Red sauce pasta recipe | Italian restaurant style tomato sauce pasta recipe

This is an Italian restaurant style red sauce pasta recipe favourite of my family, especially my son’s favourite. Based on a creamy delicious tomato sauce flavoured with italian herbs and spices. A non spicy and vegetarian dish however not for jains having onion and garlic. Goes well with garlic bread French loaf or bread toast.

Red sauce pasta(also popular as tomato sauce pasta or marinara sauce pasta) is a classic Italian dish. This recipe is made by tossing boiled pasta in herbs flavoured creamy tomato sauce. Originated in authentic Italian cuisine and is the most popular dish all over the world. Making it from scratch, so from making the red sauce and preparaing the pasta in it, the comple jouney you can experience through this recipe. Any time you can make it at home just with those few simple steps I mention in this recipe.

Basically, fresh tomato puree, onion, garlic, Italian herbs like basil, oregano, and some seasoning like pepper and chili flakes or red chilli powder are used in making this red sauce. And boiled pastas are just tossed in that sauce until get juicy.

In Italy, red sauce pasta made with two types of red sauce, 1. Marinara sauce and 2. Arrabbiata sauce. Marinara sauce is less spicy than Arrabbiata, which is why in the rest of the world, pasta is generally made with marinara sauce. In Italian cuisine, the term marinara means a sauce made from ripe tomatoes, onion, and herbs especially served with pasta. As I made this pasta with that particular tomato-based sauce means my red sauce pasta is basically Marinara sauce pasta. As we are not familiar with its original name Marinara, this red coloured pasta worldwide known as red sauce pasta.

Like other pasta recipes you can make this pasta with penne, spaghetti, macaroni, or fusilli. In short, you can use any type of pasta available, at your kitchen or nearby store.

Even you can add any veggies like corn, broccoli, zucchini, or bell pepper with your pasta. Just boil the veggies or little saute in oil before adding in sauce. Add at the same time while adding pasta in sauce and toss together until veggies get tender as well.

For making this tomato sauce, instead of using fresh tomato also you can use canned tomatoes or puree. Though store-bought readymade pizza pasta sauce is one more quick solution for instantly making pasta . But I prefer to use my homemade pasta sauce as it’s not added any preservative or artificial color rather it suits my budget.

Initially making this sauce seems a little time-consuming. However, I prepare this sauce one or two days before and preserve it in the fridge in an airtight container. So when I plan to prepare red pasta, just take out the sauce from the refrigerator and cook the boiled pasta in it. isn’t it simple and time saver?

As even we know all Italian recipes are mostly dominated by their herbs. In the same way, basil is dominating this dish. So if you have a problem with the strong flavor of basil, you can add it a little or can replace basil with oregano too. Though I use both for getting an exotic Italian taste and flavour. However, you can skip the oregano part if you do not like more herbs.

As I’m preparing this dish for a long time I can share an important tip about this recipe. Like as per my experience, to get the best result, here the sauce and pasta ratio should be 2:1. This means we should use double the amount of sauce than the quantity of pasta. Then only, the pasta will be evenly coated in the sauce and can nicely get tender and flavoursome by soaking the gravy. I can assure you, this tip will truely help you to prepare this pasta like a pro and the taste must be like a restaurant.

Try this red sauce pasta at home and enjoy. Let me know your feedback about this recipe in the comment section below.

You may try some other Italian recipes from my website

• Mini pizza recipe

• White sauce pasta recipe

• Italian herb rice recipe

Red sauce pasta recipe | Italian restaurant style tomato sauce pasta recipe

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Served for: 2 people

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Moumita Paul

Ingredients

For boiling pasta

• 1/2 cup penne pasta
• 2 cups of water(1 cup = 250 ml)
• 1 tsp Oil(Olive oil/Vegetable oil)
• 1/4 tsp Salt

For making red pasta sauce

• 350 gms(7 medium sizes) Tomatoes
• 3 tbsp Onion(finely chopped)
• 3 tsp Garlic cloves(chopped)
• 2 tbsp Basil(fresh)/1 tbsp dry Basil
• 1/2 tsp Oregano(dried or fresh)
• 1/2 tsp pepper(crushed/powder)
• 3/4 tsp Chili flakes/Chilli powder
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 2-3 tbsp Olive oil(any Vegetable oil)

How to make red sauce pasta with step by step pictures

Making red pasta sauce

• First, take 350 gms(7 medium sizes) of red ripe tomatoes, and wash them 3-4 times.
• Then take in a bowl, make some slits on the tomatoes and add piping hot water to it.
• Keep it for 7-8 mins.

• Tomatoes get soft, remove the tomatoes from the hot water and peel out their skin.

• Then roughly chop the tomatoes and grind them to make a smooth tomato puree.

• Now put a pan on low to medium flame. once hot, add 2-3 tbsp of oil (olive oil/vegetable oil).
• Once the oil gets hot, fry 3 tbsp finely chopped onions and chopped garlic.

• Sauté them for 1-2 mins. Garlic should not change its color just only gets soft.
• Then add 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil to the pan. And sauté for 30 secs.

• Then add the homemade tomato puree to the pan. Stir it well.

• Add pepper, chili flakes, or red chilli powder, salt, and oregano to it and sauté it well.
• Now let this sauce boil in medium flame for 1 min.

• Creamy, tangy red pasta sauce or marinara sauce is ready.

how to boil pasta

• Now put a vessel with 2 cups of water on medium to high flame.
• Then add 1/4 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of oil(vegetable oil or olive oil). Bring the water to a boil.

• Once the water starts boiling add the pasta to the boiling water. Stir it well and let it cook in water.

• Cook the pasta al dente(means properly cooked but firm in shape).
• Or cook it unless easily it is cut with the knife or fork or while bitten.
• If you can easily cut indicates it is done. Turn off the heat.

Cooking pasta in red sauce

• Strain the pasta and directly put them in the pan with pasta sauce.
• Stir it well or give it a good toss 3-4 times.
• Cook it for 1-2 more mins with a good stir or toss. Turn off the heat.

• Pasta is done. However, You can add a generous amount of parmesan cheese or even goat cheese at last and mix it well. Though this step is optional however this way pasta is prepared in italian restaurants.

• Red sauce pasta is ready to serve. Enjoy it with sandwiches, bread toast, pizzas or french loaf.

Tips about this recipe

• While making the sauce on one gas stove use another stove top to boil pasta. With this time management process, you may quickly prepare this recipe.
• Though you can bake it in the microwave by mixing the boiled pasta with sauce and adding parmesan cheese on top.
• To make it with Indian flavour add some coriander leaves as herbs.
• Overcooking makes the pasta mushy, sticky, broken and totally spoils the taste of this dish. So cooking al dente.
• To add chicken or prawn or any meat to this recipe, toss them in oil and spices and mix with sauce and pasta and cook until tender.