The Ultimate 15-Minute Tomato and Basil Pasta (Capellini Pomodoro)

In the heart of summer, when tomatoes are bursting with flavor and fresh basil is abundant, there is no dish more perfect than a simple, elegant Tomato and Basil Pasta. This isn’t a heavy, long-simmered sauce; it’s a light, fresh, and incredibly quick meal that celebrates the pure essence of its ingredients.

This is your ultimate guide to creating a restaurant-quality Capellini with a fresh tomato and herb sauce in about 15 minutes. We’ll show you how classic Italian techniques—like creating a garlic-infused oil and using starchy pasta water to build a sauce—can transform a handful of simple ingredients into a spectacular meal.

What makes this recipe so special is its incredible speed and its focus on fresh, vibrant flavor. This is the perfect dish for a busy weeknight, a last-minute dinner party, or any time you are craving a taste of an Italian summer. This Tomato and Basil Pasta is simplicity at its most delicious.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The Secret of the “No-Sauce” Sauce

The true genius of this Tomato and Basil Pasta lies in its sauce, which is essentially a “no-sauce” sauce. Instead of a heavy, cooked-down marinara, the “sauce” is created in the pan right as the pasta cooks. It’s made of three key components:

1. Garlic-Infused Olive Oil: We start by gently heating a generous amount of good-quality olive oil with minced garlic. This infuses the oil with a sweet, aromatic garlic flavor that becomes the foundation of the entire dish.
2. Burst Cherry Tomatoes: We add whole cherry tomatoes to the hot oil and cook them just until they soften and begin to release their sweet, summery juices. We don’t cook them down into a paste; we keep them mostly whole for a beautiful texture and fresh taste.
3. “Liquid Gold” Pasta Water: This is the magic ingredient that brings it all together, which we’ll discuss next.

The Most Important Ingredient You’re Probably Throwing Away

The number one secret to creating a silky, glossy, restaurant-quality sauce for your Tomato and Basil Pasta is the starchy water your pasta cooks in. Before you drain your pasta, you must reserve about a cup of this cloudy, salty “liquid gold.”

As pasta boils, it releases starches into the water. This starchy water is a powerful emulsifier. When you toss your hot pasta and tomato mixture with the grated Parmesan cheese and add a few splashes of this hot pasta water, it helps the oil and cheese bind together, creating a light, creamy, and luscious sauce that perfectly clings to every single strand of pasta.

The Key Ingredients for Your Tomato and Basil Pasta

This recipe uses a handful of high-quality, simple ingredients where freshness is key.

• Capellini or Angel Hair Pasta: This is a very thin, delicate pasta that cooks in just 2-3 minutes, making this a true 15-minute meal. Its delicate strands are perfect for a light oil-based sauce.
• Good Olive Oil: Since the oil is a main component of the sauce, using a good-quality, flavorful extra-virgin olive oil will make a significant difference.
• Small Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: In-season, sweet cherry tomatoes are essential. Their high skin-to-pulp ratio allows them to soften and burst without making the sauce watery. A mix of colors looks beautiful.
• Fresh Herbs: This recipe uses a classic Italian trio. A large amount of fresh basil provides the signature sweet, aromatic flavor. Fresh parsley adds a clean, green, herbaceous note, and a touch of fresh thyme lends a subtle, earthy complexity.
• Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese: For the best flavor and a smooth melt, always use a block of real Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your 15-Minute Italian Dinner

This dish comes together very quickly. It’s best to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you put the pasta in the water.

1. Boil the Pasta Water: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add a small splash of olive oil to the pot.
2. Start the Sauce: While the water comes to a boil, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until it is fragrant. Be careful not to let it brown or burn.
3. Add Tomatoes and Herbs: Add the whole cherry tomatoes, the julienned basil leaves, the chopped parsley, the chopped thyme, 2 teaspoons of salt, the black pepper, and the red pepper flakes to the pan.
4. Gently Cook: Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened but are still mostly whole.
5. Cook the Pasta: Now, add the capellini to your pot of boiling water. This pasta cooks extremely fast, usually in just 2 to 3 minutes, so watch it carefully!
6. Reserve Pasta Water and Drain: Just before draining the pasta, use a mug to reserve about 1 cup of the hot, starchy pasta water. Then, drain the pasta well.
7. Combine and Finish: Place the hot, drained pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the warm tomato and oil mixture from the skillet and the 1 1/2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Create the Sauce: Toss everything together vigorously, adding the reserved hot pasta water a little at a time, until a light, glossy sauce forms and coats the pasta perfectly. Season your Tomato and Basil Pasta to taste with more salt and pepper.
9. Serve: Garnish the pasta with extra fresh basil and serve immediately with a big bowl of extra Parmesan cheese on the side.

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Conclusion: The Simple Perfection of an Italian Summer

This Tomato and Basil Pasta is a beautiful testament to the Italian philosophy of cooking: use simple, high-quality, seasonal ingredients and let them shine. It’s a light, fresh, and incredibly flavorful dish that comes together in minutes, making it the perfect meal for a busy weeknight or a relaxed summer evening. This is a recipe you will come back to again and again.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)