Bucatini Pomodoro

This ultra simple bucatini pomodoro pasta dish is done under 30 minutes and is SO delicious! Made using canned tomatoes with onion and lots of garlic, plus paired with thick and chewy bucatini noodles for a perfect combo. Great speedy weeknight dinner that everyone will enjoy! Vegan & dairy-free.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: dinner, healthy, pasta, tomato, Vegan, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 397kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion finely diced
1-3 tbsp olive oil plus more for serving (optional)
5 cloves of garlic crushed
28 oz San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
pinch of red pepper flakes optional
salt and black pepper to taste
handful of fresh basil chopped, for serving
12 oz bucatini pasta

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water and cook the bucatini noodles until al dente (do not over cook, they will cook more in the sauce). Once done, keep some of the cooking water aside, drain the noodles and set them aside.
Meanwhile, heat up a little olive oil in a medium pot (optional, can be made oil-free) and then, add the onion and a little salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, or until softened (about 5-7 minutes).
Then, add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and keep cooking for 1-2 minutes (watch so the garlic doesn’t burn).
Pour the tomatoes and all their juices in the pot and roughly crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Stir well, cover and cook on a low simmer for about 15 minutes.
Remove the cover and stir/crush the tomatoes a little more as needed. Keep cooking the sauce stirring often for 5-10 more minutes uncovered to allow the excess of water to evaporate.
Once the sauce is done, add the al dente bucatini noodles to the sauce, stir well to combine and adjust seasoning to your liking. You can also add a splash of pasta cooking water to the pot and help create a creamy sauce that sticks well to the noodles.
Serve right away with fresh basil, red pepper flakes and some vegan parmesan cheese if desired. For a nice treat, you can also drizzle a small amount of olive oil (or even vegan butter for a creamy and rich sauce) over you bowl of pasta at serving.

Video

Notes

The pomodoro sauce stores well in an air-tight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. You can reheat using the microwave or the stove.
I like this sauce on the chunkier side with nice big blobs of tomatoes, but if you prefer smooth sauces, then you can also use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
There is so much you can add to the simple pomodoro sauce, such as diced carrots/celery, mushrooms, red wine, dried herbs, etc.
For a pomodoro sauce using fresh Roma tomatoes, check out this penne pomodoro recipe!
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition