Easy Cherry Tomato Pasta
Cherry tomato pasta takes advantage of fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic to create a fancy seeming meal in the amount of time it takes the pasta to cook. With only 5 ingredients, this pasta is the dinner to make when you don’t want to cook but want something delicious!
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One of the most important things about Italian cooking is using simple, common ingredients to make flavorful meals.
Cherry tomato pasta uses fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil with a little cheese to bring all the flavors together.
It doesn’t require much cook time either, cooking your pasta will take as long or longer compared to sauteeing the tomatoes.
So if you have 20 minutes – that’s just two All Too Well Ten Minute Versions – you can have a fresh pasta full of sweet cherry tomatoes, piquant garlic, and fragrant basil on your table.
Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies
Here’s what you need to make cherry tomato pasta:
- Cherry Tomatoes – You can find these pretty much year round in the grocery store. In warmer months, you may also find local farmers selling them.
- Basil – You will want to use fresh basil for this recipe for the best flavor. In a pinch, you could use dried basil, but it does not quite have the same freshness to it.
- Garlic – Press or mince your garlic to add a bit of earthy, slight heat.
- Olive Oil – You saute the tomatoes in the olive oil to soften them a bit. It also helps to spread the flavor around the noodles.
- Pasta – We use long noodles, but you could use other styles, like bow tie. The noodles do not really change the flavor so you can use what you like.
- Parmesan Cheese – You can grate your own, use pre-grated, or use freshly shredded versions.
- Spices (optional) – To add a bit of heat, you can use some black and red pepper. You can also add a pinch of salt to help bring out the flavors.
You do not need any fancy equipment for tomato pasta, but you will want to pull out your:
How to Make Cherry Tomato Pasta
1. Prepare the pasta and tomatoes.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add the pasta and prepare according to the box’s instructions for firm or al dente.
This is often about 8 to 9 minutes, but it can vary by brand and the exact pasta you use.
As the pot heats, you can slice your cherry tomatoes in half or quarters.
You can also use this time to crush or mince your garlic and turn your basil into ribbons.
2. Start to saute the tomatoes.
About when you add the pasta to the boiling water, start heating up a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat.
Once it gets hot, add in the crushed garlic and saute for about 1 minute before adding the tomato halves or quarters.
Mixing frequently, saute the tomatoes, seasonings, and garlic for about 8-9 minutes or until they start to soften and fall apart a bit.
3. Finish the cherry tomato pasta.
When your noodles are done, remove from heat.
Use tongs to transfer it directly from the pasta pot to the large skillet.
Toss the tomatoes and pasta together to coat.
Finally, add in the basil and the parmesan cheese to the pan and toss to combine.
Remove from heat and serve hot from the skillet.
Serving
Cherry tomato pasta pairs well with a Caesar salad and homemade garlic bread.
You can also serve it with other side salads or fresh bread.
You can also serve it along side our grilled Italian chicken.
Storing
We’ve said it before, and say it again now, cherry tomato pasta is best served fresh from the skillet.
That said, yes, you can store left overs if you needed.
To do so, place cooled pasta into an air tight container and place in the fridge for up to about 3 days.
To reheat, you can put it in the microwave for a few seconds or until warmed through.
You can also toss it with a bit more olive oil over medium low heat until reheated.
Tips and Tricks
- The fresher the tomatoes the better for this pasta. Fresh tomatoes have a better overall flavor compared to tomatoes you can get at most stores.
- Feel free to add more cheeses to the cherry tomato pasta both as it cooks and before storing. Pretty much any Italian cheese, like asiago, provolone, or romano, go well with the tomatoes.
- You can jazz the tomatoes up a bit with a splash of white wine as you cook the tomatoes. White wine also pairs nicely with this meal as a drink.
Other Easy Pasta Recipes
Looking for other pasta dishes that are almost as easy? Try these:
- Lemon Pasta
- Balsamic Tomato Chicken Pasta
- Quick and Easy Bruschetta Pasta
- Pasta al Pesto (Pesto with Linguine)
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Chicken and Pasta
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta
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Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil (more as needed if noodles seem dry)
- 4-6 basil leaves
- 1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese (adjust to taste)
- 1 pound spaghetti (you can use other long or short noodles)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Start a pot of water boiling.
- As the water comes up to temperature, wash and cut the tomatoes into quarters or halves. Crush or mince the garlic and make ribbons out of the basil leaves.
- Place the pasta in the water and cook according to box instructions for firm or al-dente noodles. Often about 8 to 9 minutes.
- As the pasta cooks, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add in crushed garlic and saute for about 1 minute.
- Add in the tomatoes and any of the seasonings you want to use and saute for about 9 minutes.
- Remove the pasta from heat when done and then transfer the noodles direclty to the pan with the tomatoes.
- Toss to combine.
- Remove from heat and add in the cheese and basil leaves, tossing to combine.
- Serve hot from the skillet with more cheese as desired.
