Penne Pomodoro

Light and bright Penne Pomodoro is a rustic and simple Italian pasta recipe, loaded with tomatoes, fresh basil and penne. Pasta pomodoro is ready in less than 30 minutes.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Pasta Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 246kcal

Author Darcey Olson

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1½ Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 28 oz Cans of Whole Peeled Tomatoes (*Note 1)
1 Tbsp Fresh Basil + More For Garnish, Chiffonade
¼ tsp Sea Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
16 oz Penne Pasta
Grated Parmesan Cheese, To Taste

Instructions

Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and sauté until fragrant (approx. 30 seconds).
2 Tbsp Olive Oil, 1½ Tbsp Minced Garlic
Add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break apart the whole tomatoes and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
2 28 oz Cans of Whole Peeled Tomatoes, 1 Tbsp Fresh Basil + More For Garnish, Chiffonade , 1/4 tsp Sea Salt, 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Optional Step: Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce if you prefer a smooth sauce with no tomato chunks.
While the pasta is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the penne. Cook the noodles according to the "al dente" directions on the back of the box. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
16 oz Penne Pasta
Add the cooked pasta to the pomodoro sauce and toss to evenly coat. Add the reserved pasta sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Taste and add extra salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve in individual bowls and top with fresh basil strips and shredded parmesan cheese.
Grated Parmesan Cheese, To Taste

Notes

Note 1 - It's ideal to use tomatoes packaged in a cardboard box. They are more expensive, but you won't suffer from that odd metallic taste some brands have. If you do use a brand with a metallic taste, just add a bit of granulated sugar to help remove the aftertaste.

Note 1 - We recommend whole San Marzano tomatoes, but diced or crushed tomatoes will work.

Note 1 - If using fresh tomatoes, use 3.5 lbs and follow the below directions to blanch and skin.

To blanch the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to make an "X" incision in the bottom of the tomatoes. Place them in a large pot of boiling water for 30 seconds before removing, peeling and coring. Now they're ready to go!

Nutritional information is just an estimate and does not include any parmesan cheese.

Nutrition