By Aditi Saraswat
February 9, 2026
Making spaghetti at home does not require any fancy sauces or those chef skills. With basic everyday ingredients and a few easy steps, you can cook a satisfying bowl that feels fresh, is light, and extremely satisfying.
200 g spaghetti 2 tbsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 cup tomato puree ½ tsp chilli flakes ½ tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs Salt, to taste ¼ cup pasta water 2 tbsp grated cheese (optional) Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
In a vessel, boil spaghetti in salted water until it turns soft but not mushy. Drain in a pan to reserve the pasta water.
In a pan, heat olive oil, and sauté some chopped garlic on low heat until aromatic. Keep in mind not to brown it to maintain the flavour and fragrance.
To this, add tomato puree, salt, chilli flakes, and some dried herbs. Cook on medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken a little and the raw tomato taste is gone.
Now, add the reserved pasta water and mix it well. This will help loosen the sauce and will create a silky layer for the spaghetti.
Add the boiled spaghetti to the sauce and toss it gently until every strand is coated nicely. Cook everything together for a minute or two.
Turn off the heat, garnish it with fresh basil and grated cheese if using. Serve hot for a simple, satisfying homemade spaghetti meal.