Pasta Napoletana
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Pasta Napoletana is an ultra-fast, easy, and economical dinner option — that’s also delicious! With a simple yet flavorful sauce, tender pasta, and plenty of Parmesan cheese, everyone can enjoy this lovely Italian-inspired meal.
This is one of those easy recipes that hardly seems like a recipe, once you’ve made it a few times. It’s so shockingly simple to toss together and relies mainly on pantry staples, making it a life saver for busy nights and those days when you’re just too tired or busy to figure out what to make.
What is pasta Napoletana?
Pasta Napoletana is an Italian dish known for its enticingly simple tomato-based sauce. The good stuff, Napoletana sauce, also goes by the variants Napolitana sauce, Neapolitan sauce, or Napoli sauce. Naples, of course, is the bustling city in southern Italy that brings the world Neapolitan pizza; this sauce is just another of its laudable culinary contributions.
The beauty of this sauce is how easy it is to replicate at home in a high-quality way. You’ll make a homemade sauce that relies on simple cooking techniques to make the most of everyday ingredients.
Tender, comforting spaghetti — or any other pasta shape that you like — gets tossed in the silky tomato sauce for an approachable yet ever-so-slightly elevated meal. This is a true crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike.
Ingredients & Common Substitutions
Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need to make this, as well as possible substitutions. Full ingredients & amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Spaghetti: Or any other pasta shape that you like and have on hand.
- Yellow Onion: The humble yellow onion forms the beginning of the sauce. A white or sweet onion would work, as well.
- Garlic: A couple cloves or 1 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic. If needed, substitute 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and add it with the tomatoes.
- Crushed Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Paste: If it’s possible to splurge on a high-quality brand of crushed tomatoes for this sauce, go for it. San Marzano, Muir Glen, or Mutti brands are reliably excellent. I have also always been pleased with the reasonably affordable 365 store brand from Whole Foods. A smidge of tomato paste adds concentrated flavor and richness to the sauce with minimal effort. The tomato paste can be omitted, though, if you don’t have any on hand.
- Italian Seasoning: A terrific shortcut for getting tons of Italian flavor from one simple jar. Italian seasoning typically includes basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram; other herbs may be included depending on the exact brand.
- Fresh Basil and Parmesan: The ultimate garnishes for serving in style! You can add a dusting of red pepper flakes, too, for a little added heat and flavor.
- Staples: Olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Substitute butter for the oil if you prefer.
How To Make Homemade Pasta Napoletana
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full instructions with timing & temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Step One: Cook pasta in well-salted water just to al dente. Be generous with your pinch! The water ought to be salty like the sea. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water just before draining and set both that and the pasta aside.
Step Two: Whip up your sauce while your spaghetti or other pasta bubbles away. Just a short sauté of the onions in olive oil serves to tenderize and bring out their natural sweetness, which is the perfect complement to acidic tomatoes and lessens the likelihood that you’ll want or need to add sugar to the finished sauce. When onions are softened, add garlic, briefly, followed by the tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings. Once this mixture simmers for 6-8 minutes, it will achieve a beautiful consistency and irresistible flavor.
Step Three: Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss well. Now that water you drained earlier comes into play, because if you want a looser sauce, you can mix that in, a small splash at a time. This is totally personal preference.
You might ask… Why use “pasta water” instead of regular water? As pasta cooks in boiling water, it gives off starch, which is absorbed into the water. This tiny alteration makes starchy “pasta water” superior for adding to sauce. It blends in more smoothly than “regular water” and allows you to loosen the sauce a very small amount at a time with far less risk of making it, well, watery. It also helps the sauce keep that ineffable property of adhering to the pasta, rather than swimming around it.
Step Four: Top with all the basil and Parmesan. Dig in!
Variations
- Carnivores in the house? Add some pre-cooked meatballs at the end, or pan-fry some Italian sausage to go with the sauce. Add sliced sausage to the skillet after cooking the onion and garlic and fry briefly, just until browned. Add tomatoes, let sausage simmer in the sauce, and proceed as you otherwise would. Or, toss in some pre-cooked bacon at the end.
