Easy Tomato Pasta (20 Minutes) Silky, Glossy Sauce & Fresh

Easy tomato pasta is the dish you make when dinner needs to be fast, fresh, and foolproof. In 20 minutes, a handful of pantry staples—ripe tomatoes (or canned), garlic, olive oil, and pasta—turn into a silky, bright sauce that clings to every strand. This recipe focuses on technique over fuss: bloom the garlic gently, concentrate the tomatoes for natural sweetness, finish with starchy pasta water and a knob of butter or olive oil for gloss. Add chili flakes for heat, basil for lift, or Parmesan for umami. Whether it’s a weeknight meal or a budget-friendly crowd-pleaser, this is the reliable, no-stress pasta you’ll cook on repeat.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Spaghetti — 400 g (14 oz)
• Olive oil — 2 tbsp (30 ml)
• Garlic — 4 cloves (12 g), thinly sliced
• Chili flakes — ¼ tsp (optional)
• Tomatoes: 1 × 28 oz (800 g) crushed or 1 kg fresh, peeled & chopped
• Sugar — 1 tsp or finely grated carrot — 30 g
• Butter — 2 tbsp (28 g) or extra olive oil — 2 tbsp (30 ml)
• Fresh basil — 10 g, torn
• Parmesan — 30 g, finely grated (optional)
• Salt (for pasta water) — 40–60 g per 4 L water

Easy Tomato Pasta — Method (20 minutes)

1. Salt the water.

Bring 4 L water to a boil and dissolve 40–60 g salt (about 1–1.5% salinity). Keep it rolling while you start the sauce.

2. Start the sauce (pantry/crushed tomato path).

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over medium-low. Add 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves and cook 60–90 sec until pale gold (not brown). Add ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional) for 10 sec.

3. Reduce the tomatoes.

Add 1 × 28 oz (800 g) crushed tomatoes, plus 1 tsp sugar or 30 g finely grated carrot (choose one to balance acidity). Simmer 10–12 min, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about ⅓ and glossy with lazy bubbles.

No additional seasonings beyond what’s listed.

4. Cook the pasta.

Boil 400 g spaghetti in the salted water until 1 minute shy of package time. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water, then transfer pasta straight into the sauce.

5. Emulsify.

Over medium heat, splash in 60–120 ml reserved pasta water while tossing vigorously until the sauce clings and looks silky (30–60 sec). Add water gradually; stop when it coats the pasta.

6. Finish off-heat.

Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tbsp (28 g) butter or 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra olive oil for sheen. Fold in 10 g torn basil. If using, add 30 g finely grated Parmesan and toss to melt.

7. Serve immediately.

Taste; the seasoning should be right from the salty pasta water and Parmesan. If it’s a touch tangy, toss 10–15 sec more with another spoon of hot pasta water; if too loose, cook 20–30 sec to tighten.

Fresh Tomato Path (use this instead of Step 2 with crushed)

• Score an X on the bases of 1 kg fresh tomatoes, drop into boiling water 30–45 sec, then run under cold water and slip off skins. Core, chop (deseed optional).
• Proceed with oil → garlic → chili as in Step 2, then add chopped tomatoes + sugar or carrot. Simmer 12–15 min (fresh has more water) until thick and glossy, then continue from Step 4.

Nutrition Value:

• Spaghetti (400 g / 14 oz):
• Carbs: ~80 g
• Protein: ~14 g
• Fat: ~2 g
• Olive oil (2 tbsp / 30 ml):
• Carbs: ~0 g
• Protein: ~0 g
• Fat: ~28 g
• Garlic (4 cloves / 12 g):
• Carbs: ~3 g
• Protein: ~0.6 g
• Fat: ~0 g
• Chili flakes (¼ tsp, optional):
• Carbs: ~0.1 g
• Protein: ~0 g
• Fat: ~0 g
• Tomatoes (1 × 28 oz / 800 g crushed or 1 kg fresh, peeled & chopped):
• Carbs: ~30 g
• Protein: ~6 g
• Fat: ~1 g
• Sugar (1 tsp):
• Carbs: ~4 g
• Protein: ~0 g
• Fat: ~0 g
• Grated carrot (30 g):
• Carbs: ~7 g
• Protein: ~0.3 g
• Fat: ~0 g
• Butter (2 tbsp / 28 g):
• Carbs: ~0 g
• Protein: ~0 g
• Fat: ~22 g
• Extra olive oil (2 tbsp / 30 ml):
• Carbs: ~0 g
• Protein: ~0 g
• Fat: ~28 g
• Fresh basil (10 g):
• Carbs: ~1.5 g
• Protein: ~0.3 g
• Fat: ~0 g
• Parmesan (30 g, optional):
• Carbs: ~1 g
• Protein: ~7 g
• Fat: ~9 g
• Salt (for pasta water, 40–60 g per 4 L water):
• Carbs: ~0 g
• Protein: ~0 g
• Fat: ~0 g