With bold Italian flavors, rigatoni pomodoro is a classic Italian dinner that never disappoints! This dish features tender pasta tossed in a simple yet incredibly flavorful tomato sauce, made with fresh ingredients. While rigatoni is a great choice for holding onto the rich sauce, you can also use any tubular pasta, like penne for pasta pomodoro, to create the perfect bite. Quick enough for a weeknight dinner, but elegant enough for date night or Valentine’s Day, this pomodoro pasta is a must-try for any Italian food lover!
If you love a rich, homemade tomato sauce, this penne pasta pomodoro recipe is for you. Pomodoro sauce is all about simplicity—made with ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs, it delivers bold flavor with just a few ingredients. The sauce is light yet satisfying, making it the perfect dish for any occasion.
While pomodoro rigatoni is traditionally vegetarian, it’s easy to customize. Want to add some protein? Stir in grilled chicken, shrimp, or even Italian sausage for a heartier meal. If you prefer a silky smooth sauce, blend the ingredients in a blender before simmering in a saucepan for a velvety consistency. However you serve it, this classic pasta dish is full of authentic Italian flavor and comes together in no time!
Why We Love this Penne Pasta Pomodoro
- It’s a 30-minute recipe.
Quick and easy dinner ideas are a favorite, especially for busy families! - Kid-friendly flavors. Pomodoro is an Italian sauce with fresh tomatoes, basil, and spices. In fact, the word Pomodoro is Italian for “tomato.” This means that there’s going to be lots of sweet and tangy flavors in every bite. The sauce is rich enough to keep more sophisticated taste buds happy, but mild enough that kids love it, too.
But why stop there? By using pancetta and onions, this is technically a Filetto di Pomodoro sauce (in Italian). The flavor is sort of earthy, and it tastes fantastic over any kind of noodles.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil: If you ask an Italian, they will probably say that there really is no suitable substitute for olive oil. If you have to use a substitute, grape seed oil is a good option.
- Prosciutto: This dry cured Italian meat has a flavor that’s similar to ham. It’s sold in paper-thin slices, and you should be able to find it near the deli area of your local grocery store.
- Diced tomatoes: we like San Marzano tomatoes, but you can use any canned diced tomatoes
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free pasta: Use your preferred gluten-free noodles to make this a gluten-free recipe.
- Vegetarian and vegan: Leave out the ham and use an extra tablespoon of oil. Plus, an extra pinch of salt.
How to Make Pomodoro Rigatoni
- Be careful not to burn the garlic and onion.
Cook the onions until they start to soften and turn yellow, about 3 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and prosciutto and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Allow the sauce to simmer while the pasta cooks.
To bring out the Italian flavors in penne pasta pomodoro, it’s important to let the sauce cook for a bit. This isn’t an all day process like when you make the sauce for a hearty healthy lasagna, but give it 15-20 minutes, at least.
- Cook the pasta al dente and don’t rinse it!
The key to perfectly cooking your rigatoni is making sure that the noodles aren’t soggy or overcooked. The way to do this is to cook them for 1-2 minutes less than what the box instructions recommend.
So, instead of cooking for 10 minutes, for al dente pasta, just let it cook for about 8 minutes. - Reserve some of the rigatoni water.
Add ½ cup of pasta water to the sauce. Keep stirring the sauce until it thickens. If the sauce is too thin, add more water until it is rich and has a glossy appearance with small chunks of tomatoes.
Taste the sauce, and add more salt if needed.
To serve, add the rigatoni to the bowl. Top with the sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and ground pepper before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This rigatoni pomodoro is a classic Italian pasta dish, so of course, it pairs beautifully with a salad and a warm loaf of freshly baked sourdough garlic bread. If you want to add extra flavor, garnish with fresh basil leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
For a more filling meal, serve this pomodoro rigatoni with shrimp or meatballs on the side. Want a boost of greens? Stir in spinach at the end for a fresh and healthy addition. And for the perfect drink pairing, a glass of red wine or a sparkling Italian soda will make you feel like you’re dining in Italy!
Recipe FAQs
Both sauces are tomato-based and are made with similar ingredients, like garlic and Italian spices. However, marinara is a tighter meatless sauce. Pomodoro is a more robust sauce, that coats the pasta better.
As long as there are no dairy products like heavy cream in the sauce, it will be very freezer-friendly. The sauce for pasta con pomodoro keeps in the freezer for up to 4 months.
This sauce and pasta recipe will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Let it cool completely, then put it in a sealed container and place it in the fridge.
For a silky-smooth texture, blend the sauce in a blender before simmering it in a saucepan for a perfect consistency.
Absolutely! While pomodoro rigatoni is a favorite, you can swap in penne pasta pomodoro, spaghetti, or any pasta you love.
Looking for More Pasta Recipes? Try These…
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Rigatoni Pomodoro
Equipment
- large stockpot
- 11"- 12" skillet - or a large sauce pan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion halved then thinly sliced (1/4"-1/8")
- 2 teaspoon salt divided
- 3 cloves garlic crushed or minced
- ¼ pound sliced prosciutto ham diced
- 28 ounce can) San Marzano tomatoes, crushed (or any type of crushed tomato)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
optional
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese freshly shredded
- 4 leaves fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until onions are beginning to soften and yellow (3 minutes). Stir in garlic and prosciutto and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes with juices and Italian seasoning to the onions, garlic, and prosciutto. Cover and simmer the sauce on low heat while the pasta cooks (15-20 minutes).
- Heat a large pot with 3 quarts of water plus 1 teaspoon of salt for the pasta). Once boiling, add the rigatoni, penne, ziti, tortellini, or fettuccine and cook until al dente (follow the instructions on your pasta box). Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- Keep the burner on low heat and stir in ½ cup of pasta water. Continue stirring until the Pomodoro sauce thickens. Add more pasta water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce is rich and glossy with small chunks of tomatoes. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
- To serve: add rigatoni to the bowl. Top with the Filetto di Pomodoro sauce. Garnish with parmesan cheese, freshly cut basil, and ground pepper before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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