Katie Couric's 'Effortless' Pasta Is the Ultimate Low-Effort, High-Reward Dinner

Pasta is one of my favorite no-frills dinners to make. If you have a box of pasta in the cabinet, you have so many options. And while rigatoni is my absolute favorite type of pasta, I'm always eager to give something new a try.

And as excited as I get about pasta, when it's combined with an extremely easy recipe that's a win-win in my book. So, when I ran across Katie Couric's recipe for her Effortless Pasta, I knew I had to give it a try. I'd heard that her Lemon Chicken was a winner, so I was excited to see if this one was a keeper too. The best part of all? When I checked the kitchen, I already had all the ingredients I needed for this simple dinner. Here's how it went when I made the dish in my kitchen.

Get the recipe: Katie’s Effortless Pasta Recipe

Ingredients for Katie’s Effortless Pasta Recipe

For this recipe, you'll need grape tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, spaghetti, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Items like basil, pine nuts and whatever else feels right to you are all optional.

How to Make Katie’s Effortless Pasta Recipe

Start by chopping the tomatoes and basil (if you're using it), and mincing some fresh garlic. Place these ingredients into a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar, then drizzle with olive oil. Gently stir everything together and let the mixture sit on the counter for at least an hour, which will give the flavors a chance to meld.

Next, cook your pasta according to the package instructions. When the pasta is done, drain it and reserve a cup of the pasta water. Add the hot, drained pasta to the bowl with the tomato mixture.

Slowly drizzle the reserved pasta water into the mixture, stirring the pasta gently as you add the water, until the pasta is saucy. Adding the water slowly helps the pasta absorb the flavors and ensures a perfectly balanced dish.

Related: Katie Couric's Lemon Chicken Is My New Favorite Easy Summer Supper

What I Thought of Katie’s Effortless Pasta Recipe

Though this was an effortless recipe, the taste said otherwise. This was a delicious pasta that I could see myself enjoying while dining al fresco with friends or even when I'm looking for a light, delicious dinner this summer.

The key is letting the mixture sit as Couric suggests. Letting the tomato-garlic mixture sit and blend, and carefully adding the pasta water helps create a delicious sauce that perfectly coats each strand of pasta. This simple yet flavorful recipe showcases the beauty of fresh ingredients and minimal preparation. It's also a testament to the power of simplicity in the kitchen.

While I only used the tomatoes and garlic, I kind of regret not adding in more ingredients. The next time I make this, I'll be adding in more seasonal ingredients to make this my own.

Tips for Making Katie Couric's Effortless Pasta

1. Let the mixture sit for at least an hour. I know you're used to pasta being quick and easy, but trust me, letting the tomato-garlic mixture sit for an hour or two (or three) will be worth it.

2. Use fresh, seasonal ingredients. The biggest mistake I made with this recipe was not adding in more ingredients. Next time, I'd add some bell peppers and zucchini for a nice summery flavor.

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