Pasta with tomato sauce
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses UK words and measures (hob, grams, gas marks); the US version uses stove, cups and °F. · US version of this page
A first proper meal: boiling pasta safely and making a simple sauce from a tin of tomatoes.
- Serves 4
- About 30 min
- Hob
- Best for: KS3 (ages 11–14)
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 300 g dried pasta (such as penne) – contains gluten
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano
- 40 g Cheddar cheese, grated (optional) – contains milk
Need a different amount? Use the recipe scaler.
Equipment
- large saucepan
- small saucepan or frying pan
- colander
- chopping board
- cook's knife
- garlic crusher
- wooden spoon
- tin opener
Safety first
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds.
- Turn saucepan handles inwards.
- Ask about allergies: pasta contains gluten and may contain egg; cheese contains milk.
Allergens: Cereals containing gluten, Milk. Some brands may also contain eggs. Always read every label and ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes.
Method
- Fill the large saucepan two-thirds full of water and bring it to the boil.
- Peel and finely chop the onion with the claw grip. Crush the garlic.
- Heat the oil in the small pan. Cook the onion gently until soft, then add the garlic for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and herbs and simmer, stirring now and then.
- Carefully add the pasta to the boiling water. Stir once, then boil for the time on the packet (usually 10–12 minutes) until just tender.
- Adult: Put the colander in the sink. An adult pours the pasta in, tipping the pan away from their body so the steam goes the other way.
- Stir the pasta into the sauce. Serve with grated cheese if you like.
What this recipe teaches
Boiling and simmering, Knife skills: the claw grip, Using the hob safely, Presenting food. Steps marked “Adult” are done by an adult or closely supervised.
Try the interactive lesson
Step by step: a quick safety check, questions marked by Classfern, timers for each cooking step, then an honest look at how it went – a teacher or parent judges the cooking, and learners rate their own work. Photos of the finished dish stay at home.
Use the code your teacher gave you – never your name. Progress is kept on this device.