Because a block of cheese doesn't have the same preservatives, you'll end up with a creamier sauce that tastes fresher, too. Since it comes together in less than ten minutes, it is perfect for a weeknight meal. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out! The acid late at night is just too much for me. The challenge is that as I've gotten older, eating a red sauce to late as lead to...unpleasant side effects. If the sauce is too thin, either add another wedge or 1 tsp flour. Copyright © The key is to cut it into cubes before adding it into the pan. creamy tomato sauce, creamy tomato sauce with cream cheese, « Microgreens and Sprouts: Your Ultimate Guide. A few minutes before the spaghetti is done, add the cream cheese to the pasta sauce. It should not be Despite my love for all things creamy, I've always tended towards using traditional marinara sauces in pasta recipes. 1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes (diced, undrained). Reduce heat to low, and cook until melted stirring often. Usually this works fine, but sometimes the cheese "seizes", where it balls up into hard, rubbery curds, and won't melt or break down for anything. YUM! As you can see I did not chop the cold cream cheese slab into chunks, even though some cooks do that as well. To make the cheese sauce, you'll need two cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus: Read more: 3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Eat Too Much Cheese. This is something I am working on.). LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Firm believers in lifestyle design, our family has been location independent since 2008. Yep! (I adore it on this Zucchini Ravioli!) Reduce to a simmer and cook for five minutes. Cream Cheese - Use the regular, full-fat cream cheese or the 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese works well in the recipe too. Creamy Tomato Sauce with Cream Cheese is a swoon-worthy sauce that is perfect for pasta or zucchini noodles! Add in 1/4 cup tomato paste. (And the fact that I ate so close to bedtime. Soften cream cheese in a covered sauce pan over low heat and stir frequently. Add in 1/4 cup tomato paste. Add the onion and cook and stir until the onion is tender and just starts to brown around the edges, about 5 to 6 minutes. A roux is a fancy term for a combination of flour and fat (usually butter) that's cooked and used to thicken a sauce. Hi, I’m Wendy! Since this is so rich, it doesn't take much to really make a pasta dish. ), 28 Pasta Recipes That Take Only 30 Minutes to Make, 35 Meatless Monday Recipes the Family Will Love, Spaghetti Napolitan (Japanese Ketchup Pasta), Pork and Onion Meatballs With Tomato Sauce. I haven't used any here because I feel like the cream cheese and cream cuts the acid sufficiently. Grating or slicing the cheese tends to make it meld together better. Though a healthy lifestyle is all about balance, a calorie-dense and fatty cheese sauce is best eaten in moderation. Use a whisk to stir in the flour and continue whisking until smooth. Home » Dips, Dressings & Sauces » Creamy Tomato Sauce with Cream Cheese. I like to freeze it in mason jars. All opinions are my own. Reduce to a simmer and cook for five minutes.Add Cream Cheese, Add cubed cream cheese to the pot. Take cream cheese out of its foil wrapping and set it on a microwave-safe bowl or plate. I have always loved anything rich and creamy. A whisk works best to achieve a smooth, creamy sauce. , For a unique flair, stir in 1 cup of feta cheese with the cream cheese. I can stretch a single recipe of this to about three or four different dishes. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. diagnosis or treatment. Here Are the 10 Best Options, Taste of Home: "3 Surprising Reasons Why You Should Always Grate Your Own Cheese", Real California Milk: "Basic Cheese Sauce", Ochsner Health: "Store Bought Shredded Cheese: Debunking the Myths and Best Picks", Celiac Disease Foundation: "Sources of Gluten", Harvard Health Publishing: "Vegetable of the Month: Cauliflower", PARTNER & LICENSEE OF THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION. Another great option if you are not watching carbs is to use my Quinoa Cream. This is one you are going to love. For a touch of heat, add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Leaf Group Ltd. Test the pasta by biting into it. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM Read more: Healthy Cheese? Fresh Tomato Sauce from Lexi's Clean Kitchen. Your email address will not be published. To make this dish vegan, you can substitute. