Penne Pomodoro

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 559kcal

Penne pomodoro how I learned it in Rome. Cherry tomatoes cooked down and blended, finished with pasta water. One pan, 30 minutes.

1 lb penne pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for finishing
3 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1.5 lbs ripe cherry tomatoes halved (or 2x 14-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand)
1¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup fresh basil leaves divided — half roughly chopped, half torn for finishing
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese optional

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the penne according to package directions until al dente (typically 10–11 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
While the pasta cooks, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant — don't let the garlic brown.
Add the cherry tomatoes and kosher salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have collapsed and released their juices.
Blend the sauce to your preferred consistency using an immersion blender directly in the pan, or transfer to a regular blender (let it cool slightly first if your blender isn't heat-safe). A few chunks are fine — you're not looking for perfectly smooth.
Return the sauce to the skillet over low heat if you transferred it. Stir in half the chopped basil.
Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce. Toss with tongs, adding pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce clings to the penne and looks glossy — you may use ¼ to ½ cup total.
Remove from heat. Add the cheese if using, a drizzle of olive oil, and the remaining torn basil. Toss once more and serve immediately.

Use the pasta water. Starchy pasta water is what turns a thin tomato sauce into one that actually clings to the pasta. Add it gradually and toss — the sauce should coat the penne, not pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Fresh cherry tomatoes should be very ripe — soft to the touch, deeply colored, fragrant. Out of season, canned whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano) are a better choice than bland fresh ones.
The basil goes in twice on purpose. Half cooks into the sauce for depth; half goes in torn at the end for brightness and color.
Cheese is optional. Parmigiano-Reggiano adds nuttiness; Pecorino adds salt and sharpness. Both work. Skip entirely for vegan.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water to loosen.