Find a Recipe!

Just a Little Bit of Bacon

where comfort food meets the farm stand

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • beverages
    • desserts
    • grilling and bbq
    • main courses
    • quick dinners
    • side dishes
    • soups and stews
  • mediterranean recipes
    • italian recipes
      • italian comfort food
      • italian antipasti
      • fundamentals of italian cooking
    • spanish recipes
      • spanish tapas
    • french recipes
      • french comfort food
    • greek recipes
  • holiday favorites
    • christmas
    • easter dinner
    • thanksgiving feast
  • resources
    • dinner and party menus
    • farmers’ market
      • ingredient spotlight
    • roundup post
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Italian Pasta al Pomodoro

February 14, 2020 By justalittlebitofbacon Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Click here for details.

  • Share
  • Tweet

Pasta al pomodoro (aka spaghetti and tomato sauce) is a classic Italian dinner for good reason! This recipe uses a handful of ingredients and about than 30 minutes to make a restaurant worthy meal. It doesn’t get more Italian than simple food done perfectly.

Top view of a bowl of pasta al pomodoro with basil and shredded parmesan.

Hello, all!

What could be an easier weeknight meal than pasta and tomatoes? I’ve made it hundreds of times and I bet you have too! Take a can or jar of tomato sauce, cook up some noodles, and toss it together. But how about we make it better with only a little more effort?

Italian Pasta and Tomato Sauce

This recipe starts with pomodoro sauce. A traditional Italian recipe made with minimal ingredients, the best tomatoes, and a little time in the blender to make it completely smooth. This is absolutely the time to spring for San Marzano (or other quality) tomatoes since it’s All About the Tomatoes!

Next up is the pasta. Spaghetti is my choice, though bucatini is great too (and my husband’s fave). The secret here is to undercook it a little to start (and don’t use too much water either). Then take it and finish the cooking with some of the water and sauce. Marry your spaghetti and sauce! It’s the Italian way.

Last are the toppings. Fresh basil and parmesan are traditional and delicious. Have fun, though and switch up the toppings to other cheeses (ricotta? burrata?) and/or other fresh herbs you have on hand (parsley? oregano?). That will keep this recipe fresh and take advantage of what you have in the house!

Close up of a wide bowl of spaghetti and tomato sauce with basil.

What do you need?

  • Pomodoro Sauce – San Marzano tomatoes*, garlic, olive oil, salt, and little hot pepper if you want
  • Spaghetti – You can use other types, but I like the recipe with a long pasta which isn’t too wide or too thin
  • Parmesan Cheese – You’re going to really taste it here (since it’s on top) so spring for the best you can get
  • Basil – Fresh of course!

*For best results use a brand of tomatoes which does NOT contain calcium chloride and is NOT packed in tomato puree. The ingredients should be tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, and basil. Toss the basil and use the rest.

Ingredients for the recipe.

How to make this

To make pasta al pomodoro, first make a simple tomato sauce with canned tomatoes then puree it smooth. Cook the pasta and toss it with the sauce and some of the pasta water. Serve with basil and parmesan cheese.

1. Make Pomodoro

This very simple and quick!

First gently saute chopped garlic in olive oil and a pinch or so of salt until soft. Then add the tomatoes, breaking them up at bit in the pot, and bring to simmer. Simmer until the sauce is thick and the tomatoes are falling apart. Puree until smooth. Done!

2. Marry the Sauce and Spaghetti

While you’re cooking the sauce, boil the water and parcook the noodles. You want to take it out about 2 minutes before it will be done.

Take the mostly cooked pasta, some of the water from the pot, and some of the tomato sauce and toss it together in the pot over medium heat until the sauce is thick and clinging to noodles.

Tip: Don’t use too much water when boiling the pasta. This will concentrate the starches in the water and make for a thicker sauce.

3. Serve Dinner

To serve, portion the spaghetti onto plates. Top with basil, cheese, and more sauce.

