Pasta Pomodoro transforms a handful of simple ingredients into an incredible Italian pasta dish in just 30 minutes, showcasing the beauty of fresh flavors and straightforward preparation. This classic dish stands alongside favorites like Pasta Carbonara and Bucatini all’Amatriciana, proving that sometimes the simplest recipes yield the most delicious results.
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🍅 The Ingredients
The simple ingredients come together harmoniously to create an unforgettable dish that captures the essence of Italian cuisine with its fresh flavors and comforting appeal. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🌿 Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta – We love going with spaghetti for this dish. Dried is great, but to put it over the top, homemade fresh pasta is incredible. Linguine, fettuccine, or angel hair are all great options, too.
- Wine – We recommend a decent white wine, such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. We don’t recommend cooking wine. If you don’t want to cook with wine, you can substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Herbs – Look for bright green and fresh parsley and fresh basil in your produce area. Dried herbs can be used, but you’ll only want to use half the amount.
- Tomatoes – Seek out San Marzano tomatoes. They can be found in the canned tomatoes section of most well-stocked supermarkets. The can should say “Certified.” Roma tomatoes that are in peak season can be used, too.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
We like to thinly slice the garlic, rather than mince it. Sautéing the garlic slices will scent the oil, and cooking it until it is slightly golden mellows the garlic, which is perfect for this dish. Be careful not to burn the garlic, however, as this will cause it to be very bitter tasting.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Pasta Pomodoro
- Step 1: Sauté the garlic in hot oil until lightly browned.
- Step 2: Stir in the prosciutto, basil, bay leaf, and parsley and sauté.
- Step 3: Pour the wine into the skillet and simmer until nearly evaporated.
- Step 4: Squeeze the tomatoes into the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and simmer.
- Step 5: Boil the pasta to al dente.
- Step 6: Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce in the skillet, and then serve!
🍝 How To Serve
- This dish is best served fresh from the skillet. And it comes together so quickly, we don’t recommend preparing the dish in advance.
- For an Italian dinner party, this would be a wonderful first course (“primo”) followed by a protein such as classic chicken marsala, Italian bistecca (porterhouse), or Mediterranean red snapper.
- For a quick weeknight dinner, simply leave the pasta in the skillet. For serving guests, we recommend transferring to a large pasta bowl with plenty of grated Parmesan available for passing at the table.
🔥 How To Store and Reheat
- Though this dish is at its best right after it comes together in the skillet, leftovers are still very delicious.
- Keep leftovers in an air-tight container with a lid in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days.
- Reheat on the stove in a skillet over medium heat. You’ll need to loosen the sauce up with a splash or two of chicken (or vegetable) broth.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
We think the dish is best served right after it comes together. And since it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare, it’s ideal for serving to guests. However, it can be made up to 2 hours in advance. Reheat on the stove and add a splash of broth (or pasta water) to loosen up the sauce.
If you omit the prosciutto, yes.
Make sure the can says “certified.” San Marzano tomatoes are cultivated in the land near the bottom of Mount Vesuvius in Italy. They are deep in flavor and are canned while at their peak.
🇮🇹 Other Classic Italian Pasta Recipes
Ready to make the best (and easiest) pasta dish this side of Rome? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Pasta Pomodoro
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 oz. prosciutto thinly sliced
- 7 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes drained (San Marzano are good)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 12 oz spaghetti or bucatini
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.¼ cup olive oil
- When hot, reduce the heat and add the garlic, and cook it, stirring, for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown, taking care to not let it burn.8 cloves garlic
- Add the prosciutto, basil, bay leaf and 1 tablespoon of the parsley and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.1 oz. prosciutto, 7 fresh basil leaves, 1 bay leaf, 2 tablespoon Italian parsley
- Raise the heat to high, add the wine, and cook it for about 30 seconds.¼ cup dry white wine
- Use your hands to squeeze the tomatoes into the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break them apart as they cook.1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
- Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half.
- Season with salt (1½ teaspoons) and pepper (1 teaspoon).Kosher salt and black pepper
- Meanwhile, in a large pot filled with boiling salted water, cook the pasta until is al dente, about 8 – 9 minutes. (Cooking time will vary depending on the type of pasta you use).12 oz spaghetti
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Heat a clean skillet over medium heat and add about half of the sauce. Stir in the pasta until coated. Add the rest of the sauce and stir, adding some of the reserved pasta to reach the desired consistency. Serve at once, garnishing with the remaining chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This was originally published October 2019, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography (and video) in March 2025.
Dave says
This is my favorite pasta recipe! So good! I love the herbs and garlic, and especially the proscuitto. Hands down, this is like dining at an upscale restaurant. And it’s fairly simple to make. Thank you!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Dave! This is one of our favorite pasta dishes, too! So delicious in its simplicity! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. That means the world to us! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Vivian says
Love this but I have never made my own. Thanks for this recipe and video.
Megan says
Another one of your recipes for the win! I added a second smaller can of the San Marzano tomatoes because I like my Pasta Pomodoro with more tomatoes than most. So quick and easy! This will be my new go-to recipe!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Megan! YES!! We are so happy you had such success with the Pasta Pomodoro recipe! We absolutely love the simplicity of this dish. And of course, going with a little extra San Marzano tomatoes can never be a bad thing. Sound wonderful! Thanks so much for letting us know and for the GREAT review! We appreciate that so very much!! Best, Kris & Wesley