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    Home » Dinner

    Penne Pomodoro

    AU$1.36 | £0.60 per serve
    By Robyn | Published: Nov 16, 2021 | Modified: Oct 6, 2022

    TO THE RECIPE
    pin for penne pomodoro showing an overhead photo of the cooked dish in a bowl ready to eat, the bottom dish shows a close up of the cooked tomato pasta in the pan

    Penne pomorodoro is an easy Italian dish made with penne pasta coated in a simple homemade tomato sauce. Like spaghetti alla nerano, it is a light pasta dish, and one the whole family loves. It is perfect for both warm summer evenings and cold winter nights.

    overhead bowl of a white bowl filled with penne pomodoro sprinkled with grated parmesan, black pepper and fresh basil
    Jump to:
    • Why we love this recipe
    • Ingredients Notes
    • How to make this Italian tomato pasta
    • FAQ
    • My recipe tips
    • Serving Ideas
    • Storage/Freezing
    • Other Italian Recipes you may like
    • Penne Pomodoro

    Why we love this recipe

    • Veggies blended into the sauce – making is a great dish for picky eaters.
    • Ideal recipe for meal prep – the tomato sauce can be made ahead and kept in the fridge or frozen.
    • The recipe uses only a handful of ingredients, and they are mostly store cupboard ingredients.
    • The sauce is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free – which makes this dish such a useful one for family members on different diets. Serve with gluten free pasta for a gluten free dinner, and don’t top with parmesan cheese for a vegan dinner.

    Ingredients Notes

    • Penne pasta – as the name suggests, I make this recipe with penne pasta, however you can use any other dried pasta shape you like: rigatoni, rotini, pasta shells and bows. Pasta al pomodoro is traditionally made with spaghetti, but like my one pot tomato pasta, I often use penne pasta..
    • Tomatoes – I use whole, tinned/canned tomatoes. Try not to use chopped tinned tomatoes – the whole tinned tomatoes do taste better, and as this simple tomato sauce doesn’t have many ingredients, you want each ingredient to bring as much flavour to the table as it can.
    • Olive oil – use a good olive oil. It may seem like there’s a lot of oil in this recipe, but the olive oil is a key ingredient to making the tomato sauce more flavourful.
    • Salt – another ingredient to make the best tomato sauce, packed with flavour.
    • Garlic – fresh garlic.
    • Brown onion – you could also use a sweeter milder red onion if you prefer.
    • Basil – in this recipe I use the basil stalks as well as the basil leaves. They are packed with basil flavour, and simmering them in the sauce gets the most out of your bunch of basil. Don’t substitute dried basil.
    Ingredients for making this penne pomodoro recipe measured and laid out in individual bowls

    How to make this Italian tomato pasta

    (These images are to help you, for the full detailed recipe please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.)

    1. Cook the onion in the olive oil over a medium heat…
    2. …until soft and translucent.
    3. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
    4. Tip in the canned/tinned whole tomatoes.
    5. Break the tomatoes down with a spoon and add the salt and basil.
    6. Cook until thick.
    7. With a stick blender, blend until smooth.
    8. Stir in the cooked penne and fresh basil.
    9. Mix until the pasta is thoroughly coated in the tomato sauce.
    Step by step photo steps of how to make penne pomodoro: fry onion unntil soft, adding garlic, adding tinned tomatoes, breaking the tomatoes up and adding salt and basil stalks, cooking until thick
    Step by step photos for steps 7 - 9 of making penne al pomodoro: pureeing the sauce until smooth, adding cooked penne and fresh basil, mixing well to coat the pasta in sauce

    FAQ

    What is pomodoro sauce made of?

    Pomodoro sauce is a tomato based sauce combined with onion, garlic, olive oil and basil.

    Does pomodoro contain meat?

    No, pomodoro sauce does not contain meat. It is actually vegetarian and vegan.

    Can I use fresh tomatoes?

    Yes! Pomodoro sauce would be delicious with fresh in season tomatoes. I recommend using Roma tomatoes if you can, or another plum tomato. Blanch them in boiling water then peel them. Cut into quarters and remove the seeds before adding to the onion and garlic mixture.

    My recipe tips

    • Keep a little of the pasta water when you drain the pasta – this starchy water will help make the pasta and tomato sauce creamy and thick.
    • To make it vegetarian pomodoro pasta – don’t top with the parmesan or check it is vegetarian.
    • If you are wanting a vegan tomato pasta – don’t top with parmesan or use a vegan alternative.
    • You could use passata instead of tinned tomatoes.

