Description
A classic Italian pasta dish made with spaghetti tossed in a simple, flavorful tomato sauce infused with garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. This pasta al pomodoro is comforting, light, and captures the essence of authentic Italian home cooking.
Ingredients
400 g spaghetti noodles
30 g extra virgin olive oil
500 g canned whole peeled tomatoes or tomato puree
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, optional
Fresh basil leaves, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the halved garlic clove and cook gently for about 2 minutes to infuse the oil, then remove the garlic if desired.
- Add the canned tomatoes or puree and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer—about 30 minutes if using puree or 1 hour for whole tomatoes—stirring occasionally.
- Once cooked, remove the garlic clove. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender or pass through a food mill until smooth if needed.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Use San Marzano or other high-quality Italian tomatoes for the best flavor.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
For extra richness, stir in a knob of butter or drizzle of cream before serving.
The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
Substitute gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
