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Vegetarian/Nut-Free
Skill Level: Beginner
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Equipment Needed:
Dutch oven or large pot
Wooden spoon or silicone/rubber spatula
The Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 cup basil, torn or cut into chiffonade (more or less to taste)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound cooked pasta
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
2-4 ounces burrata cheese or cheese of your choice (optional)
Procedure:
Give your can of tomatoes a quick blend, either in a blender or food processor, to break them down. They do not need to be perfectly smooth (you could also crush them by hand if you would like).
Heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers.
Add chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until softened. This should take 3-4 minutes.
Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Add blended tomatoes and season with several large pinches of Kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Reduce heat to a simmer, and allow to cook for 15 additional minutes.
While your sauce is simmering, cook your pasta according to package directions. Return cooked pasta to it's pot after draining, and add the spinach to the pot with the cooked pasta. Give it a little stir, then place a lid on the pan so the spinach can begin to wilt while you finish your sauce.
Once your sauce has simmered at least 15 minutes, stir in basil and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Taste, and adjust seasoning to your preference.
Add cooked pasta and wilted spinach to the pan with the sauce; mix thoroughly to coat.
Transfer pasta to a serving dish and top with cheese of your choice (if using). Optional: If you would like your cheese to be melted or browned, slide your pasta onto an oven rack that is placed about 6 inches under the broiler in your oven, and broil on high for 1-2 minutes (watch closely-the broiler works fast and takes no prisoners).
Top with additional basil, if desired.
To Serve: I love serving pasta with a simple salad of romaine lettuce, sliced carrots, and diced cucumber or red bell pepper if I have it. I also love serving Pasta Pomodoro with breadsticks or garlic toast to help scoop up extra sauce. Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper if you like it spicy!
Adjusting for your diet: This recipe is easily made vegan by omitting the cheese, or using your favorite dairy-free cheese. Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free as well!
Tips:
I prefer to buy whole peeled tomatoes because they are versatile to have on hand; however if you have crushed tomatoes in your cupboard you most certainly could use them in this recipe. I also recently learned that the term "crushed tomatoes" has no regulations attached to it (meaning, anyone can label a can crushed tomatoes; there is no "level" of crushed they must achieve), so depending what brand of crushed tomatoes you buy you might be getting something very different than you'd pictured in your head. Crushing your own tomatoes gives you the freedom to control your level of chunkiness.
Depending on what you have/what is available, you could make a substitution for the fresh basil, although fresh basil is absolutely the best choice for Pasta Pomodoro. That said, I have substituted a tablespoon or two of minced fresh oregano, or even a teaspoon or two of dried Italian seasoning, dried basil, or dried oregano.
I added spinach to this dish as an easy and tasty way to sneak a powerhouse veggie into one of my kids' favorite dishes, but you could easily omit it or sub in another green such as arugula or kale.
Any shape of pasta could be used in this dish; I usually default to penne because it's easy for my kids to eat and we buy it in bulk at Costco.
I love dotting this pasta with creamy, silky burrata cheese; my kids call this the "special cheese" because I can't always find it in stores so it's considered a treat in our house when I do. However, as mentioned in the recipe, you could easily sub in another type of cheese such as sliced fresh mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, freshly grated Parmigiano, or leave the cheese out all together.
You have so many options to play and change this recipe based on what you have in your fridge! Add some shredded leftover chicken for a bit of additional protein, or a swirl of pesto on top for more color and interest!
Tips on cooking pasta: At this point in my life, I consider myself a pasta-cooking expert, but I'll never forget the first time I cooked pasta on my own and produced a flavorless pile of mushy, overcooked pasta. Here are a few simple tips to remember to produce beautiful, flavorful noodles every time:
Start with a stock pot or other large pan. Pasta noodles will double in size as they cook; they need room to grow.
Fill your pan a little over half full with water, and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat (I tell my foods students that we are looking for large, angry bubbles).
Salt your pasta water. This is an important step, and not one to be skipped. I read once in one of my favorite cooking resources (Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat) that until you learn how much salt to add, you should taste your cooking water after you salt it but before you add your pasta. The water should taste like the ocean, and if it doesn't, keep adding salt until it tastes like the sea. Eventually you will get a feel for how much salt to add and you will be able to skip this step.
Add your pasta and give it a stir, then reduce the heat to medium-high (it should still be bubbling but not quite as mad). From here, you should only need to stir a few times throughout cooking to avoid sticking; no need to stir constantly.
I usually check the package of the pasta I'm cooking for the recommended cooking time (different shapes and sizes of pasta will need to cook for different amounts of time). You want to cook your pasta al dente, which in Italian literally means "to the tooth." This means when you bite into your pasta, it should have a firm texture. Some may choose to cook a minute less than the recommended time to ensure that al dente texture is achieved.
Before you drain your pasta, do yourself a favor and save a little "pasta water." This is the water that the pasta has been cooked in, and it's cloudy appearance is due to the salt and starches released by the pasta during cooking. Remove the pan from the heat, and use a ladle to reserve about 1/2 cup of the water in a liquid measuring cup before draining. Pasta water can be a real life saver if your sauce ends up looking a little off; add pasta water to a sauce that seems too thick and it will help thin and smooth it out. Add it to a sauce that appears too thin and it will give it body. Magic!
The Story:
I am a big fan of carbs. Bread, pasta, rice...I love it all. I fully understand why people go on low-carb diets or try to limit them, but I don't think I could do without them. It would leave a giant, pizza-shaped hole in my heart if I had to give them up. So, I try to stay mindful and be as healthy as possible with (most of) my pasta dishes.
Pasta Pomodoro is one of those lovely, classic Italian dishes every home cook should have in their arsenal; not only is it as beautiful as it is delicious, but it's so easy and might very well include ingredients you have in your pantry right now. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato, and while I'm sure the OG Pomodoro sauce always used fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes are one of the only canned fruits or vegetables that really stands up next to it's fresh counterpart.
You will find a million variations of Pasta Pomodoro recipes online, but as far as I can see they pretty much always include tomatoes (fresh or canned), garlic, olive oil, salt, and basil. I love the additions I have made in my version; eating spinach has so many amazing health benefits such as boosting hydration, strengthening the immune system, keeping your eyes healthy, supporting your cardiovascular health, and reducing inflammation in your body. Spinach is also a great vegetarian source of iron. I also like that the spinach gives this dish a little color diversity in the winter months when fresh basil might be a bit scarce (and expensive), so you may need to cut back on that ingredient.
A little tang and acidity from the tomatoes, sweetness from the basil, a little salt from the sauce and cheese, richness from the olive oil, and some texture and savory umami from the spinach make this pasta dish something to high-five about. And a meal that is TRULY on the table in 30 minutes or less?? Sign me up!
Happy tasting!
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