    Serving Ideas

    • Serve with a simple green side salad, or this parmesan and walnut salad.
    • Add some diced pancetta and cook with the onions.
    • Stir in some cooked roasted veggies.
    • Finish the meal with an Italian dessert: torta caprese for a chocolate hit, or Apricot jam tart
    overhead photo of cooked tomato pasta in a bowl sprinkled with black pepper and fresh basil to make a vegan family dinner

    Storage/Freezing

    • You can cook the sauce ahead and blend, then keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

    Other Italian Recipes you may like

    • Erbazzone (Italian Silverbeet Pie)
    • Pizza Puttanesca
    • Paste di Mandorla
    • Ricciarelli (Italian Almond Biscuits)
    bowl filled with homemade tomato sauce and penne, sprinkled with grated parmesan and basil, fresh basil leaves scattered over the table behind

    Penne Pomodoro

    Author: Robyn

    This easy penne pomodoro recipe with a simple homemade tomato sauce is a favourite midweek family dinner (and kid approved!), ready in under 40 minutes.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course dinner
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 572 kcal

    Equipment

    • stick blender

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 tablespoons (¼c) olive oil ($0.64 /£0.32p)
    • 1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped ($0.45 /£0.10p)
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed/ minced ($0.26 /£0.05p)
    • 800g (28oz) tinned/canned whole tomatoes ($1.50 /£0.56p)
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt ($0.02 /£0.01p)
    • 2 large sprigs of fresh basil, stalks and leaves separated ($0.50 /£0.15p)
    • 400g (14oz) penne ($0.80 /£0.60p)
    • cracked black pepper ($0.01 /£0.01p)
    • fresh parmesan, to serve, optional ($0.75 /£0.45p)
    • extra fresh basil, to serve, optional ($0.50 /£0.15p)

    Instructions
     

    • Cook the onion in the olive oil over a medium heat until soft and cooked through – around 10 minutes.
    • Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
    • Stir in the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon.
    • Add the teaspoon of salt, half the basil leaves and all the stalks.
    • Bring to a gentle simmer and cook the sauce for 20 minutes until thick, stirring occasionally to check it doesn't stick to the pan.
    • Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
    • When the tomato sauce is thick, remove the basil stalks and then using a stick blender, blend until smooth.
    • Drain the pasta, reserving 120ml (½c) of the pasta water.
    • Stir the pasta into the sauce together with a couple of tablespoons of pasta water and the rest of the fresh basil, roughly torn. Heat it gently. If it's too thick, add a little more water.
    • Serve immediately topped with a little more torn fresh basil, black pepper, and parmesan, if using.

    Notes

    Estimated costs: Australia: $5.43 . Per serve = $1.36
    UK: £2.40. Per serve = £0.60p
    America – I am yet to calculate the estimated cost to make this recipe in the US. If you would find this useful please let me know and I’ll get calculating 🙂
    Nutritional info is based on pasta without parmesan.
    Penne pasta – as the name implies, I make this recipe with penne pasta, however you can use any other dried pasta shape you like: rigatoni, rotini, pasta shells and bows. Pasta al pomodoro is traditionally made with spaghetti.
    Tomatoes – whole, tinned/canned tomatoes. Try not to use chopped tinned tomatoes – the whole tinned tomatoes do taste better, and as this simple tomato sauce doesn’t have many ingredients, you want each ingredient to bring as much flavour to the table as it can. You could use passata instead of tinned tomatoes.
    Olive oil – use a good olive oil. It may seem like there’s a lot of oil in this recipe, but the olive oil makes the tomato sauce more flavourful.
    Salt – another ingredient to make the best tomato sauce, packed with flavour.
    Garlic – fresh garlic.
    Brown onion – you could also use a sweeter milder red onion if you prefer.
    Basil – in this recipe I use the basil stalks as well as the basil leaves. They are packed with basil flavour, and simmering them in the sauce gets the most out of your bunch of basil. Don’t substitute dried basil.
    Keep some of the pasta water when you drain the pasta – this starchy water will help make the pasta and tomato sauce creamy and thick.
    To make it vegetarian pomodoro pasta – don’t top with the parmesan or check it is vegetarian.
    If you are wanting a vegan tomato pasta – don’t top with parmesan or use a vegan alternative.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 572kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 17gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 853mgPotassium: 856mgFiber: 8gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 441IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword kid friendly, pasta pomodoro, tomato pasta

    HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?

    I’d love to see your creation!

    Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
    Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen

    Or just leave a comment below!

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    Robyn Jones, Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

    Robyn Jones

    Recipe Developer | Food Photographer | Writer

    Hi! I'm Robyn, a toddler mum with a passion for all things food! Having moved internationally 7 times in the past 12 years I have developed a love of making international recipes into family friendly ones you can make in your own home, with local ingredients; wherever you live!

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