Pasta al Pomodoro

What is pasta al pomodoro?

Pasta al Pomodoro is a classic Italian pasta dish of pasta – often spaghetti – with a simple tomato sauce. ‘Pomodoro’ is Italian for tomato and so basically ‘Pasta al Pomodoro’ means pasta with tomato sauce. It is a simple dish, but don’t let that fool you – it’s delicious!

I have researched a number of traditional pasta al pomodoro recipes, and all have been slightly different but no less authentic. Some, like my penne pomodoro contain onion, others include carrot and celery. Like many recipes, it varies from region to region and family to family. For this recipe I have kept it super simple; not only for ease of cooking, but there is something about dishes made from just a handful of quality ingredients that is deeply satisfying, and something the Italians do so well.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.

• Olive oil – in addition to being the oil to sauté the garlic in, olive oil adds flavour to the sauce.
• Garlic – the tomato sauce has a hint of garlic, achieved by cooking the garlic in the oil to infuse the flavour, then removing it before serving. You can of course leave the garlic in – just crush it rather than halve it.
• Tomatoes – if tomatoes are in season, grated fresh tomatoes make a light and delicious sauce. However for the rest of the year a tin / can of whole plum tomatoes makes a great substitute (and is quicker!)
• Spaghetti – or use your favourite pasta shape. Penne, rigatoni, fusilli would all work well.
• Basil – fresh basil makes this dish sing. I use the stalks in the sauce to add extra flavour, then discard before serving.

My Recipe Tips

• Quality ingredients – this is a dish with very few ingredients, so for the best pasta al pomodoro use the best quality ingredients that you can.
• Salt the pasta cooking water – this helps season the pasta from the inside out.
• Bitter tomatoes – if the tomato sauce tastes a little bitter, add a pinch of sugar. Some brands of tinned tomatoes are more bitter than others.
• Garlic – cooking the garlic this way and then removing it keeps the sauce very light in flavour, however if you want a more pronounced garlic flavour then crush it and leave it in.
• Basil stalks – they add flavour to the sauce, and are a great way of using something that would otherwise be wasted.
• Chilli flakes – chilli flakes are often used in Southern Italian regions. Either add them just before adding the tomatoes, or sprinkle over the top just before serving (I tend to do it this way so the kids can have it without and the adults can have a touch of spice.)

Storage

• Fridge – store any leftover pasta and sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer – you can freeze the pasta in the tomato sauce, however I prefer to freeze the sauce by itself, then boil the pasta and heat the sauce separately, and combine with a little of the pasta cooking water.
• Reheat – reheat in the microwave or on the stove over a gently heat, adding a splash of water if needed.

Serving Ideas

Serve spaghetti pomodoro on its own, topped with shavings of parmesan, fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Or add a slice or two of air fryer garlic bread or baguette garlic bread on the side, or add a simple leafy salad on the side to make an easy midweek dinner.