This Penne Pomodoro is pasta tossed in a tasty and simple tomato sauce with fresh basil leaves and burrata. This vegetarian, low-carb version cooks in just 10 minutes, making the perfect easy dinner for busy weeknights!
Have you been craving pasta while on a low-carb diet?
Well, you can have it… if you use low-carb pasta or zoodles!
The penne pasta that you can see in our video was bought on Amazon!
But if you are in hurry, make your pasta Pomodoro using either zoodles or 'palmini' (heart of palm noodles).
Whatever you decide to use, it will cook fast and you’ll have a vegetarian dinner ready in a blink of an eye.
Don’t you love comfort food that is also healthy, quick, and delish?
Tell ya… this pasta dish is pure flavor!
What does Pomodoro mean?
Pomodoro means “tomato” in Italian!
It usually refers to a light tomato sauce (‘sugo di Pomodoro) or to ‘pasta al Pomodoro, a classic Italian pasta dish.
What’s in Pomodoro Sauce?
Pomodoro sauce (or Sugo di Pomodoro) is an authentic Italian tomato sauce that contains extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, basil, and passata (crushed tomatoes).
It is thick and smooth – unlike marinara sauce which is runny and chunky.
It is perfect for long, round pasta like spaghetti and tubular pasta like penne and ziti. But you can also use it on pizza, with gnocchi, and more!
Ingredients and Substitutions
To prepare this low-carb penne Pomodoro recipe, we adapted the traditional Pomodoro sauce to make this recipe faster. We also added and replaced a few ingredients as follows:
- Pasta: We used low-carb penne pasta, but you can use any tubular pasta like ziti or long, round pasta like spaghetti that goes well with light tomato sauces like Pomodoro. You can adapt the recipe to suit your dietary needs or wants -- use regular pasta, whole grain, or gluten-free instead.
- Olive oil: Use regular, good olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil that is fruitier.
- Fresh garlic: Mince garlic cloves well! If you don’t have it at home, use garlic powder although the sauce won’t be as flavorful!
- Crushed tomatoes: They are called passata in Italy. The canned crushed tomatoes already come peeled and are ready to use. The best ones are the canned San Marzano tomatoes because they are cultivated in Volcanic soil and are naturally sweeter and less acidic. But you can use fresh Roma tomatoes if you concassé them! It is needed in order to not render a bitter sauce with a rough texture.
- Tomato paste: Although it is not among the ingredients of the traditional Pomodoro sauce, we added to ours to boost the flavor of the sauce since we cook it half of the time.
- Seasonings: We added salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Some people like to add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes but because we are making a low-carb dish, we skip it! Also, the San Marzano tomatoes are already naturally sweeter and less acidic!
- Fresh basil: It will boost the flavor of the sauce and will be added as a garnish to top the final pasta dish. I chop mine thinly before adding to the sauce, but some think whole basil leaves are a better fit in order to fully release their oil.
- Heavy cream: It is not part of the traditional Pomodoro sauce but we added it for creaminess and also for making it thicker because we simmered the sauce for 10 minutes instead of the usual 20 minutes.
- Parmesan cheese: For garnishing the penne Pomodoro and added saltiness! If you prefer, shave the cheese on top instead of using grated Parmesan as we did.
- Burrata (optional): It is optional but it makes our pasta dish even more delicious. You may replace it with fresh mozzarella cheese!
How to Make Penne Pomodoro
Follow the easy steps below to make a penne al Pomodoro recipe that the whole family will love to have for a busy weeknight dinner:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a drizzle of olive to prevent sticking! Cook penne until al dente, then drain and reserve. SEE PIC. 1 It will take about 8-10 minutes!
- Meanwhile, heat a no-stick saucepan or large sauté pan over medium heat. Then add olive oil and sauté the garlic for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, onion powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and basil. SEE PIC. 2
- Simmer on medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to smooth the sauce if needed.
- Remove sauce from heat and stir in heavy cream. Toss the cooked penne until combined. SEE PIC. 3
- Serve with grated parmesan, fresh basil, burrata, a drizzle of olive oil, and more red pepper flakes. SEE PIC. 4
WATCH OUR QUICK VIDEO FOR THE STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS!
How to cook pasta al dente
The best way is to follow the instructions on the package, cooking it for the minimum recommended amount of time.
