Classic Pasta with Tomato Sauce (Printable)
Tender pasta in a rich tomato sauce with aromatic herbs, ready in 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried spaghetti, penne, or preferred pasta shape
→ Tomato Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 tsp sugar
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp dried basil
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - 1 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
11 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
# How-To:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander, reserving ½ cup of the starchy pasta water; set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
03 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes, sugar, dried oregano, and dried basil. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then let the sauce simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and the flavors meld together.
04 - Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Toss well to coat every strand or piece evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
05 - Divide the pasta among warm serving bowls. Finish with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and scatter fresh basil leaves over the top. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta, so you are never waiting around.
- It uses pantry staples you probably already have, which means no emergency grocery runs on a tired weeknight.
02 -
- Reserving pasta water is not optional because that starchy liquid is the difference between a glossy sauce and a broken one clinging desperately to dry noodles.
- Adding garlic to oil that is too hot is the fastest way to make the whole dish bitter, so always start garlic in warm, not screaming hot, oil.
03 -
- Finish the pasta in the sauce for that final minute rather than just ladling sauce on top, because the noodles absorb flavor directly when they cook together.
- A glass of the wine you plan to drink with dinner added to the sauce after the garlic softens gives it a depth that no one can quite identify but everyone notices.