Pasta Pomodoro is the perfect recipe to highlight juicy, ripe summer tomatoes. This simple pasta dish is fresh and light!
My Mom planted tomatoes each summer for as long as I can remember and so we grew up snacking on fat slices of tomatoes salted to within an inch of their lives, usually paired with a giant glass of Koolaid, nearly every day in the summer as a kid. Because nothing says summertime like a Purplesaurus Rex and tomato stained face, am I right?
Anyway, last week my mom called to let me know she’d raided her friend’s tomato garden and had 37 tomatoes to use or lose and I better get over quick if I wanted in on the booty. I headed straight over, sliced then salted two purple heirlooms to inhale on the spot, then picked out the biggest, heaviest, most ruby-red tomatoes from the lot to make the mother of all summer recipes – Pasta Pomodoro!
What is Pasta Pomodoro?
Pasta Pomodoro is a quick and light pasta dish that celebrates the best summer produce. My version features freshly picked tomatoes that are roughly chopped then simmered with fragrant basil leaves, shallots, and garlic then finished off with a pat of salted butter before being tossed with cooked spaghetti. This meal is summer in pasta form and is SUCH a treat! I could go on and on but feel a plate of swirly saucy carbs pretty much speaks for itself. ;)
How to Make This Recipe:
Start by roughly chopping 4 large, very ripe tomatoes. These babies were picked just a few days ago and were incredibly juicy. Tip: store tomatoes on the counter, stem side down to keep them fresher longer.
You don’t have to be too precise when it comes to chopping the tomatoes – a rough chop should do it. Add the tomatoes plus any seeds and juices to a bowl then set aside.
Next saute 1 large minced shallot plus 4 minced garlic cloves in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil for two minutes, then add the tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil, and a pinch of sugar. The sugar doesn’t make the sauce taste sweet at all – it will just help to balance all the flavors.
Simmer until the mixture reaches spaghetti sauce consistency – 20ish minutes or so depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, smashing the tomatoes against the side of the pan with a spoon or spatula every so often – then finish with pepper and TONS of salt, plus 2 Tablespoons butter (can use vegan butter.) Like I said, I LOVE salt and fresh tomatoes so I added quite a bit!
Stir in another 2 Tablespoons chopped basil to give the sauce a burst of freshness then toss with cooked spaghetti and serve!
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Description
Pasta Pomodoro is the perfect recipe to highlight juicy, ripe summer tomatoes. This simple pasta dish is fresh and light!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 large, very ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil, chopped and divided
- pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2lb gluten-free spaghetti
Directions
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic then saute for two minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, half the basil, and the sugar then turn heat up slightly to bring to a boil. Turn heat back down to medium then simmer until desired consistency is reached, 20-30 minutes depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, smashing tomatoes against the side of the pan with a spatula every so often.
- Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil then add a generous amount of salt. Add pasta then cook until al dente. Drain then return pasta to the pot to keep warm.
- Season sauce with pepper and lots of salt then stir in butter and remaining basil. Taste then add more salt or pepper if necessary and then mix with cooked spaghetti and serve.
Notes
Adapted from Food Network
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Spaghetti sauces are really hard to master, in my experience, but there is nothing wrong and everything right with this light mix of saucy summer ingredients. Enjoy, enjoy!
This looks so fabulous! Definitely perfect for tomato season :)
Yay for tomatoes, boo to the birds destroying my plants!
I am wondering if this sauce would be okay to freeze?
Love your recipes, thanks for this one!
I think it would freeze beautifully!
Yum, this looks so good I want to dive right in! :-D
Can you tell me what is the calligraphic font you used on the photo? It looks lovely :-) Thank you!
You bet – it’s called Dawning of a New Day :)
Looks delicious!
Is all gluten-free pasta the same or do you find some brands are better than others?
I stick with Barilla and Delallo brand gluten-free pasta. I can’t tell *any* difference between them and the regular version!
