Spaghetti al Pomodoro is a traditional Italian recipe, perfect for when you fancy something easy to prepare and packed with flavour. The light pasta dish is prepared with a few simple ingredients, and the freshness of the Pomodoro – Tomato – sauce makes it a perfect treat for a warm summer evening.
Did you know?
This delicious Spaghetti Pomodoro recipe is adapted from “How to Eataly: A Guide to Cooking, Buying, and Eating Italian Food” by Oscar Farinetti.
1
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Crush the garlic cloves with the heel of your hand. Add the crushed cloves to the oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
2
Once the garlic is golden, add the red pepper flakes, if using, and then immediately add the Mutti® Whole Peeled Tomatoes, crushing them between your fingers and letting them fall into the saucepan. Add the tomato juices from the can as well. Season with salt to taste.
3
Simmer the tomato sauce over low heat until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the basil springs to the sauce and set aside.
4
Bring a large pot of the water to a boil for cooking the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt the water as salty as the sea, and add the spaghetti, and cook, stirring frequently with a long-handled fork, until al dente. Drain in a colander. If the tomato sauce has cooled completely, heat it gently.
5
Remove the basil springs from the tomato sauce and discard. Transfer the spaghetti from the colander to the pan. Toss over medium heat to combine with sauce. Add a drizzle of olive oil and serve spaghetti pomodoro immediately.
Spaghetti al Pomodoro is a tomato-based pasta dish originating from Italy. The Tomato sauce is a staple recipe in Italian cuisine, which is why many Italians refer to the sauce as ‘sugo’, which simply means ‘sauce’ in Italian. Although originally Italian, Spaghetti al Pomodoro has become one of the most universal dishes of all.
Given that pomodoro means ‘tomato’ in Italian, it goes without saying that the main ingredient of this exquisite dish is the tomato. Spaghetti al Pomodoro is intended to be a fresh and light dish, which is why it also goes under the name Spaghetti al Pomodoro Fresco – with ‘fresco’ meaning ‘fresh’ in English. The dish is typically prepared with pasta, olive oil, basil, and fresh tomatoes. However, being an Italian dish, Spaghetti al Pomodoro comes in many varieties, catering to every taste you can imagine. The Pomodoro sauce can be seasoned with garlic and chili, or with the traditional Italian soffrito base of onion, celery, and carrot to give it some extra sweetness. Basil can also be swapped with parsley, and cheese lovers can go ahead and sprinkle as much grated parmesan, grana padano, or pecorino to their liking.
As with many simple recipes, the ingredients are the star of the dish, and in the case of Spaghetti al Pomodoro, the star is definitely the tomato. Since the tomatoes are the secret to success with the Spaghetti al Pomodoro dish, it is fundamental to choose the right type of high-quality tomatoes. This is why you cannot go wrong by using our Mutti Whole Peeled Tomatoes (Pelati) product. The perfectly sun-ripened 100% Italian plum tomatoes used in the Pelati product give the Spaghetti al Pomodoro a sweet, rich flavor and bright red color.
