Last week my mom called to let me know she had 37 ripe tomatoes on her counter (because of course) and that I’d better get over quick if I wanted in on the booty. I headed straight to her house, salted then inhaled two purple heirlooms on the spot, then picked out the largest, heaviest, most ruby-red tomatoes from the remaining lot to make the mother of all summertime recipes – Spaghetti al Pomodoro!
This simple, fresh, and light pasta recipe is like summer on a plate – it doesn’t get more perfectly delicious than this!
Pasta Pomodoro Sauce
Pasta pomodoro is a tomato-based pasta sauce (pomodoro means “tomato” in Italian) that’s made from fresh tomatoes, olive oil, salt, fresh garlic, and fresh basil. Are you sensing a theme here? Fresh, fresh, fresh! Like I said – pasta pomodoro celebrates all things summer.
And butter. Oh yes, my personal twist on this classic sauce is a couple pats of butter stirred in at the end. Makes ALL the difference!
Spaghetti al Pomodoro, or spaghetti pomodoro, is simply pomodoro sauce swirled with spaghetti. In my case gluten free spaghetti. I prefer a corn and rice-based gluten free spaghetti like Barilla. This dish is also commonly made with angel hair or linguini pasta. Whatever you’ve got in the pantry is going to to taste heavenly when coated in this light and luscious tomato sauce.
Now, speaking of my Mom – she and my Dad make this dish constantly during the summer. They snap a photo and send it to me every single time it’s what’s for dinner. I’ll let you guess how many I get each season! 😉
Spaghetti al Pomodoro is the perfect example of simple is best. Combine a few fresh, everyday ingredients together to make this swirly, irresistable dinner tonight!
Step 1: Prep the Tomatoes
Start the spaghetti pomodoro by roughly chopping ripe tomatoes – no need to peel.
Tomato Storage Tip: store tomatoes on the counter, stem side down to keep them fresher longer.
You also don’t need to seed the tomatoes – add them seeds, juices, and all to a large bowl then set aside.
Step 2: Saute the Sauce
Next, saute minced shallot and fresh garlic in extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for two minutes then add the tomatoes plus chopped fresh basil and a pinch of sugar. The sugar doesn’t make the sauce taste sweet, rather, it helps balance out the acidity from the tomatoes.
Step 3: Simmer the Sauce
Simmer the sauce over low heat until the mixture reaches your desired consistency – 20 minutes to an hour 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. Finish the sauce by adding pepper, lots of salt, butter, and more fresh basil.
Step 4: Boil the Spaghetti
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil then generously salt and add dry spaghetti (gluten free if you need it). Cook until al dente then drain and return to the pot.
Last step is to combine the pomodoro sauce with the cooked spaghetti then serve. I hope you love this light and luscious fresh spaghetti pomodoro – enjoy!
Similar Recipes
- Shortcut Vegetable Ragu
- Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
- Mediterranean Chicken Pasta
- Tomato-Basil Stovetop Mac and Cheese
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Spaghetti al Pomodoro
Description
Spaghetti al Pomodoro is the perfect recipe to highlight juicy, ripe summer tomatoes. This simple, summer 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.
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!
Sounds absolutely divine, CP!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
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!!
Fabulous recipe – just added some red pepper flakes for a little kick.
The most delicious tomato sauce I’ve ever had!
[…] 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 […]
[…] 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 […]
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!
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