Pasta al Pomodoro (Weeknight)
A simple, fast tomato sauce with garlic and olive oil — pantry-only pomodoro for any night.
Ingredients
- 200 g Pasta
- 400 g Canned tomatoes
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Dried oregano (optional)
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil.
- Smash and slice the garlic.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium-low. Add garlic and oregano; cook gently until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes, crushing them with a spoon. Season with salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Simmer to thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Drop the pasta into the boiling water; cook one minute shy of al dente (firm to the bite) per the package.
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce, loosening with pasta water until glossy. Finish with black pepper and a glug of olive oil.
- Serve at once.
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About Pasta al Pomodoro (Weeknight)
Pasta al pomodoro is the platonic pantry pasta — nothing but tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and a little heat, which is exactly why it's a benchmark of Italian home cooking. This weeknight version leans into that minimalism, gently coaxing sliced garlic in oil before crushing canned tomatoes straight into the pan, so the whole thing comes together while the pasta boils. With so few ingredients, technique carries it: cooking the garlic slowly so it sweetens rather than burns, and letting the tomatoes simmer down until they lose their raw edge.
The taste is clean and direct — sweet-tart tomato, mellow garlic, and grassy olive oil, with red pepper flakes lending a gentle background warmth and oregano a herbal note. Tossing the drained pasta right in the sauce rather than plating them separately lets the noodles finish coating themselves, so every strand carries flavor. It eats light but satisfying, the sort of quiet, reliable dinner you can make from a stocked cupboard on any night. A final glug of raw olive oil at the end is what gives it that fresh, rounded finish.
Pasta al Pomodoro (Weeknight): frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Pasta al Pomodoro (Weeknight)?
A serving has about 648 calories — 16.6g protein, 93.1g carbs, 23.4g fat, 8.8g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Pasta al Pomodoro (Weeknight) gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Pasta. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Pasta al Pomodoro (Weeknight)?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out dried oregano, red pepper flakes — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Pasta al Pomodoro (Weeknight) make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.