Step by step on how to make the recipe.

Is this vegetarian?

It depends on your stance on parmesan cheese. If you use a Parmigiano-Reggiano, it is made with rennet and is not strictly vegetarian. However, there are a number of vegetarian parmesans on the market or you can switch to another style of shredding cheese such as ricotta salata.

For a vegan meal either leave off the cheese entirely (the rest of the meal is vegan) or switch to a vegan cheese.

How do I make sure the sauce is thick?

There are a few things you can do for this.

  1. Cook down the tomatoes longer to evaporate some of the moisture.
  2. Cook the pasta in a fairly small amount of water (enough to cover by a few inches) so that the starches are concentrated in the water.
  3. Cook the pasta and sauce together with some water from the pot until the sauce and water are absorbed by the spaghetti.

A fork holding spaghetti with Italian tomato sauce twirled around it.

More Quick Pasta Dinners

Love spaghetti and are looking for weeknight dinners?

  • Then you may love my Pesto with Orecchiette and White Beans! Quick and less than 5 ingredients.
  • Or maybe you want a salad? Farmstand Summer Pasta or Chicken Pesto Fusilli Salad are great go-tos!
  • For speedy comfort food, try my Ground Beef Skillet Pasta or Orecchiette with Cauliflower. Both tasty choices! 

If you try my recipe for Pasta al Pomodoro, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.

– Happy Eating, Annemarie

For an authentic Italian dinner, try my pasta al pomodoro! Spaghetti is tossed with a simple and delicious San Marzano tomato sauce and topped with basil and Parmesan in this easy recipe. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #italianrecipes #pastarecipes #easydinner #italian #spaghetti #pasta #tomatosauce
Print Recipe

Italian Pasta al Pomodoro

For an authentic Italian dinner, try my pasta al pomodoro! Spaghetti is tossed with a simple and delicious San Marzano tomato sauce and topped with basil and Parmesan in this easy recipe.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pasta pomodoro, spaghetti and tomato sauce
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 350kcal
Author: justalittlebitofbacon

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 28-oz can San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper or fresh black pepper, optional
  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
  • 1-2 oz fresh shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the Pomodoro Sauce

  • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium low.
  • Add garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. Gently warm the garlic until it's soft, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes with their juice. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Puree the sauce in a blender until smooth.
  • Add kosher salt. If using add red pepper or black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Make the Pasta

  • While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add spaghetti (or other pasta of your choice) and cook 2 minutes less than the package instructions.
  • Scoop out ~2 cups of water and drain the spaghetti. Return the drained spaghetti to the pot.
  • Add 1 cup of pasta water and 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and clinging to the noodles. Add more water if needed.

Serve Dinner

  • Serve the spaghetti with fresh sliced basil, shredded parmesan cheese, and more pomodoro sauce.

Notes

  • Tomato Sauce: For an expanded discussion on making the sauce see my Pomodoro Sauce post.
  • Variations: A few ideas are to add diced or pearl sized fresh mozzarella, cooked chicken or shrimp, a swirl of ricotta, or fresh diced tomatoes.
  • Pasta: A fun option for the pasta is bucatini (which is a spaghetti-like tube pasta).
  • Basil in the Tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes have a sprig of basil included in the can. Discard this basil and use the tomatoes.
Spaghetti and tomato sauce in a bowl with text overlay - Pasta al Pomodoro.
Spaghetti and tomato sauce in a bowl with text overlay - Italian Pasta al Pomodoro.

