Pasta Pomodoro Recipe
A classic Italian Pasta Pomodoro recipe featuring a simple, fresh tomato sauce made with garlic, ripe tomatoes, and basil, served over perfectly cooked spaghetti or linguine and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This quick and easy dish highlights bright, fresh flavors and is perfect for a comforting weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or canned peeled tomatoes)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti or linguine
To Serve
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the garlic-infused olive oil: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent the garlic from burning as it will turn bitter.
- Simmer the tomato sauce: Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes to the skillet. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and sugar if desired to balance the acidity. Simmer the sauce gently, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add fresh basil and remove from heat: Stir in the torn basil leaves for fresh herbal aroma, then remove the skillet from the heat to preserve the basil’s bright flavor.
- Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti or linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Toss well to combine, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce so it clings nicely to the noodles.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese: Plate the pasta immediately, topping with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a savory finish.
Notes
- Use ripe, fresh tomatoes in season for the best flavor, or good-quality canned peeled tomatoes off-season.
- Be cautious not to burn the garlic to avoid bitterness in the sauce.
- Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar based on the sweetness and acidity of your tomatoes.
- Reserving pasta water helps to create a silky sauce that adheres well to the noodles.
- This dish can be easily made vegetarian by omitting the Parmesan or using a vegetarian-friendly cheese.
Keywords: Pasta Pomodoro, tomato sauce, Italian pasta, spaghetti recipe, fresh tomato pasta, simple pasta sauce, vegetarian Italian dish
Find it online: https://tastybynova.com/pasta-pomodoro-recipe/
