Five Simple Pasta Sauce Recipes
Who doesn’t enjoy a good pasta? With so many different types and sauces, there’s sure to be a combination to suit everyone’s tastes. And that’s without ever having to reach for a jar of Dolmio from the supermarket shelves!
There are so many fantastic pasta sauces that can be made with just a handful of fresh ingredients and pantry staples. Try some of these simple and delicious pasta sauce recipes at home for a dish that’s easy to prepare and full of flavour.
Basil Pesto Sauce
What you’ll need: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1 clove garlic, ½ cup grated parmesan, ½ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup pine nuts.
What to do: In a food processor, place the basil and pine nuts and pulse several times. Add the garlic and parmesan and blend. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Tip: Don’t have pine nuts in the pantry? Try using walnuts or pistachios instead.
Cherry Tomato and Basil Sauce
What you’ll need: 500g cherry tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 2tbs olive oil, fresh basil
What to do: Cut the tomatoes in half and finely chop the garlic. In a pan, pour the olive oil and saute garlic until softened. Add the cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. After a few minutes, add in some fresh basil leaves. Add a little of the water from the pasta pot for a more saucy result.
Tip: Add anchovies and chopped parsley for an extra punch of flavour!
Classic Tomato Sauce
What you’ll need: 500g fresh tomatoes, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 2tbs olive oil, 1 bay leaf, fresh basil
What to do: Roughly chop the tomatoes by hand and place into a food processor to blend. In a large pot, pour the tomatoes, the olive oil, bay leaf and chopped garlic. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add the fresh basil and season with salt and pepper.
Tip: Add anchovies and chopped parsley for an extra punch of flavour!
Eggplant Pasta Sauce
What you’ll need: 2 eggplants, 500g cherry tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 2tbs olive oil, fresh basil
What to do: Create a simple tomato sauce as listed above. Cut the eggplants into slices and brush with olive oil. Lie them flat in a baking tray and grill until golden, then do the same to the other side. Remove from the grill and cool, then roughly chop into small pieces. Add the eggplant to the tomato sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Tip: Top your bowl of pasta with grated parmesan or, for something a little different, sprinkle with grated ricotta salata.
Plant-Based Bolognese Sauce
What you’ll need: 180g red lentils (rinsed), 500g cherry tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 3tbs olive oil, fresh basil, 1 carrot, 2 stems of celery, 1/2 onion, 4 cups
What to do: Create a simple tomato sauce as listed above. In a separate pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped celery, carrot and onion and saute until softened. Add the tomato sauce and rinsed lentils. Add 2 cups of water and add more as required. Season with salt and pepper.