Tomato Pasta with Fresh Basil
A simple yet flavorful pasta dish featuring a rich tomato sauce infused with aromatic herbs. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 30 minutes, pairs Spaghetti, Olive oil, Garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 8 oz Spaghetti
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 cloves, minced Garlic
- 1 (14 oz) can Diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup, chopped Fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 cup, grated Parmesan cheese
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 8 oz spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 3: Add 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to the skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 4: Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil. Toss vigorously for 1 minute until the sauce coats every strand of pasta.
- Step 5: Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined.








