Bursting with tomato flavors and topped with some melty cheese, this spaghetti in tomato basil sauce is the ultimate pasta recipe you need to try.
It comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes and is an easy meal you can make for the entire family.
With its simple flavors and an easy process, it is the perfect comfort food to dig into on a lazy weeknight.
Jump to:
Ingredients For the Recipe
You will need just a few simple ingredients to make the spaghetti in tomato basil sauce.
- Oil: 2 tbsp
- Garlic (finely minced): 2 tbsp
- Cherry tomatoes (halved): ½ cup
- Basil leaves (shredded): 7-8 leaves
- Tomato puree: 1 cup
- Mixed herb seasoning: 2 tbsp
- Salt: ½ teaspoon or as per taste
- Black pepper powder: 1 tsp
- Whole wheat spaghetti (cooked): 1.5 cups
- Cheese (grated or finely diced): For garnish
- Basil leaves: For garnish
How to Make the Spaghetti in Tomato Basil Sauce
Once you have all the ingredients ready, here is what you will need to do to make the dish.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until the smell of the garlic disappears.
Add in the cherry tomatoes and mix. Saute for 1 minute.
Add in the tomato puree next along with the basil leaves and mix. Let the mixture simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Next, add the mixed herb seasoning and other seasonings. Saute and mix well.
Add the cooked spaghetti next and mix well.
Serve hot after garnishing with cheese and basil leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
I kept the sauce simple and just used some cherry tomatoes in the mix, but you can also add some of your favorite veggies like zucchini, broccoli, baby corn, bell peppers and even some olives and capers if you want.
Your leftover spaghetti in tomato basil sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Just remember to transfer it to an airtight container and then reheat it in the microwave for best results. Don’t forget to add a little splash of water too.
You can also prep the recipe ahead of time and make the tomato sauce in a big batch and freeze or refrigerate it. Then all you need to do is add your cooked pasta into it and top with your favorite seasonings and toppings.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Spaghetti in Tomato Basil Sauce
Ready to try out this easy recipe? Here are a few tips and tricks you might want to take note of.
- Since this dish has classic Italian flavors, I would recommend using olive oil, specifically extra-virgin olive oil.
- If you don’t have spaghetti, you can use almost any other kind of pasta you have. Just make sure the pasta is Al dente before you add it into the mix.
- You can use your favorite kind of cheese to top over the tomato sauce pasta. Mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese or some good options.
- To add a bit of heat, you can also add some red pepper flakes into the pasta sauce.
- If you don’t have fresh garlic that the recipe calls for, you can add some garlic powder instead. Don’t skip this one because the marriage of tomatoes and garlic is what makes this pasta dish stand out.
- Make sure you reserve a few tablespoons of your pasta cooking liquid to add to your sauce. This will ensure that your sauce coats the pasta well.
- A great idea to use your leftover tomato basil sauce pasta is to add a dollop of cream cheese into it while you are reheating it. This will turn it into a pink sauce pasta that is creamy, cheesy and still has that pop of tomato flavor.
- Want a more intense tomato flavor? Add some tomato paste into it.
- To make a vegan version of this dish, you can top the pasta with some nutritional yeast and cashew cream instead of cheese.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This flavourful tomato basil sauce pasta can be enjoyed on its own as a meal.
If you really want to go the extra mile, you can pair it with some crusty bread on the side.
I also love the idea of serving it with some fresh Italian style salad if you want to.
Love this pasta recipe? Looking for some more healthy pasta recipes to try out? Here are a few good ones you might want to check out.
- Layered Christmas Pasta Salad in Cups
- Lemony Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Garlic and Spinach
- Baked Penne Pasta in a Cup
📖 Recipe
Spaghetti In Tomato Basil Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 2 tablespoon Garlic , (finely minced)
- ½ cup Cherry Tomatoes , (halved)
- 8 leaves Basil Leaves , (shredded)
- 1 cup Tomato Puree
- 2 tablespoon Mixed Herb Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- 1.5 cups Whole Wheat Spaghetti, (cooked)
- 1 cup Cheese , (grated or finely diced)
- 1 sprig Basil Leaves, (to garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until the smell of the garlic disappears.
- Add in the cherry tomatoes and mix. Saute for 1 minute.
- Add in the tomato puree next along with the basil leaves and mix. Let the mixture simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Next, add the mixed herb seasoning and other seasonings. Saute and mix well.
- Add the cooked spaghetti next and mix well.
- Serve hot after garnishing with cheese and basil leaves.
Leave a Reply