Spaghetti al pomodoro with fresh basil
Just tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil, cooked low and slow until sweet. The simple one that always works.
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.63 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just pale gold. Do not let it brown.
- 2
Stir in the tomato purée, tomatoes and oregano. Add a good pinch of salt and bring to a simmer.
- 3
Cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring now and then and squashing any large pieces with a spoon, until the sauce is thick and sweet-smelling.
20 min - 4
Boil the spaghetti in plenty of salted water following the packet instructions. Save a mugful of the water, then drain.
10 min - 5
Toss the spaghetti through the sauce over the heat with a splash of pasta water for 1 minute.
- 6
Stir in most of the basil, drizzle with the last of the oil and serve topped with the rest of the basil.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.