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Simple Dinners

Cherry Tomato Basil Pasta

This Cherry Tomato Basil Pasta is a 30-minute weeknight dinner that lets sweet, peak-season cherry tomatoes do all the work. Fresh basil, parsley, garlic, and parmesan come together in a silky sauce built right in the pan with no canned tomatoes and no heavy cream, just simple ingredients at their best. It is the kind of summer pasta you will want to make on repeat all season long.

  • Prep10 min
  • Cook20 min
  • Total30 min
  • Makes4 servings
  • Calories598
Cherry Tomato Basil Pasta

Method

  1. 1

    Cook the pasta to al dente in a salted pot of water. Before straining, reserve 2 cups of pasta water.

  2. 2

    In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.

  3. 3

    Add the tomatoes, salt, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes are softened. Turn the heat down as needed when the tomatoes start to sputter. Use a stirring spoon to crush some of the tomatoes as it cooks.

  4. 4

    Add the basil and parsley and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese and toss to combine. Slowly pour in 2/3 cup of the pasta water and use tongs to help mix the pasta together until a silky sauce comes together around the pasta. Add more water as needed. The longer it sits the thicker the sauce will get.

  5. 5

    Garnish with a sprinkle of basil and more parmesan, if desired.

Notes

Use freshly grated parmesan, not pre-shredded. It melts into the sauce much more smoothly. Measure the basil as whole leaves before chopping. A quarter cup of already-chopped basil is way too much. Reserve more pasta water than you think you need. Two cups is the minimum. You can always add more but you cannot add it back once it is gone. Lower the heat to medium-low as soon as the tomatoes start to sputter and pop. High heat makes a mess and dries out the sauce. For a spicier pasta, increase the red pepper flakes to up to half a teaspoon. If you use regular table salt or sea salt instead of kosher salt, cut the amount in half. A mix of red, orange, and yellow cherry tomatoes adds extra flavor complexity and makes the dish look beautiful. If you want some whole tomato halves for garnish, pull a few out of the pan before you add the herbs and set them aside until serving. Pecorino Romano works as a parmesan swap. It is sharper and saltier but melts the same way. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens overnight as the pasta absorbs it, so add a small splash of water when reheating.

Per serving

  • Carbs78 g
  • Protein23 g
  • Fat22 g
  • Fiber5 g

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