By Aditi Saraswat
July 20, 2026
Skip the store-bought pasta sauces and let fresh tomatoes take charge. This spaghetti tossed in a homemade fresh tomato sauce feels light, full of fresh flavours and is perfect when you want to have a quick weeknight dinner after a long, hectic day.
200 g spaghetti 5–6 ripe tomatoes, chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp dried oregano 8–10 fresh basil leaves ½ tsp black pepper Salt, to taste 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional) 1 tsp butter (optional)
In salted water, boil spaghetti until al dente. Reserve half a cup of the pasta water while draining the noodles, so that you can use it while making pasta sauce.
In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté the garlic until aromatic. Add chopped onions and cook until it becomes soft, then add diced fresh tomatoes and salt.
Cook tomatoes over medium heat until soft and mushy. Now add oregano, chilli flakes, pepper, and basil, then let it simmer until it thickens.
Add the boiled spaghetti to the pan and pour in the reserved pasta water into it and toss everything so that every noodle strand is evenly coated.
Mix in butter to add some extra richness. Top it with grated Parmesan, fresh basil, and some extra sprinkle of chilli flakes and enjoy it while still hot.