This spaghetti al pomodoro e basilico is the pasta I make more than any other, just six ingredients, under 30 minutes, and it tastes exactly like the version my Italian mother-in-law makes every summer in Calabria.
If you love simple Italian pasta, you will also want to try my Rigatoni alla Bolognese, Caramelized Shallot Pasta, and Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese.
This article contains affiliate links which support us at no extra cost to you.
Jump To
I learned this from my Italian mother-in-law, who taught me that the right tomatoes make or break this dish.
She would pick through every plum tomato at the market until she found exactly what she wanted, squeezing each one gently to test it. Fresh plum tomatoes, a generous pour of olive oil, onion, and basil torn in right at the end. That is the whole recipe, and it is perfect every single time.
Buying tomatoes with an Italian Nonna
One of the important things they taught me that month was how to can tomatoes. We went to my little vegetable market (it's Latino, of course), and bought about 20 lbs of plum tomatoes.
My mother-in-law was glancing furtively at the Latina girls while fondling the tomatoes and mumbling in Calabrese to me, "These tomatoes are awful. They have no color. They aren't like our tomatoes."
For obvious reasons, I was feeling uncomfortable. I knew the girls couldn't understand her, but it was the way she was handling the tomatoes. They knew their tomatoes weren't good enough for this foreigner speaking in a funny language.
I offered her to go to another market, but she didn't want to waste time. We had canning to do. We canned tomatoes for one whole afternoon. Even though the tomatoes were of questionable quality, those canned tomatoes we made rocked!
My canned tomatoes from last May are long gone. Every once and a while I think of making them again. It just won't be the same without the nonnas. I still frequent my Latino market and stock up on tomatoes once a week.
Last night I made a quick Spaghetti al Pomodoro e Basilico. It is easier to make than you might think. If there is one Italian dish you could learn to make, this should be it.
What ingredients are needed to make this fresh tomato sauce?
- Spaghetti - Barilla or De Cecco are my go-to brands; use whatever quality dried pasta you like
- Fresh plum tomatoes - Roma or San Marzano tomatoes are ideal; less watery than beefsteak and naturally sweeter for a quick sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil - use a good one; olive oil is the backbone of this sauce
- Onion
- Fresh basil - tear it in at the very end, off the heat; heat kills the flavor and turns it black
- Salt
- Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (to serve) - optional but highly recommended
Recipe Tips
- Salt the pasta water properly. Under-salted water is the most common reason pasta tastes flat. It should taste like mild seawater before the pasta goes in.
- Do not overcook the tomatoes. Five minutes is enough for a quick sauce with fresh tomatoes. Overcooking turns a bright, fresh pomodoro into a heavy sauce and kills the summery flavor.
- Add basil off the heat. Basil loses its fragrance and turns dark almost instantly when cooked. Tear it in right after you remove the pan from the burner.
- Save pasta water. The starchy cooking water is what emulsifies the olive oil and sauce and helps everything coat the pasta evenly. Even one or two tablespoons makes a difference.
- Use the best olive oil you have. With only six ingredients, everything shows. A grassy, peppery extra virgin olive oil drizzled over at the end elevates the whole dish.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.
More Recipes Like This
- Rigatoni alla Bolognese
- Caramelized Shallot Pasta
- Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese
- Vegan Mushroom Coconut Pasta
- Pumpkin and Turkey Pasta
If you try this recipe, leave a rating and let me know what tomatoes you used. I love hearing from you!
Spaghetti al Pomodoro e Basilico
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti I use Barilla or De Cecco
- 10 to 12 fresh plum tomatoes approximately 2 to 2 ½ pounds
- 4 ounces extra-virgin olive oil plus additional extra-virgin olive oil, optional
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- salt
- freshly chopped basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring pot of water to a boil. After the water has come to a boil, add salt to the water (about a teaspoon of salt per quart of water). Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. There is nothing worse than mushy pasta. While pasta is boiling, cook your sauce.
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a saucepan. Saute' chopped onion until translucent (about 3 minutes).
- Add chopped plum tomatoes and cook approximately 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add chopped basil and stir to combine. If sauce seems to thick, add a little bit of water. and extra virgin olive oil if desired.
- Drain the pasta and add to the fresh tomato sauce. Combine the pasta with the sauce for a minute. You could save some of the pasta water and add to the tomato sauce if it is a little dry.
- Serve: Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle on some parmesan (we use Parmegiano Reggiano D.O.P.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Use the ripest plum tomatoes available - San Marzano or Roma varieties give the best results for a quick sauce.
- Do not add basil while the sauce is still on the heat; it turns black and loses its flavor instantly.
- The olive oil is part of the sauce, not just for cooking. Do not reduce it.
- Store: Airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water.
Used up some garden tomatoes for this one. So simple and the basil makes all the difference. My kids went back for seconds. Will be making this all summer.
This spaghetti turned out so simple and delicious! The fresh tomato and basil flavors really shine, and the sauce coats the pasta perfectly. Such a comforting meal and so easy to enjoy!
This is so much tastier than anything you'll get out of a jar and super easy too. A keeper!
This fresh tomato pasta is so good, perfect balance of taste. Made my dinner easy.
This Spaghetti al Pomodoro came together so easily and tasted amazing. The fresh basil and tomato sauce made every bite bright and delicious!
Do you peel your tomatoes before making this dish? This is one I grew up with and, since I have fresh tomatoes right now, I might just make this tonight! 🙂
Oh...this is making me want to go out and hug my tomato plants! 🙂
Too bad the tomatoes themselves are still all green right now. Won't be long and I can use them for this recipe. In the meantime, I'll have to do with my regular grocery store tomatoes. However, we have quite a bit of good looking basil out there right now.
We do cook gluten free in my house, and I'm a carboholic, but we have some pretty good pasta. I can indulge pretty well with a recipe like this! Love the story and picture. I'll need to get my butt out to the garden, today. 🙂
Erika K
Cuisinart 14 cup food processor
Love the story! You've given me an idea for the last of this year's tomato crop. YUM!
Awwww, the italian grandmothers, I sure miss mine. She was also fearless, and cooked like an angel. All the time I see a truly italian cooking I feel like packing my luggages and moving, to be surrounded by the olive trees and the beautiful veggies. And I'm definitely not afraid of carbs, as a matter of fact carbs are my natural prozac. LOL, Beautiful pasta.
Hi Kath-Thank you for your compliments. :)I like your idea about roasting the canned tomatoes.
What a beautiful post about your Nonna! And a beautiful photo of your spaghetti al pomodoro. We love simple pasta dishes. When the fresh tomatoes are bad, I like to slow roast good quality canned tomatoes in olive oil to use with pasta.
Thank you Kristy:)
My family ate lots of tomatoes especially my kids. We used them mostly in spaghetti and sweet & sour dish! Love it so much. Your spaghetti looks fantastic. Hope you're enjoying your weekend.
Cheers, kristy