Easy Pasta Dish Pasta Al Pomodoro

In an effort to cook more but not spend hours in the kitchen, pasta dishes always seem like the best go-to. But how can you elevate the sauce jar dump to something truly savory? Pasta Al Pomodoro is an easy and light way to intensify your basic sauce. In just 30 minutes you can have a satisfying weeknight dinner. Game changer.

My friends at Italian Expo shared this recipe to show people how to cook the Italian way. The recipe has been tested and parts are edited for clarity, but the techniques are authentic. Mangia!

Pasta Al Pomodoro | makes 4 servings
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion
1/4 medium carrot
1/4 celery stick
1 can passata (tomato puree)
1 packet of spaghetti
fresh basil
freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese)
salt & pepper (to taste)

Warm the olive oil in a large sautè pan over medium-low heat. As the oil is warming, finely chop the onion, carrot, & celery. Transfer the veggies into the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure they don’t burn.

Cook until the onion, carrot, & celery are soft. Add the can of passata, salt, & pepper, cover, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

While the sauce is cooking, boil water in a large pot. Make sure there is enough water to fully cover the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add a dash of salt and your spaghetti. Cook 1 minute under the al dente box instructions.

Drain the pasta but save ~1/2 c of the pasta water. You can add this into the sauce if you find it too dry. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for another minute. Add Parmesan & basil to taste. Take a bite and realize your pasta game will never bee the same.