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Pepper, tomato and basil pasta
I fell in love with this pasta after a rainy Tuesday when I had nothing fancy to offer. Just tomatoes at their peak, enough garlic to fill the kitchen, and a handful of basil that made everything taste like summer even though it was deep into fall.What keeps me coming back is how forgiving it is — if your tomatoes are watery, you cook them longer; if they're firm, you add them early. The secret I learned after making this half a dozen times is to salt the cooking water until it tastes like the sea. Everything else is just getting the oil hot, adding garlic before it browns, and waiting long enough for the pasta water to do its magic.This dish earns its spot in my rotation because it feeds four people with ingredients I always have on hand or can grab at any grocery store, and it tastes like I put more thought into dinner than I actually did. It's one of those meals where you barely notice the work until someone asks what you're making.
Ingredients
Method
- Get the water ready. Fill a large pot with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Salt it generously — it should taste like ocean water before you add anything.
- Cook the pasta. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of starchy cooking water before draining.
- Warm the oil. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat (about 1 minute).
- Add garlic and pepper flakes. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant but not browned. Watch carefully — garlic goes from perfect to burnt very quickly.
- Cook the tomatoes. Add diced tomatoes with a pinch of salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until tomatoes have softened and released their juices (if you want a thicker sauce, cook longer; if you prefer chunkier texture, stop sooner).
- Combine everything. Add drained pasta directly into the skillet with the tomato mixture along with the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the sauce clings to each strand (the starchy water is what makes it silky and glossy).
- Finish with basil. Turn off the heat and stir in torn basil leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.
Nutrition
Notes
- Storage: Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.
- Substitutions: Cherry or grape tomatoes work beautifully — halve them instead of dicing. If using canned tomatoes, choose San Marzano and drain excess liquid before adding.
- Pro tip: Don't skip reserving that pasta water — it's the difference between clumpy pasta and a silky, restaurant-quality sauce.
- Serving suggestion: A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or a shaving of Parmesan on top adds richness without changing much about the dish itself.
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