CLASSIC PASTA AL POMODORO
Classic Pasta al Pomodoro — a timeless Italian recipe featuring spaghetti tossed with rich tomato sauce and finished with fresh basil and parmesan. Comforting, fresh, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
- Large Pot for Cooking Pasta
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 3 cups Tomato Sauce - See recipe link below
- 16 ounce Package Spaghetti - I use spaghetti here, but other long dry pasta can be substituted
- 2 Tablespoons Salt
- Optional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 16-20 cups water (4-5 quarts) to a rolling boil.
- Add 1 - 1 ½ T sea salt and the dry pasta and cook 2 minutes LESS than the instructions on the label.
- While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, heat the sauce.
- In a large saucepan, heat tomato sauce on medium.
- Once pasta is ready, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Then drain the pasta.
- Add pasta to tomato sauce, with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water.
- Gently toss and cook for 2 minutes until spaghetti is coated with sauce and fully cooked. If needed, add the remaining ¼ cup reserved pasta water.
- Serve with parmesan cheese and fresh basil
- Buon Appetito!
Notes
Recipe for Simple Tomato Sauce
Serving & Garnish Tips:
- Once plated, enjoy this classic dish with parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and fresh ground pepper.
- Save a cup of the cooked pasta water in the fridge for up to 48 hours — it’s perfect if you need to loosen leftovers.
- Basil Storage Hack: Keep fresh basil perky by trimming the stems and placing them in a glass of water on the counter, like a bouquet. Cover loosely with a plastic bag, and it’ll last days longer.