Thanks! I’m just switching to gluten-free so was unsure.
Looks delicious, but I have to know what is in the corner?! It looks like zucchini fritters or something?! Whatever they are, they look amazing!
Nailed it! They’re zucchini and sweet corn fritters. I’ve been trying to get the recipe just right before sharing. Almost there!
This looks fantastic! FYI, you may want to change the typo in the recipe, it currently says “saucy cummer ingredients”! ?
Oh lord!! Thanks for the heads up!
Glad you guys are working your way through such a tomato bounty – between you and your mom, I’m sure not a one will go to waste!
Made this tonight….awesome!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Looks divine! Just wondering, you used Earth Balance Vegan Butter so Lincoln could have some? Is Lincoln vegan? or does he have an intolerance also?
He’s allergic to dairy. :/
Oh no! I must have missed that while reading your posts. I truly bow down to you now having to make gluten and dairy free meals that everyone will eat. You are a super mom!!
Perfect timing for this recipe! My tomato plant is going crazy! My basil is pretty gigantic too.
OMG! This looks fabulous. I love pasta and will definitely be trying this recipe out soon.
I too have tomatoes coming out my ears…..do you think this recipe could be frozen for the winter (minus the noodles)?? Trying to figure out how to use all the garden bounty!!
Oops, just read thru the comments and you already answered the freezing question….thanks!
When I saw this recipe, I new I had to make it ASAP. So, I made it tonight for dinner. We both loved it, so much! Kristin thank you, for this amazing recipe. I used heirloom tomatoes and it could not have been better. I’m going to make this again and freeze a big batch for winter.
So glad to hear, Amy, thanks for the great feedback!
My tomatoes are just about ready and I will be turning them into this asap!! I love promodoro and your recipe sounds perfectly simple. Excited! Pinned!
This was so wonderful. Grabbed some heirloom tomatoes, basil, and shallots from the downtown farmers market and proceeded to make some bliss.
Thanks!
Fresh and local – doesn’t get much better! So glad you liked the dish, Shane!
Made this the other night from some beautiful farm-fresh tomatoes I snagged while I was in Tennessee. It’s a great sauce and only gets better with some time! Thanks for the recipe!
I agree! I had another plate of it a couple days after making my last batch and it was even better than fresh. So glad you liked it!
Wow I love it am going to buy some Tomato’s and try it.
Cheers and Thanks.
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Hello, it’s winter and tomatoes are not local…Would jarred diced tomatoes work? What size? Thanks a lot!
Just came here wondering the same thing. No tomatoes in Michigan in February :(
I might use a can of high quality canned whole tomatoes – San Marzano if you can find it!
[…] spin on gluten free pasta comes from Iowa Girl Eats and it presents you with a fantastic recipe for the classic Pomodoro pasta that will instantly take […]
[…] spin on gluten free pasta comes from Iowa Girl Eats and it presents you with a fantastic recipe for the classic Pomodoro pasta that will instantly […]
The most delicious tomato sauce I’ve ever had!
Fabulous recipe – just added some red pepper flakes for a little kick.
My family has been making this recipe, ever since you posted it, every single Tuesday night. It is the most delicious pasta we’ve ever had. So fresh and light, but scrumptious at the same time. Some weeks we add shrimp or scallops to it, others we don’t. We look forward to it every week. My little one adores it. I’m glad she thinks this is what “pasta” is supposed to taste like. Thank you for posting such a fabulous recipe.
Oh my gosh, this totally warms my heart!! Love the shrimp and scallop addition, too. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I was looking for a simple weeknight dinner for my family. I like to make vegetarian dishes that everyone in my family will enjoy, and GF as much as possible. I made your recipe tonight with brown rice pasta and it was delicious! Next time I will double the sauce as we all loved it and wanted more! I served the pasta with a simple arugula salad drizzled with balsamic glaze, toasted almonds, and fresh shaved parmesan. Your recipe is a keeper!