This authentic penne pomodoro recipe is a light Italian pasta dish simply made by combining fresh Roma tomatoes or canned tomatoes (you will have the option), garlic, basil and penne pasta. I'll walk you through the step-by-step on how to make a pomodoro sauce from scratch that's deep in flavor, heavenly creamy and so easy to prepare!
Recipe by Jessica Laroche on October 2, 2021
Prep time: PT20M
Cook time: PT60M
Total time: PT80M
5 stars (2 reviews)
healthy, Vegan
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. While the water heats up, make an 'X' on the edge of the tomatoes just deep enough to go through their skin. Also, prepare a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
- Once the water is boiling, add the tomatoes to the pot, cover and bring back to a gentle boil. Let them boil for about 1-3 minutes or until their skins are starting to peel off where you marked the 'X'.
- Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and transfer right away to the bowl with iced water. Let the tomatoes cool down for a few minutes.
- When the tomatoes are cold enough to handle, then pull on their skin using your hands. Also, use a small knife to remove their nodes (this makes the sauce creamier). You can remove their seeds and watery interior as well if you don't want any seeds in your sauce (I usually don't remove them). Transfer the prepared tomatoes to a large bowl as you prepare them and set them aside.
- Warm up a small amount of olive oil in a large pot (use a Dutch iron pot if you have one) and then, add the crushed garlic. Keep cooking on medium heat and stir constantly while watching the garlic so it does not burn. Cook for one minute and then, add the prepared peeled tomatoes whole to the pot (or add the 2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes). Stir well and keep cooking on medium heat. Once the tomatoes have softened slightly, then use a hand masher to crush them to a desired texture (they will keep breaking up as they cook).
- Turn down the heat to low-medium, keep uncovered and cook while stirring often for 30-45 minutes (cooking time will vary). Watch the sauce to adjust the heat as it cooks and cook as long as it needs until it becomes smooth with not much water left.
- Add some salt to taste and the fresh basil, stir well and turn off the heat.
- Transfer the cooked penne to the sauce and stir until all combined and warmed up. Serve warm with vegan parmesan cheese and more fresh basil.