This Penne Napoli recipe is a delightful dish that showcases the beauty of simple, quality ingredients. The combination of garlic, onions, and basil with the rich tomato sauce makes for a comforting and satisfying meal that comes together quickly. It is the perfect pasta dish for busy weeknights.
Napoli sauce is a truly simple to make, uses ingredients you likely keep on hand, and simmers away with just occasional stirring.
Toss in a pound of penne and you have one of the easiest pasta dishes, perfect for any occasion.
Serve this up with a crusty loaf of Ciabatta, put out some extra parmesan for topping, and make a vibrant summer salad like Grinder Salad, Arugula Salad with Parmesan, or Chopped Italian Salad to serve up an authentic taste of Napoli.
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Make this dish, because...
Penne Napoli is a weeknight dinner winner!!!
You likely have all of the ingredients sitting in your pantry.
This dish will take right around 30 minutes to make.
It is full flavored and naturally vegan.
If you need to bulk it up, you can easily add vegetables and protein for a complete meal.
Ingredients
- Penne Pasta: Penne is the perfect pasta for this chunky pasta sauce. The Napolitana Sauce gets caught in each and every tube so that every mouthful is the perfect balance of al dente pasta and rich tomato sauce.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Good canned tomatoes are packed with flavor and save tons of time.
- Tomato Paste: A dollop of tomato paste makes this sauce have richness and depth. It tastes like it has simmered all day.
- Onion & Garlic: These build that base flavor and comforting aroma.
- Basil: Fresh basil adds a touch of sweetness and lovely herbal flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These are optional, but they give the Napoli sauce the touch of warmth you expect with southern Italian food.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Penne Napoli
Step 1: Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Then, add olive oil and diced yellow onion to the pan. Sauté onions until they are translucent and soft.
Step 2: Next, turn the heat down to medium low and add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, minced garlic and gently warm.
Step 3: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes allowing it to caramelize slightly.
Step 4: Then, add diced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves.
Step 5: Bring to a low simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally.
Step 6: Finally, remove the basil leaves and add cooked penne pasta and some reserved pasta water to the sauce. Stir into the Napoli sauce until coated.
Top with parmesan cheese and serve with your favorite Italian side salad or a loaf of good bread. Keep this Italian Salad Dressing handy to throw together a great salad anytime.
Hint: Start the pasta water first! It's not fun to wait for water to boil when you are nearly ready to eat. Let the water get hot, put a lid on it to prevent evaporation. The water will be ready when you are.
How to Cook Penne
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot.
- Add penne pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions. You can test a piece of pasta 1-2 minutes early to ensure it is cooked to al dente.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
Variations
I like penne for this sauce, but you can play around with other pasta shapes. Spaghetti is a nice traditional option.
Adding fun ingredients to Penne Napoli can make this simple pasta dish a complete meal.
Add some veggies: Sautéed Mushroom and Bell peppers are delicious.
Add protein: Grilled Italian Sausage, Grilled Chicken, or Plump shrimp all make a hearty topping.
Storage and Reheating
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop by placing in a wide skillet on low heat. Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is too thick.
- Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring as you go until it is warmed through.
Diana's Tips for Success
Top tip
Hang on to a cup of pasta water. Adding just a splash or two of starchy pasta water will give your sauce just the right consistency and help that sauce cling to each noodle.
- Use high-quality canned tomatoes: I recommend diced tomatoes, but whole peeled work as well. Whole tomatoes need to be diced before simmering.
- Don't overcook the garlic: It should be golden, not brown, to avoid a bitter taste.
FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh tomatoes. Blanch them to remove the skins, then chop and cook them down in the same way as canned. San Marzano or Roma tomatoes are best for sauces.
Dried basil can be used in a pinch, though the flavor won't be as vibrant. Add it to the sauce along with the tomatoes to let it infuse.
In the American context, there is no difference between Marinara and Napoli sauce. With a base of tomatoes, onions, and herbs, this red sauce is only simmered for around 30 minutes and can be used on pasta or on other dishes like pizza. In Napoli, this sauce would be called "La Salsa" (the sauce) and Marinara would refer to a seafood sauce.
Related
Looking for more simple pasta recipe, try...
- 15-Minute Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Basil Pesto Sauce
- Spinach Pesto Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo without Cream
- Pesto Calabrese
- Pumpkin Pasta with Toasted Bread Crumb
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Penne Napoli:
- Classic Shrimp Scampi
- Italian Stuffed Artichokes
- Italian Grilled Chicken
- Burrata Caprese with Basil Oil
- Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions
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📖 Recipe
Penne Napoli (Penne alla Napolitana)
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet or Dutch Oven for cooking Napoli sauce
- 1 Large Pot for boiling pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Penne Pasta
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 14 ounce Cans Diced Tomatoes
- ¼ Cup Basil Leaves loosely packed
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
Napoli Sauce
- Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Then, add olive oil and diced yellow onion to the pan. Saute onions until they are translucent and soft.
- Next turn the heat down to medium low and add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, minced garlic and gently warm.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes allowing it to caramelize slightly.
- Then, add diced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. Bring to a low simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Finally, remove the basil leaves and add cooked penne pasta and some reserved pasta water to the sauce and stir until coated.
- Top with parmesan cheese and serve with your favorite Italian side salad or a loaf of good bread.
How to Cook Penne
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot.
- Add penne pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions. You can test a piece of pasta 1-2 minutes early to ensure it is cooked to al-dente.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
Notes
- Use high-quality canned tomatoes: I recommend diced tomatoes, but whole peeled work as well. Whole tomatoes need to be diced before simmering.
- Don't overcook the garlic: It should be golden, not brown, to avoid a bitter taste.
- Hang on to a cup of pasta water. Adding just a splash or two of starchy pasta water will give your sauce just the right consistency and help that sauce cling to each noodle.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop by placing in a wide skillet on low heat. Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is too thick.
- Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring as you go until it is warmed through.
Nutrition
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Diana Reis says
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