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–+ servings

Pasta with Lemony Tomato Sauce

Tracy Serafini
This recipe is sunshine in a bowl! This is a twist on fresh tomato sauce with a zing of lemon zest and lemon juice.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 6
Calories 82 kcal

Equipment

  • pasta pot
  • saute pan
  • strainer
  • knife
  • cutting board
  • zester or microplane

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium onion, chopped medium
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 plum tomatoes chopped course (approx 1 lb 9 oz)
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest from one lemon using a microplane or zester
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice from one lemon
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil rough chopped or chiffonade (or 1 tsp dried basil)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth ***see note below
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb pasta
  • *** Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water if you don't have broth

Instructions
 

  • Boil the water for pasta. Begin cooking the pasta in boiling water seasoned with 1 tbsp Kosher salt. Cook pasta according to the package directions. While pasta is cooking, start the sauce. ***When pasta is cooked, reserve some pasta water when straining approximately 1/2 cup (see note below).
  • In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions with 2 generous pinches of kosher salt. Cook until translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, around 30 seconds to one minute.
    Sauteing onions in a pan
  • Add the tomatoes and about 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper (about 10 turns of the peppermill) and saute stirring frequently. The tomatoes should look like they're softening a bit while still retaining their shape.
    Chunks of tomatoes and onion being sauteed in pan
  • After about 4 minutes, add the lemon zest and broth (or pasta water if using). Lower the heat to medium low and continue to simmer and stir occasionally.
    Adding lemon zest into chunky tomato sauce
  • After about 6-7 minutes, add lemon juice and basil when the tomatoes are cooked but still chunky. Stir the simmering sauce for about 1 minute more. Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste.
    Squeezing lemon juice into tomato sauce
  • Serve hot over warm pasta. Top with more fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese, if desired.
    Stirring basil into chunky tomato sauce
  • ***Note: If you don't have vegetable or chicken broth on hand, you can use the pasta water instead. You may need a little more salt if you use this option. Just taste it and adjust your seasonings accordingly.
    ***You can also use a splash of the reserved pasta water or extra broth to loosen up the tomatoes if you prefer your sauce a little more loose.
    Pasta with Lemon and Chunky Tomatoes

Nutrition

Calories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 448mgPotassium: 429mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 795IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
Keyword basil, fresh tomatoes, garlic, lemon, meal under 30 minutes, onion, pasta, quick meal, tomatoes
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