Red sauce pasta recipe – Healthy & delicious kids’ friendly pasta that can be made for after school meal or dinner. Red sauce pasta is a dish made with pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic & herbs. This is one of the best pasta recipes you can make at home & I am sure your family will love it.
Red sauce pasta can be served for a meal with
pizza
tomato soup
Cheese toast
sandwiches
This is an easy idea to include tomatoes and red bell pepper in kids’ diet. Red sauce pasta recipe is generally made using only tomatoes. Mostly canned tomatoes or tomato paste/ puree is used to get the bright color.
Making this red sauce pasta recipe entirely using only tomatoes will make it very tangy. So you can use either onions or bell peppers to balance the tang from tomatoes.
If you are looking for ideas to include bell pepper in your diet, then surely this is a must try. On occasions I also make this with chicken and shrimps. It tastes great that way too. I have mentioned the details in the notes below.
The unique taste and flavor comes from roasting the tomatoes & bell pepper before blending. They can be oven roasted or sauteed in the pan just like the way I have done in this post.
Do not skip this step as it makes red sauce pasta more flavorful and delicious.
More Pasta recipes,
Masala pasta
White sauce pasta
Pasta payasam
Pasta soup
Chicken pasta.
Preparation
The red sauce I have made for this pasta recipe uses red bell pepper along with tomatoes. But can be substituted with onions.
1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute bell peppers or onions on a high flame just for 2 mins. You can also skip bell peppers and use onion. The taste would be different but good. Set them aside to cool.
2. To the same pan, add ripe tomatoes and saute for 2 to 3 mins.
3. Tomatoes must turn soft. Add red chili flakes as needed. Set this aside to cool.
4. When cooled, add them to a blender jar.
5. Blend to a smooth or coarse paste. We prefer smooth. Set this aside.
6. While you make the sauce, you can bring 2 liters water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt as needed.
7. When the water comes to a boil, add pasta. Cook al dente following the instructions on the pack.
8. Drain off in a colander and rinse to remove extra starch.
How to make red sauce pasta recipe
9. Put back the same pan on the stove with another 1 tbsp oil. When hot saute garlic and red chili flakes until they turn fragrant.
10. Add chopped onions.
11. Saute until the raw smell goes away.
12. Add the puree and salt. Mix and cook on a medium heat until the sauce thickens.
13. This is the consistency i prefer, you can even take off a little earlier. Add oregano. Mix well. Off the stove.
14. Add the cooked pasta. I prefer another tbsp olive oil now. This is optional.
15. Saute until well combined.
Add crushed pepper. Serve pasta in red sauce hot.
Related Recipes
Red sauce pasta
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 ½ cups pasta (any)
- 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil (or any)
- salt as needed
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp onions finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups tomatoes ripe red chopped
- 1 ¼ cup red bell peppers or red capsicum or ½ to ¾ cup onions
- ½ to 1 tsp red chili flakes (adjust as needed)
- ½ to 1 tsp oregano or mixed herbs
- pepper freshly crushed for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Roast onions or bell peppers in 1 tbsp oil for 3 mins on a high flame. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Roast tomatoes until mushy for about 3 mins. Cool this as well.
- Blend them together to a puree. Set aside.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook pasta with salt until al dente (just cooked).
- Drain off and rinse them. Drain in a colander. Set aside.
How to make red sauce pasta
- Heat the same pan with more oil and fry garlic and chili flakes until aromatic.
- Add onions and saute until golden.
- Pour the puree and add salt.
- Mix well and cook until it reaches a desired consistency. Make sure the sauce is not watery. Taste the sauce and adjust salt as needed. Add oregano.
- Off the stove and add the pasta. Toss well until mixed.
- Garnish with herbs. Serve hot pasta in red sauce.
Notes
- If using prawns: You can add about 125 to 150 grams of fresh cleaned tiger prawns after sauteing garlic, onions. Saute until they get cooked. They swirl completely when done. Set them aside without removing onions or garlic. Add them back to the pan along with cooked pasta.
- If using chicken: Cook 150 grams of boneless chicken separately until tender, shred and then add it after sauteing garlic, onions.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Gauri says
It was very tasty… Thanks for the recipe.
swasthi says
Glad you liked it!
Thank you!
Reshma says
Hi Swasthi,
Just made this recipe. Turned out very well. My son ate a whole bowl.
So easy and so tasty. Thank you for this.
swasthi says
Hi Reshma
You are welcome. So good to know your kid enjoyed it. Thank you!
Nasrin says
This is the first time I tried making pasta and it really worked!.. Thank you Swati for this wonderful recipe! 🙂
swasthi says
Welcome Nasrin,
Glad you liked the pasta. Thanks for the comment.
🙂
Sunitha says
Tried this recipe, it was awesome, better than the stuff we get at restaurants!!
