Description
A comforting and luxurious spaghetti dish featuring fresh San Marzano tomatoes, aromatic basil, and garlic. Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 220g spaghetti
- 80ml olive oil
- 1 (400g) can chopped San Marzano tomatoes or high-quality Italian tomatoes
- 1/2 large yellow onion
- 1/2 packet fresh basil leaves (or 12g dried basil)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 60g butter
- Salt (to taste)
- Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Infuse the Olive Oil: In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, smashed garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Heat over medium-low until bubbling, then simmer for 1-2 minutes until the basil wilts. Remove from heat and let it steep.
- Cook the Spaghetti: Boil water in a pot, add salt, and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Sauté the Onion: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter with a splash of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the halved onion, cut-side down, and cook for about 8 minutes until it turns golden brown.
- Create the Sauce: Add the canned tomatoes to the pot, breaking them up gently with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and cover, letting it simmer for about 8 minutes.
- Combine and Finish: Stir in the infused basil oil into the tomato sauce, adding some reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency. Simmer uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.
- Blend: Remove the onion halves from the sauce. Use an immersion blender to purée the sauce until smooth.
- Toss the Pasta: Add the drained spaghetti into the sauce and mix until well-coated. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan and additional basil if desired.
Notes
Perfectly pairs with garlic bread or a fresh salad. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: spaghetti, pasta, Italian, weeknight dinner, vegetarian