20 Minute Penne Tomato Garlic (Printable)
Quick and satisfying penne tossed in a rich garlicky tomato sauce with fresh herbs and Parmesan.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne pasta
02 - Salt, for pasta water
→ Sauce
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
05 - 1 small onion, finely diced
06 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
11 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
→ Finishing
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
03 - Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
04 - Add drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
05 - Stir in chopped basil and grated Parmesan. Cook for 1 minute until cheese melts and pasta is evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil and Parmesan.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- This sauce comes together in the time it takes pasta to cook, making it the ultimate I forgot to plan dinner solution
- The tomato paste trick creates a restaurant style depth that usually simmers for hours
02 -
- The pasta water trick works because the starch helps sauce cling to every shape
- Tomato paste needs a few minutes of cooking to lose its raw metallic taste
03 -
- Dont skip the step of reserving pasta water, it's the difference between dry pasta and restaurant quality coating
- Chop your garlic and onion finely so they melt into the sauce instead of remaining chunky