Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce

This Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce is a perfect summer dinner. Pasta is tossed with tomatoes and loads of fresh basil. Topped with Parmigiano Reggiano.

Can anyone tell me something that shouts “summertime” louder and clearer than tomatoes and fresh basil? Tomatoes and basil are two ingredients that make a near perfect combination every time.

There’s the classic Caprese Salad with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. And Panzanella, the perfectly delectable use for day-old Italian bread, with tomatoes and basil. But today I’m bringing you my recipe for a simple, fragrant and nearly irresistible tomato basil sauce.

I make this recipe often during the summer months when the basil is growing faster than I can find uses for it. It’s quick, it’s easy, and your whole family will love it. Mine does.

Because this recipe uses so few ingredients, be sure to use the very best of each that you can afford. I like the Cento brand of San Marzano tomatoes and I always use real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for this. It makes all the difference in the final dish.

This Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce is a perfect summer dinner. Pasta is tossed with tomatoes and loads of fresh basil. Topped with Parmigiano Reggiano. Click To Tweet

How to Make Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce

Start boiling the water and cook your pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion. Cook until the onion is softened, approximately 4-5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with all their juice. Crush the tomatoes using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon.

Add the basil, a good pinch of salt, several grinds of black pepper and red pepper flakes. You can chop or chiffonade the basil if you like, but for this recipe, I like to just tear it into large pieces. Feel free to add even more fresh basil if you want to.

Cook for ten minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft.

Add the hot, cooked pasta to the pan and toss or stir to combine. If you feel that the tomato-basil sauce is a little too thick, add a spoonful or two of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce.

To serve, top with Parmigiano-Reggiano and a little more fresh basil. Makes four very generous servings.

Enjoy!

More Pasta Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:

• Summertime Pasta Salad
• Pasta d’Arrabiata
• One Pot Pasta Dinner
• Mediterranean Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta
• Creamy Ham and Red Bell Pepper Pasta
• Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (BLT) Pasta

Tomato Basil Sauce Recipes from Other Bloggers:

• Tomato and Basil Bake from Taste and Tell
• Cheesy Tomato Basil Stuffed Chicken from Half Baked Harvest
• Cherry Tomato Basil Salad from Love and Lemons
• Tomato Basil Mozzarella Toasts from Tastes Better From Scratch

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Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce is a perfect summer dinner. Pasta is tossed with tomatoes and loads of fresh basil. Topped with Parmigiano Reggiano.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. spaghetti or linguine
• 2 tblsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
• 10-12 large fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
• Large pinch of salt
• 4-5 grinds of black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the garlic and onion. Cook until onion is softened, approximately 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes with their juice. Crush the tomatoes using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon.
5. Add the basil, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for ten minutes or until the tomatoes are well softened.
6. Add the hot, cooked pasta to the pan and toss or stir to combine.
7. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano and a little more fresh basil.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 395 Total Fat: 12g Saturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 11mg Sodium: 276mg Carbohydrates: 60g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 8g Protein: 14g

Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritonix and may not always be perfectly accurate. Use your own judgment.

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