What to make with pasta and tomatoes
Pasta and tomatoes is the original five-ingredient dinner. Cooked properly, it tastes restaurant-grade in 20 minutes. Built by a working chef.
Four ways to cook pasta and tomatoes tonight
- Spaghetti pomodoro. Crush canned San Marzanos, simmer 12 minutes with garlic and olive oil, finish pasta in the sauce with a splash of pasta water.
- Cherry tomato pasta with garlic confit. Roast cherry tomatoes at 400°F until they burst, smash into pasta with confited garlic, parm, and basil.
- Penne arrabbiata. Sweat garlic and chili flakes in olive oil, add crushed tomatoes, simmer 10 minutes, toss with penne.
- Pasta alla Norma. Roast eggplant, fold into tomato sauce, finish pasta with ricotta salata and basil.
The one thing chefs do that home cooks skip
always finish pasta in the sauce, not the colander. Reserve a cup of pasta water — that starchy water is what makes the sauce cling to every noodle.
If you've also got…
Add one of these and the dish levels up: lemon, fresh herbs, parmigiano, anchovy paste, chili crisp, soy sauce, butter, or a fried egg. The chef behind NowCook keeps every one of those in the kitchen for exactly this kind of pivot.
Let NowCook build the recipe.
Tell NowCook you have pasta and tomatoes. Add a few pantry staples. It builds a step-by-step recipe in 12 seconds — with substitutions for whatever you're missing. $9/month or $72/year ($6/mo effective, save $36/yr). 14-day free trial. No credit card required.
See pricing & start free →Frequently asked questions
- Can NowCook build a recipe just from pasta and tomatoes?
- Yes. Type in any two or more ingredients you have on hand and NowCook builds a real recipe — with substitutions if you're missing common pantry items like salt, oil, or garlic. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
- What if I only have pasta and tomatoes and nothing else?
- NowCook works with whatever's in your kitchen. The recipe will assume basic pantry staples (salt, pepper, oil, a fat, an acid) — if those aren't on hand, the app will note it and adjust.
- Does NowCook handle dietary restrictions?
- Yes. Set your diet once (gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, high-protein, dairy-free) and every recipe respects it.
- How much does NowCook cost?
- $9 per month or $72 per year (a $36 yearly savings — works out to $6 effective per month). 14-day free trial. No credit card required to start.
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