Simple Red Sauce with Pasta

Read Reviews (12)

"A delicious, easy sauce that works every time. The key to this recipe is fresh ingredients and a healthy appetite!" — Dayna Kennison

Directions

In a large pot with boiling salted water cook penne pasta until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet cook the bacon strips until mostly cooked, but not crisp. Remove from pan, break into bite size pieces. Drain bacon grease from pan. Return cooked bacon to pan, add minced garlic, chopped red onion, olive oil and chili pepper. Saute until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour ingredients into a large bowl. Add additional grated Parmesan cheese to top and serve immediately over cooked and drained pasta.

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Feb 18, 2004

This is a great recipe, what is HELENA41 going on about! If you prefer a saucier sauce use a tin of crushed tomatoes or an Italian style plain tomato pasta sauce. I used a tin of tomatoes and thyme as the seasoning and it worked brillantly. Just amend to suit your families taste.

—CONNIE COOK

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Feb 12, 2004

This was one of the worst pastas I've ever eaten. The sauce wasn't a sauce but more of a huge clump of bacon/cheese. It tasted like a bad carbonara with tomatoes, and the fat content mixed with the bad flavor will make you feel guilty for a week.

—HELENA41

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15 Ratings

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Jul 30, 2003

This was great. I used thyme (suggested by another reviewer) and a little bit of basil. This really turned out great for a delicious dinner. Thanks for posting.

—Momof2

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Apr 01, 2011

This is very similar to pasta alla amatriciana which is not very common in the U.S. I was taught how to make this by a lady from Rome. The proportion of onions to tomato in a true amatriciana is about 1 tomato per 3 onions, and her recipe called for neither basil nor chili peppers, but did use a sprinkle of nutmeg. Also, you should use the bacon grease to cook in rather than draining it and using the olive oil, for the best flavor (though this recipe as written is healthier than using the bacon grease). As other reviewers have noticed, amatriciana isn't really a sauce but is clumpy. You can puree it but traditionally it is clumpy. Don't expect it to taste like a 'regular' spaghetti sauce or you will be disappointed - amatriciana is a totally different dish and when done well is quite delightful.

—anyeone

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Sep 23, 2009

This was AMAZING! I was really pressed for time when I made this for another couple my husband and I had over for dinner. I picked this recipe without giving it much thought so I could at least use my own sauce on what I thought was going to be spaghetti. I'm glad I didn't read the ingredients more closely, or I would have been afraid to try out something different at the last minute (the name deceived me , thinking it would be a marinara-type sauce). It isn't very saucy, but I made sure to mix it up well and added a little olive oil to the pasta to coat before I added it. I also cooked up some italian sausage and put that in with it, and it turned out great! Everyone went back for seconds. I will definitely make this again!

—britt

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Nov 24, 2003

Everyone LOVED it! We like our food VERY spicy so I used 2 Jalapenos with the seeds as my peppers and it was excellent!

—SNOWDAWG

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Aug 29, 2002

Great and so simple! Im sure some of you chefs think this is a no brainer but for me and other non-creative people this made me look pro! We all loved it and put it into our monthly rotation! Thanks!

—SHRADER

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Apr 01, 2011

Delicious just the way it's written.

—pinstripes7

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Nutrition

Calories
740 kcal
37%

Carbohydrates
89.7 g
29%

Cholesterol
40 mg
13%

Fat
32.1 g
49%

Fiber
5.6 g
22%

Protein
25.9 g
52%

Sodium
553 mg
22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Simple Red Sauce with Pasta

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 740
Calories from Fat: 289

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 32.1g 49 %
Saturated Fat 10g 50 %
Cholesterol 40mg 13 %
Sodium 553mg 22 %
Potassium 613mg 17 %
Total Carbohydrates 89.7g 29 %
Dietary Fiber 5.6g 22 %
Protein 25.9g 52 %
Sugars 8g
Vitamin A 20 %
Vitamin C 69 %
Calcium 23 %
Iron 40 %
** Thiamin 23 %
Niacin 84 %
Vitamin B6 24 %
Magnesium 28 %
Folate 14 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.