This creamy tomato pasta brings fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes to life in a simple sauce you can make while your angel hair pasta cooks. The blend of crushed garlic and a touch of tomato paste creates a light tomato pasta sauce that’s both flavorful and quick, making it a perfect easy pasta dinner for any night of the week.
Tomato and Garlic Pasta
Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes10
minutes25
minutes450
kcal25
minutesA simple yet delicious pasta dish featuring fresh tomatoes and garlic, perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
2 pounds tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Place the tomatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring it just to a boil, then pour off the water and cover the tomatoes with cold water again. Once cooled, peel the skin off and cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the angel hair pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet still firm to the bite—about 4 to 5 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat some olive oil in a large skillet, making sure it covers the bottom of the pan. Sauté the crushed garlic until it turns opaque but not browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and immediately add the freshly cut tomatoes, along with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer until your pasta is ready, then toss in the fresh chopped basil just before finishing.
- Once the pasta is done, drain it without rinsing. Toss it with a bit of olive oil, then mix it into the tomato sauce in the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to low and keep it warm, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until you’re ready to serve.
- Garnish generously with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
What You’ll Need
Gather these fresh ingredients and tools to create your delicious Tomato and Garlic Pasta:
- 2 pounds fresh tomatoes
- 8 ounce package angel hair pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or as needed)
- 4 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Large pot for boiling
- Large skillet for sautéing
- Colander for draining pasta
Detailed Cooking Instructions
- Place the tomatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then pour off the water and cover the tomatoes with cold water again.
- Once cooled, peel the skin off the tomatoes and cut them into small pieces.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Add the angel hair pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until tender yet firm to the bite.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom.
- Sauté the crushed garlic in the skillet until it turns opaque but not browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then add the freshly cut tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
- Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer until the pasta is ready.
- Just before serving, stir in the fresh chopped basil.
- Draining the pasta without rinsing it, toss it with a bit of olive oil.
- Mix the pasta into the tomato sauce in the skillet, reducing the heat to low.
- Keep the combined dish warm, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until ready to serve.
- Garnish generously with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- For a deeper flavor, use heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes in your sauce.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta cooking water to reach your desired consistency.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat on the stove over low heat, adding a little olive oil or water to refresh the sauce.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes during sautéing for a touch of heat.
- Use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta for a healthier option that suits your dietary needs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Tomato pasta is often called pasta al pomodoro, which means pasta with tomato sauce in Italian.
Cook your favorite pasta, then toss it with a sauce made from sautéed garlic, canned or fresh tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
You can add fresh basil, grated cheese like Parmesan, chili flakes for heat, or vegetables such as mushrooms and spinach to enrich the flavors.
Tomato pasta is great for a quick, healthy meal that’s rich in vitamins and antioxidants from tomatoes. It also works well for lunch or dinner and pairs nicely with many side dishes.
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