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the large pot of boiling water according to the package directions until al dente. The best way to melt cheese is add a little to the pan at a time, stir it until it melts and then add some more. Required fields are marked *, Hi, I’m Wendy! The cream cheese may not dissolve completely in the sauce because the sauce is acidic, but that's OK. Get our cookbook, free, when you sign up for our newsletter. Use my quinoa cream and switch out the cream cheese for Neufchatel cheese. At this point, it's really important to watch your sauce carefully because you don't want your milk to burn. (This Slow Cooker Marinara is a go-to favorite.). I love that you can adapt it to suit most any kind of diet. Join me to read about our adventures in the kitchen…and out! This would be delicious over any pasta! Add the pasta sauce to the onion mixture. You'll often find pre-shredded cheese that won't melt as easily or when it does melt, it leaves clumps and lumps in your cheese sauce. Add the water to the empty jar, close and shake to loosen the rest of the pasta sauce, and add to the skillet along with the undrained tomatoes. ... Stir mixture and allow it to melt into liquid form over medium heat. This sauce may be made ahead and frozen. As an added bonus, you can generally get more out of a block of cheese compared to a bag of shredded cheese. This post may contain affiliate links. A whisk works best to achieve a smooth, creamy sauce. Making your own cheddar sauce for pasta may seem like a difficult thing to do, especially if you're using a block of cheese instead of the pre-shredded stuff. You can add whatever you like to this recipe—minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, sliced mushrooms browned with the onion, grated carrots, black olives, or even some baby spinach leaves. butter 2 tbsp. Meanwhile, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Absolutely! (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Whether or not you put sugar in your tomato sauce is completely up to personal preference! It also makes a fabulous topping for chicken. Privacy Policy Cook onion for eight minutes; stir in garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Adding cheese all at once to hot liquid can cause it to clump, so when making a cheese soup, it's best to grate the cheese first. used as a substitute for professional medical advice, Stir in milk and reduce heat to medium-low. And that is where this Cream Cheese Tomato Pasta Sauce comes in. Luckily I have found that if I cut the acid with a little creaminess, I can still enjoy all of my favorite dishes. Your email address will not be published. To make your roux, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. You should see little bubbles forming on the sides of the saucepan, but don't allow it to boil. any of the products or services that are advertised on the web site. Make sure you stir almost constantly when you add the cream cheese. Yep! If the pasta is firm but tender, it's done. The material appearing on LIVESTRONG.COM is for educational use only. Further cooking only makes the cheese curds firmer. If you put all the cheese in at once, it won't melt evenly and you could be left with a clumpy sauce. Melt (nuke) shredded cheese in milk until it's soft, near melted. For a unique flair, stir in 1 cup of feta cheese with the cream cheese. Pre-shedded cheese also has a different texture. You only need a few ingredients that you likely have on hand already. Read More…. The key is to take your time and make sure all of the cheese gets incorporated into the sauce slowly and carefully. It is perfect to toss with some pasta or zucchini noodles and spinach for an easy meal. Then, once you're done, you can use your homemade cheese sauce for pasta, vegetables or in place of any other cheese dip recipes. You can use the cheddar cheese sauce for pasta or as a topping for cooked broccoli or cauliflower, which, as Harvard Health notes, is a great substitute for starchy foods like pasta, especially if you're on a low-carb diet. If you're short on time, you can use pre-shredded cheese instead of a block, but there are several benefits of shredding the cheese yourself. Step 5 Add remaining milk and mix thoroughly, then add the previously combined flour and milk mixture to the cheese sauce. The first thing you need to do make cheese sauce out of a block of cheese is shred your cheese. Which European country will inspire your culinary journey tonight? If the cheese sauce is too thick, add milk 1 tbsp at a time until consistency desired is reached. Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.