Spaghetti al Pomodoro (Restaurant-Style, 30 Minutes)
Light, bright, and pantry-friendly, this classic tomato-basil pasta is a weeknight staple across Canada and the USA. The key upgrades here are small but powerful: a quick garlic-oil infusion, a spoon of tomato paste for umami, a splash of white wine for balance, and a proper pasta-water emulsion so the sauce coats every strand.
Ingrédients
- 400 g 14 oz Spaghetti
- 60 –75 ml ¼–⅓ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large cloves Garlic thinly sliced
- 15 g 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 700 g about 1½ lb Cherry tomatoes, ripe, halved
- or 800 g / 28 oz canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 45 –60 ml 3–4 tbsp Dry white wine (or water)
- 1 –1¼ tsp Fine sea salt to taste (plus for pasta water)
- ½ –1 tsp Sugar optional, if tomatoes are very acidic
- 20 –25 g 1 packed cup Fresh basil, half for simmering, half fresh at the end
- 70 –80 g ¾–1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- A pinch Crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 150 –250 ml ⅔–1 cup Pasta water, reserved
- 5 L 5 qt + 45–50 g (3 tbsp) For the pasta water: boiling water + kosher salt
Instructions
- Warm oil on medium; gently cook garlic 1–2 min (no color). Stir in tomato paste 1 min.
- Deglaze with wine 30 sec. Add tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, and half the basil. Simmer 15–20 min until jammy; add a pinch of sugar only if needed. (Optional: blend, then simmer 5–8 min more.)
- Boil spaghetti in salted water until 1 min shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup water; drain.
- Toss pasta with sauce over low heat, adding ~½ cup pasta water until glossy and clinging.
- Off heat, add remaining basil and most cheese; toss. Serve with the rest of the cheese and a drizzle of oil.
Vidéo
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
- Tomatoes: Use 28 oz (800 g) whole peeled San Marzano when cherry tomatoes are out of season. Add a pinch of sugar only if needed.
- Wine-free: Swap wine for water + 1 extra tsp lemon juice or a few drops of red wine vinegar at the end.
- Cheese: Pecorino = sharper/saltier; Parmesan = rounder.
- Butter finish: Whisk in 15–20 g (1–1½ tbsp) cold butter off the heat for extra sheen (optional).
- Spicy Arrabbiata vibe: Add ½–1 tsp red pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Creamy (not traditional): Stir in 60 ml / ¼ cup heavy cream after emulsifying.
- Burrata on top: Tear over each bowl for a Toronto-to-Seattle trattoria feel.
Pro Tips for Perfect Pomodoro
- Don’t brown the garlic. Golden = bitter. Keep it pale and fragrant.
- Cook the paste. A minute in oil unlocks deep tomato flavor.
- Reduce properly. If the sauce looks watery, keep it simmering until glossy.
- Emulsify. Pasta water’s starch is the secret to cling. Add it gradually.
- Finish off heat. Cheese melts into the sauce instead of clumping.