In this Penne Pomodoro, al dente penne pasta is coated in a homemade tomato and basil sauce for a quick and easy meal everyone will love.
Penne Pomodoro is an easy, no-fuss weeknight dinner that will satisfy the whole family.
Serve these Crispy Oven-Fried Zucchini Chips as an appetizer or this Crusty Dutch Oven Bread to soak up all the yummy sauce.
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What You'll Love!
- Pomodoro sauce is an easy homemade sauce that uses mainly pantry staples so you can whip it up at the last minute
- The pasta boils while the sauce simmers then it's all combined together for an easy 30-minute meal
- Makes a great family-style meal
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Penne - Penne pasta, and other tube noodles, are great for tomato sauce because they hold onto the sauce really well. You can also use spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine noodles.
Tomatoes - I highly recommend using canned San Marzano-style tomatoes for this recipe. They're sweeter than other tomatoes which will taste better in this quick-cooking sauce.
Olive Oil- Since this sauce is relying on the olive oil for some of its flavor, I prefer to use high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Onion & Garlic - These aromatics add a lot of flavor to the sauce.
Basil - Fresh basil adds a nice herby taste to the sauce.
Step By Step Instructions
Note: Full list of ingredients, their amounts, and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Step 2:
Meanwhile, add the olive oil, diced onion, and minced garlic to a large pan. Heat the pan over medium heat, cooking the onions and garlic until they are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 3:
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Step 4:
Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the package directions. When there is about 1 minute left, use a measuring cup to reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
Step 5:
Turn the heat off the sauce and add the basil and salt. Stir to combine.
Step 6:
Add the cooked pasta and toss until the pasta is well coated.
Step 7:
Add some of the pasta water, if needed. The sauce shouldn't be runny but it should have a nice "saucy" consistency.
Tips & Tricks
- Taste the tomatoes as they cook. If they taste too acidic, add a teaspoon or so of sugar to the sauce. This will help reduce the acidity without making the sauce sweet
Substitutions & Variations
- You can swap out the penne noodles with any pasta you like
- If you don't like basil, use parsley instead
- Serve it with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Storage & Reheating
Keep the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave, covered with a damp paper towel, in 30-second bursts until warmed through.
To reheat on the stove, place pasta and a tablespoon of water in a pot and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
More Recipes You'll Love!
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Spaghetti Alfredo with Crispy Prosciutto and Peas
Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta
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Penne Pomodoro
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup sweet onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 28 ounces crushed San Marzano-style tomatoes
- 8-10 basil leaves thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt plus more for the pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic to a large pan. Turn on the heat to medium. Sauté the onions and garlic until they are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir until well combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, boil the pasta according to the package directions. When there is about 1 minute of cook time remaining, scoop out ½ cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta.
- Turn the heat off the sauce and stir in the basil and salt.
- Add the pasta and toss to coat. If the sauce became too thick while simmering, add some of the reserved pasta water. (see note)
Notes
- The sauce should be "saucy" but not runny. Add a splash at a time until the sauce is a nice consistency.
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