This Tomato Basil Pasta is so flavorful – fresh basil is my favorite!
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped – about 6-8
1 sweet onion, such as Vidalia, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces uncooked spinach fettuccine
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except the fettucine and cheese in a large glass or ceramic bowl (not metal); stir well and cover tightly. Allow to sit at room temperature at least 4 hours; or overnight in the refrigerator. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before serving.
Cook the pasta; drain but do not rinse. Toss the pasta with the fresh tomato sauce; divide among four plates. Sprinkle each serving with up to 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestion
Serve this dish just slightly warm or at room temperature.
Variation
After tossing the pasta with the sauce, sprinkle a 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed) on top.
Makes: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 cup cooked pasta, 1-1/2 cups sauce, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Each serving provides: Calories: 430, Total fat: 18 g, Saturated fat: 3.5 g, Protein: 12 g, Fiber: 7 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Sodium: 840 mg.
Source: American Dietetic Association Cooking Healthy Across America
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That sounds D-vine! I love using fresh chopped tomatoes as a sauce, and I’m a basil lover too. This recipe covers it all. Oh yeah, and the garbanzo beans are a wonderful addition. Love those too!
This sounds really good! We’ll be trying this soon to be sure.
This is wonderful.
We have a bumper crop of fresh basil this year. Tell us more we can do with it, and how do you dry it for use this winter?
Hey patmac,
So good to see you in the comments! One of my favorite ways to use fresh basil is with this simple salad – sliced tomatoes, sliced fresh mozarella, fresh basil… then just drizzle some olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top and add some cracked pepper. That’s it! So delicious. As for drying the basil, let me look into that and get back to you.