The exception is when you have to finish the pasta in the sauce or bake it in the oven which you should undercook the pasta by a minute or two.
How to keep basil fresh
To avoid fresh basil from becoming grey and mushy, buy it close to the day you intend to use it.
But if you can’t, trim the cut ends, put the bunch in a glass or jar with water, and cover the whole thing (or at least the basil leaves) with a plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to one week!
FAQ’s
Is this an authentic Italian recipe?
No! I am sharing the quick version of pasta al Pomodoro, adapted for a low-carb diet!
Can I make penne al Pomodoro with fresh tomatoes?
Yes, you can although I like the convenience of using good quality canned crushed tomatoes!
To make tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, you’ll first have to blanch your tomatoes.
For that, weigh roughly the same amount of Roma or fresh plum tomatoes as you would be using from a can.
Score an “X” on the bottom of each tomato using a sharp paring knife, then place them in boiling water for about 20-30 seconds, working in batches as needed.
Remove them from the boiling water using a spider strainer and place them into a bowl with ice water.
Leave them for 50-60 seconds and remove the skin. Core them to remove the seeds and chop them up.
How much liquid to remove from the canned tomatoes for penne Pomodoro pasta?
Drain most to avoid a watery sauce, leaving just a little.
Why add sugar to tomato sauce?
Some add sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. But if you are using San Marzano tomatoes, it won’t be necessary because they tend to be sweeter.
Can I use a different type of pasta for this pasta Pomodoro recipe?
Yes! You can use any tubular pasta like ziti (instead of penne) or long, round pasta like spaghetti that go well with light tomato sauce like Pomodoro!
Tips
- Cook the pasta al dente!
- Use another tubular pasta or spaghetti if you prefer as well as regular noodles, whole wheat, or gluten-free instead of low carb. You can use palmini or zoodles instead!
- Simmer the sauce until thickened.
- For a smoother sauce, transfer it to a blender or food processor. Or skip the blending entirely for a chunky sauce (although most tomato chunks will dissolve while simmering).
- The sauce itself is vegan if you don’t use heavy cream, burrata, and Parmesan cheese. It makes this light pasta dish lighter!
- For making a baked penne Pomodoro recipe, place it into a baking dish and top with enough shredded cheese. Broil it until cheese is lightly golden brown.
What to Serve with
There are several options for sides you can serve with this easy pasta recipe, depending on your diet, such as:
- Garlic rolls or a crusty bread
- Air fryer zucchini
- Steamed or sautéed veggies such as peas
- Air fryer asparagus
- Air fryer Brussels sprouts
- A simple fresh salad or simply romaine lettuce
Storage
Store penne Pomodoro leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat, loosely covered, in a microwave for a couple of minutes or until hot. You may add a splash of heavy cream to loosen the sauce.
As for freezing, keep the sauce and the pasta in separate containers in the freezer for up to a month. Then, thaw them in the fridge overnight and mix them together once reheating them.
More Pasta Recipes
- Gigi Hadid Pasta (Spicy Vodka Pasta)
- Mediterranean Pasta
- Brazilian Mac and Cheese with Chicken
- Easy Pasta Bolognese Recipe
- Shrimp Carbonara
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe
- Kale Pesto Pasta
- Homemade Bow Tie Pasta with Tomato and Basil Sauce
PIN & ENJOY!
Penne Pomodoro
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry penne pasta I used low-carb pasta but you can use any regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free pasta of choice. Palmini and zoodles make great keto noodles as well!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or extra virgin olive oil (for sautéing garlic), plus more for the cooking pasta in boiling water and to drizzle over the final dish
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 14 oz can San Marzano tomatoes crushed (mostly drained)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes plus more for garnishing
- Fresh basil about 4 large leaves for the sauce and more for garnishing
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Grated parmesan for serving
- Burrata optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a drizzle of olive to prevent sticking! Cook penne until al dente, then drain and reserve. It will take about 8-10 minutes!
- Meanwhile, heat a no-stick saucepan or large sauté pan over medium heat. Then add olive oil and sauté the garlic for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, onion powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and basil.
- Simmer on medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to smooth the sauce if needed.
- Remove sauce from heat and stir in heavy cream. Toss the cooked penne until combined.
- Serve with grated parmesan, fresh basil, burrata, a drizzle of olive oil, and more red pepper flakes.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
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