Creamy Pasta with Pork and Cherry Tomatoes

Name: Creamy Pasta with Pork and Cherry Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 2 cups cherry tomatoes; 8 oz rigatoni pasta; 1 small yellow onion, sliced; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 tube (4.5 oz) tomato paste; 1/2 cup chicken stock; 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1 fresno chili, minced with seeds; 1 lb ground pork; 2 tbsp olive oil; Salt, to taste; Toasted breadcrumbs, for garnish; Parmesan cheese, for garnish

This creamy rigatoni combines ground pork and roasted cherry tomatoes in a savory, lightly spiced sauce finished with heavy cream. It's a quick, protein-rich weeknight meal ready in under 30 minutes.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Pasta 🏷️Rigatoni 🏷️Pork 🏷️Cherry tomato Creamy pasta

🏷️

🏷️Tomato cream sauce

-0:00

instacartonTikTok

Total

35 min

Servings

2

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$25–$41

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by instacart

-0:00

instacartonTikTok

Ingredients

2 cups cherry tomatoes
8 oz rigatoni pasta
1 small yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tube (4.5 oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 fresno chili, minced with seeds
1 lb ground pork
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Toasted breadcrumbs, for garnishoptional
Parmesan cheese, for garnishoptional

13 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Powered by Instacart

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet and season with salt.
2
Roast the tomatoes for 15 minutes until they are soft and slightly blistered. Set aside.
3
While the tomatoes roast, heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned.
4
Add the sliced yellow onion and crushed garlic to the pan with the pork. Sauté for a few minutes until the onions are softened.
5
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until it darkens in color. Add the minced fresno chili and stir to combine.
6
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
7
Pour the chicken stock and heavy cream into the pork mixture. Stir well to create a creamy sauce.
8
Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauce to help it emulsify and thicken.
9
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pasta directly into the pan with the sauce. Stir everything together until the pasta is well-coated.
10
Serve the pasta in bowls, topped with the roasted cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of toasted breadcrumbs, and a generous grating of fresh parmesan cheese.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Brown the ground pork fully over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles, before adding aromatics—this builds fond for deeper flavor.
Roast cherry tomatoes briefly in the pan with oil before adding the pork to concentrate their sweetness and prevent them from breaking down into mush.
Stir in cream off heat or over very low heat to prevent it from breaking or curdling, especially if the sauce has acidic tomato paste.
Taste and season with salt and black pepper after adding cream—the starchy pasta water will dilute seasoning, so adjust at the end.

Substitutions

ground pork → ground beef or Italian sausage (adjust salt if using seasoned sausage)
cherry tomatoes → halved regular tomatoes or a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained (skip browning step for canned)
heavy cream → half-and-half or full-fat Greek yogurt (add off heat to prevent curdling)
fresno chili → red pepper flakes, jalapeño, or serrano pepper (adjust quantity to taste)

Storage & make-ahead

Store cooled pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of pasta water or stock to restore creaminess.

Common Questions

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes. Penne, fusilli, or any medium tube pasta works well. Avoid thin pasta like spaghetti, which won't hold the creamy sauce as effectively.

How do I adjust the heat level?

Remove the fresno chili seeds before mincing for mild heat, or omit it entirely. Add red pepper flakes to taste if you prefer more spice.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. Cook the pork-tomato sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Cook pasta fresh and combine just before serving, or reheat sauce gently and toss with warm pasta.

What can I substitute for heavy cream?

Use half-and-half, sour cream, or Greek yogurt (stir in at the end off heat). For dairy-free, cashew cream or coconut cream work but will change the flavor slightly.