Spaghetti with Tomatoes
This incredible dish boasts tender spaghetti in a light, fresh, garlicky tomato sauce! There’s a hint of white wine, plenty of parmesan cheese, and tomatoes two ways! Easy, healthy, and ready in about 20 minutes.
I love the combination of tomatoes in this recipe! I used canned diced tomatoes and chewy-sweet sun-dried tomatoes. The two together add great depth to this simple, undeniably flavorful dish. We also use Italian seasoning, shallots, and garlic for their aromatic qualities. Add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan and a colorful, quick-and-easy sauce is made! Also, you can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes you use and make this dish as fiery (or mild) as desired.
You can easily add protein to this dish. This pasta dish is vegan (and completely satisfying), but you can add protein if desired. Great choices would be cooked chicken (including rotisserie chicken), shrimp, scallops, tuna, and strips of grilled steak. You certainly don’t need to add protein, but it’s an option.
I used wine to deglaze the pan, but you can leave it out. I love how fruity white wine partners with the tangy/sweet tomatoes, and elevates the aromatics in the sauce. You get great flavor with just 1/4 cup. That said, you can use chicken broth, or vegetable broth instead.
I added 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, but you can add more! This isn’t an overtly cheesy dish, but if that’s something you prefer, feel free you add as much as you like. I used shredded parmesan cheese, but grated works just as well. If you are a die-hard cheese fan, you can also top the entire dish with a blanket of mozzarella!
What should you serve with this spaghetti? I suggest a crusty loaf of artisan bread (Italian, French, or sourdough) and a mixed salad or steamed or roasted green veggies. There’s no need to create a complicated side dish – this meal delivers all the flavors and textures you crave.
I used spaghetti but any pasta shape works. I actually used thin spaghetti because that’s what we like in our house. But you can use any pasta shape here, from linguine and fettuccine, to angel hair, penne, bowties, rigatoni, shells, and elbows. Gluten-free pasta works too!
Spaghetti with Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti, or pasta of choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 shallots, thinly sliced, or 1/2 cup sliced yellow onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine, or chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more/less to taste
- 14- ounce can diced tomatoes, regular or fire-roasted
- 1/4 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes (or until the pasta finishes cooking).
- Fold in the pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Fold in the parmesan cheese. If desired, add more pasta water for a thinner sauce. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve