Katie Couric’s ‘Effortless’ Pasta is a guaranteed crowd favorite.

Katie Couric is all about keeping things simple. Known for her no-fuss approach, she's shared easy recipes over the years, including her tomato sandwich, no-fuss chicken dish, and bacon and peanut butter sandwich. The common thread? They're quick to make and require minimal ingredients.

True to her love for uncomplicated meals, Katie's favorite pasta recipe is a winner. With just six ingredients, it doesn’t need any stovetop monitoring—no sauce to stir—and it’s a dish that everyone will love.

Katie Couric’s ‘Effortless’ Pasta Recipe

Katie's signature 'effortless' pasta, which she featured on her site, Katie Couric Media, is a beloved recipe. Not only is it a favorite of hers, but culinary icons like Stanley Tucci and Ina Garten have also praised it.

Couric's mouthwatering pasta is a timeless favorite, topped with a fresh, no-cook marinated tomato sauce. The simple recipe blends ripe tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. After a few hours of marinating, the flavors meld together beautifully. Once ready, toss the tomatoes with your cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water to slightly warm the tomatoes and create a deliciously saucy texture.

How to Prepare Katie Couric's Favorite Pasta

Though Couric doesn’t provide a detailed recipe on her site, the dish is simple enough to make without exact measurements.

Start by chopping a few cups of small, fresh tomatoes—Couric prefers Sun Golds or wild tomatoes when they're in season, but grape or cherry tomatoes are great substitutes. Add them to a bowl, then mix in a couple of garlic cloves, about 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of sugar.

Let the tomatoes marinate for a few hours, which Couric considers the hardest part of the entire recipe as you wait for the flavors to come together.

Once the tomatoes have marinated, cook your favorite pasta according to the package instructions and reserve a cup of pasta water. Couric prefers linguine, but any pasta shape will do. Drain the pasta and toss it with the marinated tomatoes, grated Parmesan, fresh basil, and toasted pine nuts (if you like).

Gradually add the reserved pasta water until the tomatoes reach a saucy consistency and stop absorbing the liquid.

It doesn't get much simpler than this for a satisfying yet light and fresh dinner, so we wouldn't blame you if you end up making Couric's easy tomato pasta every week.