Italian Pasta with Tomato Sauce (Printable)
Tender pasta in a rich tomato sauce with garlic and herbs, ready in 30 minutes.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, penne, or preferred shape)
→ Tomato Sauce
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - 1 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
11 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander, reserving ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to let it brown.
03 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes, sugar, dried oregano, and dried basil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and the flavors meld together.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Toss everything together thoroughly, adding small splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling evenly to each strand or piece of pasta.
05 - Transfer to warm serving plates or bowls. Finish with a generous shower of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and scatter fresh basil leaves over the top. Serve immediately while hot.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together with pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
- It tastes like it simmered all day but only needs about twenty minutes of real cooking.
- It is flexible enough to work with whatever pasta shape is hiding in your cupboard.
02 -
- Under salted pasta water is the number one reason this dish tastes flat so be bold with the salt.
- Adding the sugar is not optional if your tomatoes taste sharp because it transforms the whole sauce.
03 -
- Reserve that pasta water every single time because it is the difference between a sauce that clings and one that slides right off.
- Taste the sauce right before adding the pasta and adjust the salt one final time because the pasta will dilute it slightly.