Pasta
Pasta
Spicy tomato pasta
Tomatoes, garlic, and a little chili make a full-flavored sauce without a long ingredient list.
Category inspiration, not a photograph of this recipe. Recipes are AI-assisted and not independently kitchen-tested.
Let’s make it.
Start the sauce
Warm oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook gently for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown deeply.
Simmer
Add tomatoes and salt. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
Cook the pasta
Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water according to the package. Reserve ½ cup cooking water before draining.
Toss together
Add pasta to the sauce and toss over low heat for a minute. Loosen with a splash of pasta water as needed. Add parsley and taste before adding more salt or chili.
A little kitchen wisdomTomatoes, garlic, and a little chili make a full-flavored sauce without a long ingredient list. Gentle garlic cooking keeps bitterness away.
Make it your own
Leave out the chili for a mild tomato sauce. Add cooked white beans for a more substantial meal.
Build a skill while you cookA practical map of sauce families →Finish pasta in the sauce →
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