Capellini Pomodoro Recipe

The best Capellini Pomodoro pasta bowl of all times. An easy, light and zesty sauce made with fresh tomatoes and basil. This simple, meatless, dairy free recipe is the absolute perfect weeknight dinner.

Capellini Pomodoro

Thin angel hair style pasta (“little hairs” in Italian) coated in a luscious pomodoro sauce – a fresh tomato sauce made from juicy cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and basil. Brightened up by a squeeze of fresh lemon juice this is the ultimate summer pasta bowl.

Pomodoro or pomo d’oro translates as “golden apple” since the original recipe made use of the abundant golden cherry tomatoes that looked like little apples.

No meat, no balsamic vinegar, no dairy and most definitely no canned tomatoes. If desired, salty capers or a good pinch of spicy red chili flakes can be added. Better than Olive Garden and Il Fornaio, you absolutely must make this pasta dinner!

Ingredients

• The Tomatoes -I love using a mix of sungold and red cherry varieties for their sweet flavor and thin skins. Stay away from grape tomatoes which are on the dryer side with tough skins and not suitable in this recipe. Using canned tomatoes would be a total disappointment, save those for slow simmered sauces like marinara, arrabiata or puttanesca.
• Capellini vs Angel Hair –  they are pretty much the same thing friends (0.85mm to 0.92 mm thick noodles VS 0.78mm – 0.88 mm thick) as you can see we are literally splitting hairs, use whichever you have. The most important thing is that you don’t overcook the noodles!
• Garlic – use a microplane and grate all the garlic cloves into a paste. Add it to the hot oil and only cook until fragrant. You don’t want color but that perfect aroma that infuses the oil in the first 30 seconds, so take care not to burn it.
• Lemon – brightens up the sauce from all that garlic and balances the sweetness from the tomatoes with a little zest.
• Fresh Basil / Basilico – thinly sliced green ribbons not only make your pasta bowl look pretty but perfumes it with the loveliest of summer’s aromas.
• Chili flakes – make it spicy with a good pinch of red pepper flakes or enjoy as is.

how to make Italian capellini pomodoro e basilico

1. Start the pasta water and prep your tomatoes and garlic.
2. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Sir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook until they burst.
3. Hit it with freshly squeezed lemon juice and season to taste. Add the fresh basil.
4. Cook your capellini noodles just until al dente then transfer them directly into the pomodoro sauce. Toss to coat well and enjoy with fresh basil.

5 from 2 votes

Capellini Pomodoro

The best Capellini Pomodoro pasta bowl of all times. An easy, light and zesty Italian sauce made with fresh tomatoes and basil. This simple, meatless, dairy free recipe is the absolute perfect weeknight dinner.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:10 minutes mins

Total Time:20 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups cherry tomatoes halved (mixed colors)
• 1/3 cup fresh basil thinly sliced
• 7 cloves garlic grated
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more as needed
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 pinch red chili flakes optional
• 3/4 lb capellini or angel hair pasta
• sea salt + black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat a large skillet over medium low heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the garlic for about 30 seconds or so, just until it starts to release its aroma. Take good care not to burn it.
• Add the chili flakes and sliced tomatoes to the pan and hit them with a pinch of sea salt. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid and let them simmer until they start to burst and collapse. (a couple of minutes)
• Squeeze the lemon over the tomato sauce and remove from heat. Season to taste with sea salt and stir in the fresh basil and remaining olive oil.
• Meanwhile cook the pasta until al dente according to directions on the package. Make sure the pasta water is seasoned generously with sea salt and you do not overcook the noodles. Depending on the brand the capellini could be done as soon as it collapses in the water so make sure to test one right away.
• Transfer the al dente cooked capellini directly into the pan with the cherry tomato sauce. Using kitchen tongs make sure to coat them well but taking good care not to break them. Add some of the pasta cooking water to stretch out the sauce if need be.
• Serve with extra fresh basil on top and lemon wedges on the side.

Video

Notes

• The Tomatoes -I love using a mix of sungold and red cherry varieties for their sweet flavor and thin skins. Stay away from grape tomatoes which are on the dryer side with tough skins and not suitable in this recipe. Using canned tomatoes would be a total disappointment, save those for slow simmered sauces like marinara, arrabiata or puttanesca.
• Capellini vs Angel Hair -  they are pretty much the same thing friends (0.85mm to 0.92 mm thick noodles VS 0.78mm - 0.88 mm thick) as you can see we are literally splitting hairs, use whichever you have. The most important thing is that you don't overcook the noodles!

Nutrition

Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 842IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: capellini pomodoro, tomato pasta, Vegan

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 474kcal

Italian Recipes