Quick and Easy Pasta with Parmesan Tomato Sauce
This Quick and Easy Pasta with Tomato Parmesan Sauce is fast enough to make on any busy weeknight with common pantry ingredients.
Servings: 6
Calories: 543kcal
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large skillet or saute pan
- Box Grater to grate the Parmesan cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound short pasta like fusilli or penne
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 22 ounces tomato puree
- 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt or MSG-salt
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese 6 ounces
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil minced or julienned (or 1 teaspoon dried basil, added with the tomato puree)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water with about 1 Tablespoon of salt, then add the pasta. Drain the pasta just before you think it's about to be al dente (it's ok if it's a little more on the underdone side - you will still be cooking it more later - cooking time varies depending on the pasta, so check the package for guidance). Make sure to save about a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Meanwhile, add 1/4 cup olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until it is softened and just beginning to brown, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in 22 ounces tomato puree and 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt and increase the temperature to medium-high (if using dried basil instead of fresh, add it now). Cook until the sauce begins to bubble.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is thickened, about 3-5 minutes (add more cooking water 1-2 Tablespoons at a time if the sauce seems too thick). Reduce the heat to low, and stir in 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese and cubed butter. Stir until both the butter and the cheese have melted into the sauce. If using fresh basil, add it now.
- Serve immediately with additional fresh basil and/or Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 763mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 898IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 3mg
