Italy · Cereal and Pasta Dishes · Vegetarian
Penne in Tomato Sauce
Penne in tomato sauce is a versatile dish that can be either a simple everyday dinner or the basis for more complex variations with the addition of meat, seafood or vegetables.
33 min 580 kcal 4 serves Medium🌿Vegetarian🇮🇹Italy★★★★☆4.4· 5 reviews
Ingredients
ServingsMetric
- 500 gpenne
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 2 clovesgarlic
- ½ red chili pepper
- 400 gcanned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- ½ tspdried oregano
- ¼ tspground black pepper
- to tastesalt
- optional, for garnishfresh basil
Method
- In a large saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and red chili pepper. Fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano and black pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add salt to taste.
- In a large saucepan, boil salted water and cook penne according to package directions. Set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Drain the penne, add to the tomato sauce. Stir and add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Heat for 1 minute.
- Arrange the penne on plates. Sprinkle with fresh basil (optional) and serve.
FAQ
Add a pinch of sugar at the end — just ¼ teaspoon neutralises excess acidity. Long slow simmering also helps: the tomato acidity mellows on its own. Grated carrot or onion adds natural sweetness too. And avoid cheap canned tomatoes — they tend to be more acidic.
Rate this
Rate this recipe
Keep browsing
More dishes from the Italian archive — picked by overlap with what you're cooking now.
Join the conversation
Comments (1)
Salt your cooking water generously for penne in tomato sauce — about 1 tablespoon per liter. This is the only chance to season from inside. No amount of sauce compensates for bland, under-seasoned pasta or grains.