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Note: We\u2019ll share Lulu\u2019s carrot soup<\/a> recipe next Wednesday! xo<\/em><\/p>\n I feel like everyone\u2019s dad has a signature dish<\/a>. And I\u2019m just going to say it: My dad\u2019s spaghetti is the best. Or at least, it\u2019s the best for this time of year \u2014 a big bowl of warm, salty, flavorful comfort. The craving hits me like clockwork in the first week of January, and while my dad would argue that I like it so much simply because he\u2019s made it for me, in this case, that\u2019s just not true. My dad died 11 months ago, and though I\u2019m still feeling profound grief<\/a>, I can also safely say I love this pasta just as much when I make it for myself. Sorry, Dad!<\/p>\n The recipe itself is simple \u2014 almost suspiciously so. It\u2019s garlic, crushed tomatoes, olive oil and salt. Yet it took me years of practice and pestering phone calls to get it right. I didn\u2019t understand how my dad could turn such basic ingredients into a sauce that looked like nothing on top of spaghetti yet exploded with such deep flavor \u2014 it seemed like a magic trick.<\/p>\n In fact, there are two tricks to this pasta, both decidedly mundane: the proportions and the cooking temperature. The proportions are ridiculous\u00a0\u2014 you\u2019re going to use so much garlic. More than that. No, more. And get this? You\u2019re not going to brown it. You\u2019re not even going to turn on the heat until the very end, and then you\u2019re barely going to turn the knob. It\u2019s going to feel completely wrong while you\u2019re doing it. The day I finally nailed this dish was the day I ignored all my own cooking instincts and just did what my dad said. That\u2019s not always the right move, but sometimes \u2014 okay, fine \u2014 it is.<\/p>\n My Dad\u2019s Spaghetti<\/strong> Dad Notes: The first thing my dad would tell you is that you have to buy good canned tomatoes, ideally Red Pack or Cento. He\u2019d then repeat this advice because it\u2019s important. Got it? Great. The second thing he would tell you is that cappellini is not the same thing as angel hair, and angel hair is too thin.<\/em><\/p>\n Mince or press your garlic. If the cloves are on the smaller side, definitely use 10 \u2014 you want a good pile of garlic. Add it to a saucepan with olive oil (don\u2019t turn on the heat yet!). There should be enough oil to completely cover the garlic and then some. <\/p>\n Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot, and now<\/em> turn the heat on low. Let it hang out there for a while, warming up but not simmering<\/strong>. You may need to crank it to medium-low, but don\u2019t let it reach a simmer. Again, with this sauce we\u2019re not really \u201ccooking\u201d so much as \u201cheating.\u201d The flavors will meld and the garlic will mellow, but it\u2019ll still have a good bite when you\u2019re done. Nudge the sauce with a wood spoon every now and then, to work in the oil \u2014 though it won\u2019t incorporate completely (another one of those proportion keys!). <\/p>\n While the sauce is heating up, boil your pasta in well-salted water. When I say well-salted, I mean a couple shakes more than you\u2019d usually do. We\u2019re not adding any salt to the sauce, so a saltier pasta is important for balance. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente<\/em> (I do about 2 minutes for cappellini; it will finish cooking in the sauce), then drain and quickly dump the whole thing into the sauce. Turn the heat off, and toss the pasta until it\u2019s well coated, and your kitchen is full of divine, garlicky steam.<\/p>\n Serve immediately. I like this pasta with nothing on top, but if you\u2019re a fan of fresh parm, go for it. That\u2019s what my dad would do.<\/p>\n So, what\u2019s your favorite Dad Dish? Please share, if you\u2019d like, especially if it includes very serious guidelines<\/a>; those details are the best part.<\/strong><\/p>\n P.S. Alex Beggs shares her dad\u2019s delicious turkey meatloaf<\/a>, and if you\u2019re still in a spaghetti mood, how about a spaghetti PIE<\/a>?<\/p>\n![\"my](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spaghetti-ingredients.jpeg\")
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8-10 cloves of garlic (I told you)
3\/4 cup olive oil, or a little more
1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes (without basil), ideally Red Pack or Cento
1 box cappellini
Salt, for pasta water<\/p>\n![\"my](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spaghetti-sauce-recipe.jpg\")
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