- Prefer pescatarian protein? After cooking the onion and garlic, add a few shrimp to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and pan fry for 2-3 minutes per side, just until opaque and cooked through. Remove shrimp before adding the tomatoes, let the sauce simmer, then return shrimp to the skillet along with the drained pasta.
- Crave more veggies? Add sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, diced celery, or shredded carrot to the sauce. Add any of these items just after adding the garlic, and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes before proceeding with the tomatoes. Prefer greens? Add chopped kale, Swiss chard, or baby spinach to the sauce near the end of its simmering time.
- Want some heat? Use fire-roasted crushed tomatoes — so good! Or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. Some people like heat and others don’t? No problem. Put a small bowl of red pepper flakes in a bowl and pass at the table, just as you might Parmesan. Boom, you’re a veritable ristorante, right at home. Your Nonna would be proud, if you had one.
- Make It Vegan: Just omit the cheese, or use a vegan-certified Parmesan imitation.
Serving Suggestions
Pasta Napoletana goes very well with all the usual Italian-inspired suspects: for a veggie, try an arugula salad, roasted or steamed green beans, or roasted broccoli or Brussel sprouts. Garlic bread, garlic knots, or breadsticks are always a welcome accompaniment.
Caprese salad also makes a nice pairing — try this cozy winter Caprese with oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, or in the summer and early fall, this peach Caprese makes a truly lovely presentation.
Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Leftovers keep very well for 3-4 days. Store in an airtight container or your favorite prep boxes in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm in the microwave or over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. Add fresh basil leaves and Parmesan to taste after heating.
I haven’t personally tried freezing this pasta dish yet; if you do, please leave a comment so we can all learn how it goes!
This pasta Napoletana is definitely one of those back-pocket recipes for which I always try to keep the ingredients. I hope you love it as much as we do!
More Quick and Easy Pasta Recipes
We all need some fast, cozy pasta action in our lives from time to time! Next, try my creamy Tuscan tortellini, salmon pesto pasta, or lemon chicken pasta. All easy and extremely delicious.
If you try this Pasta Napoletana, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Pasta Napoletana
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- fresh basil and grated Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, followed by the spaghetti. Cook just to al dente, according to package directions. Just before draining, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain remaining water and set pasta aside.
- While the spaghetti cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds more, just until fragrant.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a small pinch of pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss well to combine. If you prefer a looser sauce, add a bit of cooking water a splash at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Top portions with chopped basil and grated Parmesan, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- To Add Meat: Add some pre-cooked meatballs at the end, or pan-fry some Italian sausage to go with the sauce. Add sliced sausage to the skillet after cooking the onion and garlic and fry briefly, just until browned. Add tomatoes, let sausage simmer in the sauce, and proceed as you otherwise would.
- To Add Shrimp: After cooking the onion and garlic, add a few shrimp to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and pan fry for 2-3 minutes per side, just until opaque and cooked through. Remove shrimp before adding the tomatoes, let the sauce simmer, then return shrimp to the skillet along with the drained pasta.
- To Add Veggies: Add sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, or shredded carrot to the sauce. Add any of these items just after adding the garlic, and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes before proceeding with the tomatoes. Prefer greens? Add chopped kale, Swiss chard, or baby spinach to the sauce near the end of its simmering time.
- To Add Heat: Use fire-roasted crushed tomatoes — so good! Or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. Some people like heat and others don’t? No problem. Put a small bowl of red pepper flakes in a bowl and pass at the table, just as you might Parmesan. Boom, you’re a veritable ristorante, right at home. Your Nonna would be proud, if you had one.
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the pasta and sauce portioned into 6 servings. It doesn’t include Parmesan.
Pasta Napoletana = ideal for a quick and easy meal. Pair with a salad. A no excuses, no time to cook meal. Thank you, Monica!