Bucatini Pomodoro Pasta Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes
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Jump to Recipe Watch VideoBucatini Pomodoro pasta is a bright and fresh recipe, ready in just 20 minutes. With fresh and canned tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil, tossed with thick bucatini noodles.
This dinner is a fantastic recipe to make with extra tomatoes. Serve this simple pasta with easy homemade garlic knots, thick sourdough garlic bread, or a fresh side salad with pesto vinaigrette dressing.
Bucatini pomodoro is one of our favorite easy weeknight meals! The word pomodoro means tomato in Italian – literally translated to ‘apple of gold’ which couldn’t be more perfect. In this pomodoro sauce, fresh tomatoes shine.
I love that this pasta is simple to cook on a weeknight, yet elegant enough to serve to guests.
This sweet Italian tomato pasta is perfect when you want a fresh sauce that pairs well a long thick pasta like bucatini. Bucatini noodles are hollow in the middle, like little straws. They are the perfect pasta to enjoy with this fresh and flavorful sauce.
Why This Pomodoro Sauce Works
- It makes the most of fresh tomatoes, perfect for using them in their peak ripeness!
- It’s easy, and can be made by cooks of any skill level.
- This 20-minute dinner makes an easy weeknight meal.
- It’s made with simple ingredients, but loaded with flavor from the garlic and tomatoes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bucatini – a thick long noodle with a hollow center. Like a delicious pasta straw!
- Fresh Tomatoes – I used fresh cherry tomatoes for mine, and also canned.
- Diced Tomatoes – an essential in any good tomato sauce is getting the best quality canned tomatoes you can find! I use San Marzano whole or diced tomatoes when I can find them.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Fresh Basil
- Parmesan Cheese – gives that extra bit of flavor and richness to this dish. Whether you use a sharp real cheese parmesan, or a vegan version, adding a little extra into the sauce (and for garnish) makes this dish delish.
- Sea salt & Black Pepper
Substitutions and Additions
- Add in your favorite vegetables to the sauce in step 3, while it’s simmering! Chopped spinach or mushrooms would be an excellent addition.
- For a spicier pasta, add a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red chili pepper flakes for extra heat.
- If you want to make this pasta recipe with all fresh tomatoes, double the fresh tomatoes and omit the canned.
- Likewise, to make this with only canned tomatoes, you can double the canned tomatoes and omit the fresh.
How To Make This Recipe
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
Step 1: Cook bucatini pasta according to package instructions. Drain, toss with olive oil, and set aside.
Step 2: In a large pot, add more olive oil and begin by sautéing the garlic over low heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until edges begin to brown.
Step 3: Pour in the canned tomatoes to the pot, adding the canning liquid/sauce as well. Add basil, salt, and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Simmer on low for 15 minutes. Sauce should thicken and become jammy.
Step 4: When the sauce is finished cooking, add the sauce over cooked bucatini pasta, and garnish with extra basil and parmesan cheese.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Yes! If you have leftover sauce from this recipe, put it in a freezer bag, gently squeeze any air out of the bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. It’s great to enjoy in the winter when you’re missing those fresh summer tomatoes.
Our recipe is ready in just 20 minutes, and full of rich, garlicky, jammy tomato flavor! It’s easy enough for a quick weeknight meal, but elegant enough to serve to guests for a summer dinner party.
Most of the sauce coats the outside of the bucatini pasta, but some sauce can make it’s way inside the noodles through the openings at each end.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe contains no meat, but does use parmesan cheese. For a vegetarian version make sure the parmesan cheese you are using does not contain animal rennet, and for a vegan version, omit the parmesan cheese or use a plant-based variety.
- For a gluten free version, use certified gluten free bucatini pasta, and ensure any ingredients like parmesan cheese or canned tomatoes are also certified gluten free.
Expert Tips
- For extra flavor, you can try using a garlic-infused olive oil, or adding a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar in the sauce when cooking!
- Transform those tomatoes – blister fresh cherry tomatoes in the oven before adding to the sauce for added sweetness!
More Pasta Dishes
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Bucatini Pomodoro with Fresh Tomatoes
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bucatini pasta
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 1 14-ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil julienned, plus extra for garnish
- 2/3 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese can use a plant-based one for vegan version
Instructions
- Cook bucatini noodles according to package instructions. Drain, toss with olive oil, and set aside.
- In a large pot, add more olive oil and begin by sautéing the garlic over low heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until edges begin to brown. Add in the fresh tomatoes, and stir.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes to the pot, adding the canning liquid/sauce as well. Add basil, salt, and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Simmer on low for 15 minutes. Sauce should thicken and become jammy.
- When the sauce is finished cooking, add the sauce over cooked bucatini pasta, and garnish with extra basil and parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
Dietary Modifications
-
- This recipe contains no meat, but does use parmesan cheese. For a vegetarian version make sure the parmesan cheese you are using does not contain animal rennet, and for a vegan version, omit the parmesan cheese or use a plant-based variety.
-
- For a gluten free version, use certified gluten free bucatini pasta, and ensure any ingredients like parmesan cheese or canned tomatoes are also certified gluten free.
Substitutions and Additions
- Add in your favorite vegetables to the sauce in step 3, while it’s simmering! Chopped spinach or mushrooms would be an excellent addition.
- For a spicier pasta, add a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red chili pepper flakes for extra heat.
- If you want to make this pasta recipe with all fresh tomatoes, double the fresh tomatoes and omit the canned.
- Likewise, to make this with only canned tomatoes, you can double the canned tomatoes and omit the fresh.
Expert Tips
- For extra flavor, you can try using a garlic-infused olive oil, or adding a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar in the sauce when cooking!
- Transform those tomatoes – blister fresh cherry tomatoes in the oven before adding to the sauce for added sweetness!
Nutrition
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A really great recipe. We have a pasta maker and I bought a Bucatini screen recently and wanted to try ist out. This sauce was perfect for them.
Hi Bettina,
That sounds amazing, I’ve never had fresh bucatini before! So glad to hear you enjoyed it with the sauce, thanks again for rating the recipe!
– Kelly
We love pasta in our house. This recipe is easy to put together and delicious