Margherita Pasta

Easy and fresh summer pasta with fresh tomatoes, basil, parmesan, and garlic. It comes together quickly and makes the perfect light meal.

📝 Ingredients

• 8 oz. dry penne pasta
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 3 tsp. minced garlic, about 3 cloves
• 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2 cups diced roma tomatoes
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar or any other sweetener of choice
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook pasta until al dente in salted water according to package directions.
2. 2While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Make sure the skillet is big enough to hold the sauce and pasta. Add garlic and chili flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant while stirring constantly.
3. 3Add tomatoes, basil, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until tomatoes are slightly softened and heated through, about 2 minutes. Do not simmer for too long or you won’t have any sauce left.
4. 4Drain the pasta reserving about 1/2 cup of water. Add pasta to the tomato sauce with a little bit of the reserved pasta cooking water, and stir until well coated and combined. Keep in mind that pasta will absorb some of the moisture and the sauce will thicken up.
5. 5Stir in the Parmesan cheese. You can add a bit more of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen up the sauce. Serve immediately.