Pasta in red sauce as the name suggests is a delicious pasta tossed in homemade tomato-based flavourful sauce.
This is an easy-to-make, beginner-friendlyย and a kidโs favourite recipe.
Making red sauce pasta is super easy and made with basic ingredients.
About Pasta in red sauce
Pasta is a family favourite and we love to include it in our meals at least once every month.
This red sauce pasta is one of the most common versions that we love as itโs so easy peasy recipe that you do not need too many ingredients to make it.
Made with blanched tomatoes, onions, Italian herbs and lots of garlic this pasta turns out fabulous and is loved by kids and grown-ups.
To make this pasta, I always prefer penne pasta as it holds the shape well.
I made the red sauce from scratch using fresh tomatoes. However, you can use canned tomatoes here which give a nice vibrant red colour.
If you are new to making pasta and want to try one, you should definitely start with this red sauce pasta as it is a no-fail easy recipe to begin with.
Sometimes we add veggies like mushrooms, corn and bell peppers in making this paste in red sauce which enhances the flavours of this dish.
This vegetarian delight is tangy, sweet and spicy at the same time. Serve with garlic bread and it makes a perfect meal by itself.
The main thing that I love about making this pasta is that itโs highly customizable and so versatile that you can easily tweak it and have so many options to make it more healthy and tasty.
To make this pasta, I have used dried herbs as fresh herbs are not available easily here. But if you can get the fresh herbs then nothing like that.
This classic pasta recipe comes together in around 45 minutes. To make it for quick meals, I normally prep the sauce or boil the pasta ahead of time and then on busy weeknights just toss them together making a perfectly satisfying meal for the whole family.
You can also pack this pasta for kids tiffin along with some sandwiches making it a filling meal.
Recipe Video
ingredients
Pasta โย I have used penne pasta here but you can use any kind of pasta depending on your choice.
Tomatoes โย To make the red sauce I have used fresh tomatoes that I blanched in water for about 15 minutes. Removed the skin and then blended it to a fine paste. You can add canned tomatoes too for making this sauce.
Vegetables โย I have used only onions in making this recipe. You can have vegetables of your choice. The best ones are mushrooms, baby corn, bell peppers.
Herbs โย I have used dried Italian mixed herbs. If you can get your hands on fresh ones (oregano, thyme, basil) then do use them.
Seasonings โย I have seasoned this pasta with salt, crushed black pepper and half a teaspoon of sugar. Sugar is optional, but adding it helps balance the tartness of the tomatoes.
Oil โย Olive Oil gives a perfect taste to pasta recipes.
Water โย To cook pasta.
Variations
You can add a variety of vegetables of your choice here to enhance the flavour and nutrition of this pasta.
Some of the best veggies include mushrooms, sweet corn, baby corn, and bell peppers.
If you are looking for a non-vegetarian option, then you can add thinly sliced chicken pieces or shrimp.
Serving Suggestions
This red sauce pasta pairs best with garlic bread by the side.
You can also serve it with soup.
The dish itself is vegan, you can grate some cheese on top while serving making it vegetarian.
Storage Options
The cooked pasta can stay good for 3-4 days. Store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.
If the pasta is a bit dry, add some water to it while reheating. You can reheat it in the microwave or in a pan.
Related Recipes
More Fusion Recipes
Vegetable Hakka Noodles, Chinese Bhel, Masala Macaroni Pasta, Chilli Cheese Paratha
How to make Pasta In Red Sauce
Note:
I have used penne pasta here, you can use any pasta of your choice.
I have used dried herbs here, if you can get fresh ones do go ahead using fresh herbs instead.
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Recipe Card
Pasta In Red Sauce
Ingredientsย ย
- 2 cups Uncooked Pasta (Penne Pasta)
- 4 Tomatoes
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 4-5 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian Mixed Herbs
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 5 cups Water, to cook pasta
Instructionsย
Cooking Tomatoes
- Make a criss-cross mark on the tomatoes so that peeling the skin becomes much easier.
- Boil tomatoes in enough water for about 15 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked and the skin peels off easily.
- Let the tomatoes cool, peel off the skin and blend it to a paste without adding water.
Cooking Pasta
- In a big vessel add 5 cups water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring this water to a boil.
- Add 2 cups of penne pasta (use any pasta of your choice). Cook Pasta for 5-6 minutes.
- Drain the water and remove the pasta in a bowl or plate. Keep half a cup of pasta water aside for later.
- Drizzle a teaspoon of oil over the pasta. This helps pasta not stick to each other.
Making the Pasta
- In a saucepan heat oil, add chopped garlic and saute for a minute.
- Add finely chopped onions and saute till translucent.
- Add tomato puree. Cover & cook for 3 minutes.
- Add red chilli flakes, mixed Italian herbs and crushed black pepper.
- Mix all the ingredients well.
- Add tomato ketchup and mix.
- Add sugar and salt to taste. (Adding sugar balances the tartness of tomatoes used in this dish).
- Add boiled pasta. Mix, and add half a cup of pasta water.
- Cover and let the pasta simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
- Pasta in red sauce is ready.
- Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.