Related Posts:

  • How to Make Italian Pomodoro Sauce
    How to Make Italian Pomodoro Sauce
  • Quick Italian Meat Sauce
    Quick Italian Meat Sauce
  • Spicy Italian Arrabbiata Sauce
    Spicy Italian Arrabbiata Sauce
  • Simple and Quick Anchovy, Garlic, and Lemon Pasta
    Simple and Quick Anchovy, Garlic, and Lemon Pasta
  • Bucatini all'Amatriciana Sauce
    Bucatini all'Amatriciana Sauce
  • Pasta e Fagioli - Italian Pasta Bean Soup
    Pasta e Fagioli - Italian Pasta Bean Soup
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: 30 minute meals, fundamentals of italian cooking, italian comfort food, italian recipes, main courses, pasta love, quick dinners, recipe, vegetarian mains Tagged With: basil, parmesan cheese, pasta, tomatoes

« Vodka Pomegranate Martini
Chicken Breast with Green Olive Gremolata »

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Don’t miss a post!

Get new recipes in your inbox every week!

Disclosure:

Justalittlebitofbacon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello, I’m Annemarie

Welcome to my kitchen! I’m a Italian-American girl who loves fresh foods, local ingredients, and all sorts of comfort foods. Here you will find Mediterranean flavors and recipes from a New England perspective.

Don’t miss a post!

Sign up here to have new recipes delivered to your inbox every week.

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Spring Flings

Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting - Grinding up the carrots packs more carrots into each cupcake and makes these cupcakes extra moist and delicious! Creaming the butter and sugar together provides an extra tender crumb and a mostly flat top which is perfect for the lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Wondering what to do with garlic scapes? Puree them into a quick and creamy, garlicky bean and garlic scape dip! Great as a healthy snack or for a party! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

White Bean and Garlic Scape Dip

Want to know how to cook baby artichokes? In this easy recipe baby artichokes are trimmed up, topped with parsleyed bread crumbs and made into a baked artichoke gratin. Great holiday dish! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Baby Artichoke Gratin with Parsleyed Crumbs

Freekeh is an earthy grain with a complex flavor which you should try! And this vegan freekeh salad buddha bowl with baby kale, radicchio, avocado, and mint is great way to add some freekeh to your diet.

Kale, Radicchio and Freekeh Salad Buddha Bowl

Try something a little different and learn how to make a blood orange margarita! Grab your tequila and mix up one or make a pitcher for a crowd. Either way you'll love this easy and delicious homemade cocktail. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #cocktails #drinkrecipes #margaritas #bloodoranges #pitcherdrinks

Homemade Blood Orange Margarita

Strawberry Shortcake Dip - All the fun and yummy flavors of strawberry shortcake are in this quick and easy crowd-pleasing strawberry shortcake dip. Great with graham crackers, strawberry slices, and shortbread cookies. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Strawberry Shortcake Dip

Reader Favorites

Cold sweet potato salad is topped with dried cranberries and pecans, then tossed with a maple syrup and mustard dressing. Perfect for summertime picnics and for the Thanksgiving table. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Cold Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

Pear Quick Bread with Streusel Topping - What to do with those overripe pears sitting on your counter? Make an easy pear quick bread from them! Great for breakfast, for snacks, and it freezes well. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Pear Quick Bread with Streusel Topping

Parmesan Truffle Fries - Use frozen, bagged fries to have tasty truffle fries, covered in truffle oil, parmesan, and parsley on the table in less than 15 minutes. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Quick and Easy Parmesan Truffle Fries

Thick cut cod is pan seared in a mixture of olive oil and butter to produce a golden brown crust and then served with a lemon, parsley, and caper sauce to make a simple and healthy weeknight meal.

Pan Seared Cod with a Caper, Parsley and Lemon Sauce

Zucchini cheddar biscuits are soft, tender and full of shredded zucchini and sharp cheddar. Just drop them onto the baking tray and go. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Soft and Tender Zucchini Cheddar Biscuits

Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb - Butterflied lamb is rubbed overnight with a flavorful herb and garlic mixture and then quickly grilled for a perfect dinner. It takes just 15 minutes to bring this roast to a beautifully seared outside and medium rare inside. Great for Easter dinner or for any cookout get-together. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with a Herb Rub

Copyright © 2021 — Just a Little Bit of Bacon • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

Genesis Framework • Foodie Pro Theme • by Shay Bocks