Spaghetti Pomodoro
on Jul 02, 2024
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Spaghetti Pomodoro is the ultimate pasta dish. Made with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, this recipe is perfect for an easy dinner. While traditional pomodoro using ripe fresh tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes, this recipe is using roasted tomatoes in the oven to make our pasta sauce. Try our Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta next for another delicious tomato pasta recipe.
Table of Contents
What is Pasta Pomodoro?
Pasta pomodoro or pasta al pomodoro is a pasta dish tossed in a fresh tomato sauce. It originated in Naples, Italy. The traditional sauce has ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. Our spaghetti al pomodoro takes it being made with roasted tomatoes to build our sauce.
What ingredients do you need for this Spaghetti Pomodoro recipe?
Tomatoes for the roasted tomato sauce: The star of our fresh pomodoro sauce. We roast halved tomatoes and add crushed tomatoes to the sauce. San Marzano tomatoes are the classic pomodoro tomatoes choice, especially when they’re in season during late summer. When those are not available, Roma tomatoes, and plum tomatoes are excellent alternatives.
Extra-virgin Olive Oil: Use a high-quality oil to roast the tomatoes and sauté the shallots and garlic. The oil enhances the texture and improves the flavor of our sauce.
Seasoning: We keep it simple with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chili flakes.
Aromatics: Shallots and garlic cloves form a strong foundation of flavor, balancing and complementing each other well. You can also choose to add some red pepper flakes here for some heat.
Fresh Basil Leaves: This herb infuses the tomato sauce with sweet, fragrant notes.
Pasta: Spaghetti is the classic option for pomodoro pasta. The sauce evenly coats the pasta for easy eating. Feel free to sub out with bucatini or linguine, any long form pasta will work here!
Parmesan Cheese: A sprinkle of salty, savory cheese is the perfect finishing touch.
Butter: While this ingredient is optional, it adds a velvety smoothness to the sauce.
How to Make the Best Pasta Pomodoro
Roast Tomatoes: Heat your oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add your halved tomatoes. Season with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until jammy and burst.
Sauté Aromatics: In the meantime, in a large saucepan, heat your remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in your shallots, salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes. Stir to sweat until your shallots are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in your minced garlic, tossing to combine for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add Tomatoes: Add in your crushed tomatoes, and bring the heat to medium-low. Once your tomatoes are ready from the oven, add them to the pot, and give them a little crush if needed. Tear your basil leaves and add that in, stir to combine.
Simmer: Simmer your sauce for 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour on low.
Cook Pasta: When ready to serve, cook your pasta until al dente. Then transfer the pasta to the sauce, using pasta water as needed to toss. Add in basil leaves, and finish with parmesan. Optional to add a knob of butter melted through.
Serve: Serve spaghetti pomodoro in a bowl, topping with more parmesan, and basil leaves.
What to Serve with Spaghetti Pomodoro
We like the way this tastes with our homemade focaccia bread. The soft bread soaks up the sauce for a tasty comfort meal. For a lighter addition, pair it with our Green Goddess Salad.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
No. Pomodoro sauce is a type of tomato sauce. It’s made with fresh tomatoes (sometimes canned crushed tomatoes!), garlic, olive oil, and basil, which gives it a light, fresh flavor. Tomato sauce is very versatile and can be made with a variety of ingredients like canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, and spices.
You’ll know the tomatoes are ready when they are jammy, burst, and slightly caramelized. This usually takes about 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees.
Spaghetti is the classic choice, but you can also use bucatini, angel hair, linguini, or any other long pasta. The sauce will coat these types well.
Yes, you can make the sauce up to two days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container and reheat gently before tossing it with pasta.
More Pasta Recipes
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Spaghetti Pomodoro
Equipment
Ingredients
- 18 medium-sized tomatoes, (about 2 pounds) halved
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, plus more to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 14 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 4 to 5 leaves of fresh basil, roughly torn, plus more for serving
- 1 pound long pasta of choice, such as spaghetti or bucatini
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add your halved tomatoes. Season with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until jammy and burst.
- In the meantime, in a large saucepan, heat your remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in your shallots, salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes. Stir to sweat until your shallots are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in your minced garlic, tossing to combine for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add in your crushed tomatoes, and bring the heat to medium-low. Once your tomatoes are ready from the oven, add them to the pot, and give them a little crush if needed. Tear your basil leaves and add that in, stir to combine.
- Simmer your sauce for 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour on low.
- When ready to serve, cook your pasta until al dente. Then transfer the pasta to the sauce, using pasta water as needed to toss. Add in basil leaves, and finish with parmesan. Optional to add a knob of butter melted through.
- Serve in bowl, topping with more parmesan, and basil leaves.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