Can we prepare the sauce a day before?
Thanks… Sunitha.
swasthi says
Hi Sunitha,
You are welcome. Glad you liked the pasta. Yes you can prepare the sauce a day before and keep in the fridge. Reheat it very well and use. Thanks for rating the recipe.
Rachel ? says
Tried this recipe and it came out well. Used kasuri methi instead of oregano and chilli powder for chilli flakes. There was no taste difference, it tasted awesome. Thank you for this easy and fantastic recipe !
swasthi says
Hi Rachel,
You are welcome. Glad your pasta turned out good. Yes kasuri methi does go well. Thanks for the comment.
🙂
Narayanan K says
Tastes very very great.And easy to make
swasthi says
Thank you
Sheetal Sarang says
I loved the recipe and also the simplicity in it. It was soo yummy..
swasthi says
Thanks Sheetal
sasi says
Today I prepared and kids liked it.(First time pasta made at home!).
Thanks.
swasthi says
Welcome Sasi
Thanks for the comment
Jithu says
Hi swasthi
Is there any replacement for chilli flakes bcoz i donot have them with me.
Hope u can reply asap
swasthi says
Hi Jithu,
You can use red chili if you have otherwise little chilli powder. If you have red chilies you can just pulse them in a mixer jar or cut with kitchen scissor to make your own chili flakes. Thanks for rating the recipe.
Rochelle D'souza says
A big thank you . god bless you. All the recepies that I have tried hav been a big hit .
swasthi says
You are welcome Rochelle D’souza!
Thanks a lot for the wishes.
🙂
Anuprita says
I tried this recipe today.. And it was yummmm…. Thank you for nice recipe… I was searching for nice recipe for pasta in red sauce.. And yours turn out so well… Thanks again..
swasthi says
Welcome Anuprita
Glad to know you liked it. Thanks a lot for the comment.
🙂
Anuprita says
Can I get recipe for Pesto sauce??
swasthi says
Hi Anuprita,
I have this peanut pesto pasta and this almond mint pesto pasta. IF you want to use the sauce for some other recipe, then just skip making pasta. Hope this helps.
Shreelaxmi says
I want to know is this pasta is made up of rawa/suji or maida?
swasthi says
Hi ShreeLaxmi,
Pasta I have used is made of durum wheat. But in the market you can find them made with whole wheat, wheat, quinoa, semolina/ suji, brown rice etc
Tharika says
Very nice recipe…came out excellent…its a keeper for sure…thank you!
swasthi says
Welcome Tharika
Thanks for the comment
S says
Hi can the pasta sauce be stored in fridge for a day ? I
swasthi says
Yes you can store it
S says
Thank you.
Rinku says
I have used this recipe of yours several times and the Pasta has come out great each time!! Thank you!
jaspreet kaur says
This is very easy and awesome racipe
swasthi says
Thanks Jaspreet
Indie says
This is an awesome recipe. My lil one gobbled up te whole thing served to him!!
Thanks !!
swasthi says
Welcome Indie
Glad to know the little one liked it. Thanks for the comment
sagar says
Wonderful… yummy ….came out excellent.
I thought to ulpoad the pic but unfortunately it is not available. i request you if possible make a chnge for uploading pics.. Those who followed your reciepe can comment with pictures.
Thank you swasthigaru
swasthi says
Welcome Sagar garu
Glad to know it came out good.
Yes we do not have the option to upload pics. But you can send them to our fb page or mail me.
If sent to fb page we will share it on our page.
Thanks for your time.
sagar says
Thank you.. will do it
gracy lobo says
Awesome
swasthi says
Thank you
T Krishna says
Hello, I made red sauce pasta, it was delicious..but my pasta was slightly soggy..can you please tell me something so it is not soggy? Thank you for sharing so easy recipes with us.
swasthi says
Hi Krishna
Sorry for the delay. Pasta was soggy – Do you mean it was soft and overcooked or do you mean the pasta turned runny.
To prevent overcooking pasta, just follow the instructions mentioned on the pack. Each pasta will have a different cooking time depending on the shape and the grain used.
If your pasta has turned runny, then it means you have to cook the sauce for few more minutes.
Ravish Sharma says
I am regularly following your blog.You really post very delicious and easy to cook food recipes.Thanks for sharing your recipes with us.
swasthi says
Hi Ravish
Glad to know you like the recipes & follow the blog as well. You are welcome and thanks for the feedback.
Sgg says
Tried the pasta in red sauce. It turned out great. My kid loved it. Very simple yet delicious. Thank you so much swasti for sharing such a great recipe.
Sgg says
Sorry wanted to give 5 stars by mistake it hot uploaded??
swasthi says
Welcome Sgg
No problem. Happy to know it turned out good