Name: Spaghetti al pomodoro
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 portions
Ingredients: 200 g dry spaghetti; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed; 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 6 fresh basil leaves, torn; 1/4 tsp fine salt, plus salt for the pasta water; Black pepper, to taste; 1/2 cup reserved pasta water; use as needed

Spaghetti al pomodoro

Spaghetti al pomodoro makes two portions with a tomato-and-garlic sauce, torn basil and reserved pasta water for the finish.

Published October 9, 2026 · Updated October 17, 2026

2 portions · Estimated 30 minutes

Painted illustration of spaghetti with tomato sauce and basil in a cream bowl on a terracotta kitchen counter.

Ingredients & method

Before you start: Put the pasta water on to heat while you begin the sauce. Cook the spaghetti while the sauce simmers; the 30-minute estimate includes these overlapping steps.

Equipment: Large pot, skillet, colander and tongs.

Need another measuring unit? Convert cups, tablespoons and teaspoons. Keep the ingredient’s preparation and the recipe’s stated amounts.

Check off ingredients and steps as you cook. Reset clears the check marks; quantities and instructions stay the same.

Ingredients

200 g dry spaghetti
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
400 g canned crushed tomatoes
6 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 tsp fine salt, plus salt for the pasta water
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup reserved pasta water; use as needed

Method

Keep the garlic pale and the sauce at a gentle simmer. Add pasta water a little at a time so the finished sauce clings to the spaghetti.

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the lightly crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute without burning. Add the crushed tomatoes and 1/4 tsp salt. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to the package instructions, until just tender. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Remove the garlic if preferred. Add the drained spaghetti and torn basil to the sauce. Toss over low heat for 1 minute, adding the reserved pasta water 1 tbsp at a time as needed. Stop when the sauce coats the strands without pooling on the plate. Finish with black pepper, taste for salt and serve.

Recipe note: For four portions, double the ingredients and use a larger skillet. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water, then add only as much as the sauce needs.

Set up the sauce and pasta together

Put the pasta pot on first, then begin the sauce in a skillet wide enough to toss the spaghetti. Lightly crushing the garlic releases its flavor while leaving pieces you can remove later. Keep the oil over medium-low heat: if the garlic begins to darken quickly, lower the heat before adding the tomatoes. Burnt garlic gives the whole small pan of sauce a bitter edge.

Stir the tomatoes around the bottom of the skillet during the gentle simmer. The aim is a slightly thicker sauce, not a dry paste. Keep the pasta package nearby because strand thickness changes the boiling time. The recipe’s 30-minute estimate assumes the pasta cooks while the sauce simmers.

Use pasta water as an adjustment

Before draining, scoop out the measured 1/2 cup cooking water with a heat-safe cup or ladle. Add it to the sauce one tablespoon at a time while tossing. The right stopping point is a coating on the strands with no watery puddle beneath them. You may use only part of the reserved water; adding it all automatically can undo the thickening from the simmer.

If the sauce is still watery, toss briefly over low heat before adding more water. If the strands stick together and the sauce looks tight, add another spoonful. Taste only once the spaghetti and sauce are combined, since salted pasta water changes the seasoning.

Cook two portions or a larger pan

For four portions, use the doubled quantities described in the recipe note and a larger skillet. Cook the pasta to its package guidance rather than doubling the boiling time. Tear the basil near the end so it is distributed through the finished sauce. Serve from warm bowls promptly; a simple tomato sauce thickens as the pasta sits.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow covered container. Reheat until hot throughout, loosening the sauce with a small splash of water as needed. The fresh bowl has the best strand texture, so make the amount you expect to serve when possible.

Serving reference

FDA guidance on chilling and serving food explains the handling principles behind the leftover notes.

Spaghetti al pomodoro

Ingredients & method

Set up the sauce and pasta together

Use pasta water as an adjustment

Cook two portions or a larger pan

Serving reference

Another recipe for your table

Cauliflower-miso soup with bean toast and seeds

Butternut squash soup with a substantial white-bean toast pairing

Carrot-ginger soup with orange and chickpea toast