook!
Pasta
Cook your pasta of choice according to package instructions. Set aside.
Preparing the Tomato Cream Sauce
To begin, melt 1 stick of salted butter in a large sauce pan over low-medium heat.
Add 1 Tbsp of Flour and whisk to combine. Let the flour and butter mixture cook for 1 minute.
Stir in 1 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream, whisking gradually to combine.
Season with Salt, Pepper, and add Garlic Powder, and continue whisking for 2 minutes. Sauce will begin to thicken as it cooks.
Whisk in grated Parmesan Cheese, until a rich, smooth sauce forms.
Your sauce will look like a thick, creamy Alfredo sauce. This part of the sauce recipe is simply divine by itself, poured over fettuccine. But today, we are making the Perfect Tomato Cream Sauce, so we will continue on with our Marinara and Italian Seasoning.
Any jar of Premium Marinara will do for this recipe. I really like the Aldi Specially Selected brand of Marinara sauce, at about $2.89 per jar, it is very reasonably priced. The flavor is great too, we like to use this for quick Spaghetti and Meatballs from time to time!
The Pizza & Pasta Magic Seasoning is my secret weapon. It adds the perfect bit of spice and Italian flavor to any Pizza or Pasta, as you might imagine! If you’d like some extra heat, add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Whisk the prepared Alfredo base sauce together with the Premium Marinara and Pizza & Pasta Magic Seasoning.
And that’s that! The sauce is finished, just let if simmer over low heat while you prepare your protein of choice.
Cooking the Chicken
I usually choose chicken to compliment the sauce, because the kids seem to enjoy it and we always have a few extra chicken breasts in the fridge. It is winter here, so I cooked the chicken in my cast iron skillet to avoid standing out in the cold by my grill in January.
Whether grilling or cooking in a pan, butterfly the chicken breasts to help them cook more quickly, and season both sides with Kosher salt and Black Pepper.
Add the chicken breasts to a preheated cast iron pan over medium-high heat. I added 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil to my pan to prevent the chicken from sticking.
Cook the chicken 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once halfway through.
Cook until the chicken is golden brown, and clear juices are running from the breast meat. Usually about 10 minutes total depending on the size of the chicken breast.
Let the cooked chicken breasts rest for a few minutes prior to slicing.
Slice the chicken, and serve over pasta and sauce.
Optional: garnish with Parsley.
Perfect Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Perfect Tomato Cream Sauce
- 1 stick Salted Butter (8 Tbsp)
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 24oz jar Premium Marinara
- 1 tsp Pizza & Pasta Magic Seasoning
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
Pasta of Choice
- 1 lb Prepared Pasta such as Farfalle or Penne
Optional Sliced Chicken
- 4 Chicken Breasts, cooked and sliced
- Salt and Pepper to Season chicken
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
Preparing the Pasta
- Cook Pasta According to Package Instructions. Set Aside
The Perfect Tomato Cream Sauce
- Melt 1 stick of butter in large sauce pan over low-medium heat.
- Whisk in 1 Tbsp of Flour, cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in 1 cup of Heavy Cream, whisking it in gradually to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, and garlic powder.
- Add grated parmesan cheese, whisking until incorporated.
- Whisk in entire contents of Marinara Sauce jar. Stir in Pizza & Pasta Magic Seasoning, and optional Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.
- Let the sauce simmer, covered, over low heat while you prepare the chicken (or shrimp).
Optional Chicken Breast Cooking Instructions
- Butterfly 2 large chicken breasts so you have 4 chicken breast fillets. Season chicken on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Add 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil to a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Let oil begin to heat, then add chicken breasts.
- Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, roughly 10 minutes total, depending on the size of your chicken breasts. When finished cooking, the chicken will be slightly golden brown, and have clear juices running out.
- Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove from pan and let rest on a cutting board for a few minutes. Slice the chicken and serve over prepared pasta and sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
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This is the best, we love it!! We definately add rolls to dip in this amazing sauce. 💓