15-minute tomato, basil and garlic pasta sauce
Bright, garlicky tomato and basil sauce ready in 15 minutes — perfect for weeknights and pantry-friendly dinners.
This is the sauce I reach for when time’s short and taste matters. It uses pantry staples — tinned tomatoes, a bit of tomato purée and good olive oil — and finishes with fresh basil for that lift.
Ready in about 15 minutes, it’s perfect for weeknight spaghetti or as a base to riff on: add olives, anchovies or roasted veg if you like. Simple, reliable and impossibly moreish.
Ingredients
- 320 g spaghetti
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — finely diced (about 150g)
- 4 garlic cloves — finely sliced
- 15 ml tomato purée
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml sugar — balances acidity
- 5 ml red chilli flakes — optional, or to taste
- 5 ml salt — plus extra for pasta water
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 20 g fresh basil — leaves, roughly torn
- 40 g vegetarian hard cheese — grated, optional to serve
Equipment
- large saucepan (for boiling pasta)
- colander
- large frying pan
Instructions
Put a large saucepan of water on to heat for the pasta. When it reaches a rolling boil add a generous pinch of salt (you want the water to taste of the sea).
While the water heats, warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat on the hob. Add the brown onion and a small pinch of salt and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent — about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic cloves and fry for 45 seconds until fragrant. Keep the heat moderate so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Stir in the tomato purée and fry for 45 seconds to remove the raw edge. Then add the tinned chopped tomatoes, dried oregano, sugar, red chilli flakes, salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Leave the sauce to simmer, uncovered, for 7 minutes, stirring once or twice so it reduces slightly and the flavours concentrate.
When the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to pack instructions until just shy of al dente (about 10 minutes for most dried spaghetti).
Tear the fresh basil into the sauce and stir through for 30 seconds to release aroma. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Drain the spaghetti, add it to the frying pan with the sauce, and toss over the heat for 1 minute; add a splash of reserved pasta water if it needs loosening. Turn off the heat, stir in most of the vegetarian hard cheese, then divide between plates and scatter the rest on top.
Tips
- Reserve 150 ml of the pasta cooking water before you drain — it’s liquid gold for loosening and binding the sauce to the pasta.
- Sweat the onion slowly until soft, not brown; that gentle sweetness is the backbone of the sauce.
- If your tinned tomatoes are very acidic, a little extra sugar (start with 1 tsp) will balance them without tasting sweet.
- Make ahead: sauce keeps in the fridge for 3 days or freezes for up to 3 months. Reheat gently and add a splash of water if too thick.
- To stretch the sauce into another meal, stir through cooked peas, canned tuna or a tin of cannellini beans.
Substitutions
spaghetti → linguine or penne, same quantity (320 g)
Stays closevegetarian hard cheese → nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp (for a vegan finish)
Noticeably differenttinned chopped tomatoes → tinned plum tomatoes, 800 g, crushed by hand
Stays closeolive oil → extra-virgin olive oil for finishing only; use 1 tbsp for cooking and a drizzle to finish
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 452
- Calories
- 14 g
- Protein
- 67 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this sauce vegan?
Yes — omit the vegetarian hard cheese or replace it with nutritional yeast (2 tbsp) for a cheesy flavour.
Can I use fresh tomatoes?
You can — use about 800 g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped and simmer a little longer until they break down. Tinned tomatoes are quicker and more consistent.
Why add tomato purée?
Tomato purée gives depth and colour quickly; frying it briefly removes rawness and adds a concentrated tomato flavour.
How do I store leftovers?
Cool completely then refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of water.
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