Pasta with Tomato Sauce
Pasta with tomato sauce is the easiest store-cupboard supper there is, as long as the sauce is given enough time. Two tins of tomatoes simmer for 15 minutes with softened onion and garlic until thick and sweet, then the cooked pasta is tossed through with a splash of its cooking water. Start the sauce first and boil the pasta while it bubbles, and everything is ready in about 35 minutes.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 465kcal
Common mistakes with pasta with tomato sauce
The two things that spoil a simple tomato sauce are rushing it and drowning it. Tinned tomatoes need 15 minutes to lose their raw, tinny taste and to thicken. Equally, the pasta should be tossed in the sauce rather than buried under it, with just enough of the salty cooking water to loosen everything into a glossy coating.
Sweating the onion slowly until it is soft provides the sweetness, so there is no need for much sugar.
Preparing pasta with tomato sauce
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Soften the onion Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for , stirring now and then, until soft and translucent but not browned.
- Add the garlic and tomatoes Stir in the garlic and cook for , then tip in the tomatoes, the ½ tsp salt and the pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Cook uncovered for , stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to leave a trail when you drag a spoon across the pan. Add the pinch of sugar if the tomatoes taste sharp.
- Cook the pasta While the sauce simmers, bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil. Add the 1 tbsp salt and the pasta, and cook for less than the packet says. Scoop out a mug of the cooking water before draining.
- Combine Tip the drained pasta into the sauce and stir over a low heat for , adding a splash of the cooking water to loosen the sauce until it clings to the pasta. Tear in the basil, taste, and serve with grated cheese if you like.
Variations and serving
For heat, the pasta arrabbiata adds chilli to a similar sauce. For something more filling, fry mince with the onion and follow the method for pasta with meat sauce.
Serve with a green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, and a bowl of grated cheese at the table. Leftover pasta can be reheated in a covered pan with a splash of water until steaming hot all the way through.
Common problems and fixes for pasta with Tomato Sauce
- The sauce is watery.
- It needs more time. Simmer it uncovered until it is thick, then finish with a splash of the starchy pasta water, which also helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
- The sauce tastes sharp or tinny.
- Cheaper tinned tomatoes can be acidic. Cook the sauce for the full 15 minutes and add a pinch of sugar, or a small knob of butter at the end.
- The garlic tastes bitter.
- It burned. Add it after the onion has softened and cook it for no more than a minute before the tomatoes go in.
- The pasta turns mushy once it is stirred into the sauce.
- Drain it 1 minute before the packet time. It carries on cooking in the hot sauce.
Frequently asked questions about pasta with Tomato Sauce
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of tinned?
Yes. Use about 800g ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped, and simmer them for 25 minutes. Tinned tomatoes usually give a sweeter, more reliable sauce out of season.
How do I make a smooth sauce?
Blend the finished sauce with a stick blender until smooth, then reheat it gently for 2 minutes before tossing it with the pasta.
Can I freeze the sauce?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Cool it quickly, freeze it in portions and defrost it in the fridge overnight before reheating until steaming hot all the way through.
What can I add to turn it into a bigger meal?
Stir in a tin of drained tuna or white beans, a handful of baby spinach, or fry 250g mince with the onion for a meaty version. Add chilli flakes with the garlic for heat.
How did you like the recipe?
4.7 / 5 · 18 ratings
