My idea of a perfect summer dinner? A big bowl of pasta pomodoro, topped with plenty of Parm and fresh basil. The signature sauce highlights fresh tomatoes by cooking them down just enough to become a light sauce with significant chunks of tomato still intact. Topped with a mountain of grated Parmesan (as I like to do), this pasta is the perfect light and fresh summer dinner that begs to be enjoyed outside. Tomato lovers—don’t let the season go by without enjoying this classic pasta.
What People Are Saying:
“I made this as written – it was absolutely delicious with fresh garden tomatoes. Will make again soon!” – Al’s Cooking
“Easy recipe with ingredients I already had on hand. Will definitely use again and try adding different ingredients to change it up.” – PurpleStrawberry
How To Make Pasta Pomodoro
INGREDIENTS
- Spaghetti: With a light, relatively thin sauce such as pomodoro, I recommend a long-strand pasta. Spaghetti is the classic, but you could also try bucatini or angel hair pasta.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use your favorite brand, or consult our list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands.
- Onion & Garlic: A small yellow onion and three garlic cloves will provide a solid base of flavor to our pasta. If you’re a major garlic fan, feel free to experiment with adding another clove.
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes are the star of the show here, so if you’re using fresh ones, I highly recommend making sure they are good-quality, ripe tomatoes. Alternatively, if you’re making this out of season, you can use 4 cups of chopped canned tomatoes.
- Red Pepper Flakes: The red pepper flakes don’t make the sauce spicy; instead, they’re here to provide a bit of warmth to accentuate the tomatoes’ natural sweetness. If you’re concerned about the spice level, add a tiny bit at a time, or leave it out altogether.
- Basil: Fresh basil is not only used as the final garnish to this dish, but it’s added to the tomato mixture to give the sauce an herbal freshness.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan will add a slightly nutty, rich flavor to the final dish. If you’re looking for a vegan dinner, you can leave it off.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
First, we’ll cook our pasta by boiling a large pot of salted water. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Once done, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining the pasta and setting it aside.
Then, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is soft and translucent—this should take about 7 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, around 1 minute more. Make sure you’re stirring to prevent the garlic from burning!
Once the garlic is fragrant, you can add the tomatoes to the pot. Cook, while stirring, until the juices are released, then season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you want more heat). Stir to combine, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for around 15 minutes before stirring in the basil.
Add the spaghetti and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, and toss to combine with the sauce. If the sauce still doesn’t come together, add more pasta water as needed.
Once done, serve topped with grated Parmesan and more fresh basil.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Recipe Tips
- Why is it called pomodoro sauce? “Pomodoro” means tomato in Italian, which literally translates to “tomato sauce.” Appropriate, considering this sauce is all about the tomato, right?
- Add some protein: If you want to bulk this pasta up, feel free to serve it alongside (or with!) some grilled chicken, cooked shrimp, or your pasta protein of choice.
What To Serve With Pasta Pomodoro
- Garlic Bread: Some homemade garlic bread is a no-brainer choice to sop up all of the delicious tomato sauce with this pasta (and our recipe is jam-packed with garlic).
- Sheet-Pan Panzanella: This roasted version of a panzanella salad is not only very easy to create for weeknights, but is extremely versatile based on the season and what you have on hand.
- Focaccia: If you want to turn this dinner into a bit of a project for a dinner party, then test your baking skills by making homemade focaccia! Trust me—even beginners can master it.
Storage
If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
