Classic Italian Tomato Pasta (Printable Version)
Tender pasta in a rich tomato sauce with aromatic herbs, ready in 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, penne, or your choice)
→ Tomato Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 tsp sugar
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp 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 It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the starchy pasta water for later use.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the crushed tomatoes, sugar, dried oregano, and dried basil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
04 - Toss the drained pasta with the tomato sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling evenly to the noodles.
05 - Serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnished with fresh basil leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together with pantry staples you probably already have, which means no emergency grocery runs on a tired evening.
- That splash of reserved pasta water is a tiny trick that transforms a good sauce into something silky and restaurant worthy without any extra effort.
02 -
- Reserving that half cup of pasta water before draining is not optional, because the starch in it is what helps the sauce cling to every piece of pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- Adding garlic too early or at too high a heat will turn it bitter and acrid, so always let the onion soften first and keep the garlic brief.
03 -
- Never rinse your cooked pasta, because washing away the surface starch means the sauce will slide right off instead of clinging.
- Taste the sauce at the very end and adjust the salt one final time, since reduction concentrates flavors and can throw off your seasoning.