There is nothing simpler than fettuccine with cherry tomato butter sauce. Bright cherry tomatoes are sauteed in butter with chopped onion, tossed with al dente fettuccine, and finished with fresh parsley and basil. Perfect for weeknights or when you're short on time but don't want to compromise on flavor.
Inspired by Italian culinary Queen Marcella Hazan's tomato butter sauce, our version has just a few tweaks.
Hazan's famous recipe calls for canned crushed tomatoes, an entire onion (not chopped and removed after cooking), and butter.
We opted for fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped onion for ours and it's every bit as delicious.
Because we are using butter, the sauce has an incredibly rich body and a velvety texture that will leave you wondering why you haven't been adding butter to your tomato sauce all along.
Sometimes the best things in life really are the simplest...
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Begin by slicing in half 3 pints of cherry tomatoes. Also, dice 1 medium onion.
- In a large pan, saute the onion in 1 stick of unsalted butter for 5 minutes over medium-low heat or until the onions become soft and translucent.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook the sauce over medium heat for 30-35 minutes (stir frequently and lower heat if scorching).
- At this time bring a large pot of salted (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water) water to boil. After about 20-30 minutes the cherry tomatoes will burst and soften and the butter will completely blend in with the tomatoes. When the sauce is almost to your liking begin boiling the fettuccine to 1 minute less than al dente. If needed, you can turn the heat down or remove the tomato sauce from the burner while waiting for the pasta to cook.
- A few minutes before the pasta finishes cooking, add 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce and stir to combine. Cook the sauce over medium heat. Make sure to reserve extra pasta water in case it's needed later on. Top tip: Get in the habit of reserving your pasta water for all pasta recipes you make. It's always good to have extra pasta water to reconstitute a dried-out pasta or to help emulsify many types of sauces through tossing or rapid stirring.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Cook until the pasta is just al dente then turn off the heat.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper to get the flavors just right.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add a ¼ cup of minced parsley and a ¼ cup worth of hand-torn basil leaves, toss once more, then plate. If the sauce is at all dry add more of the reserved pasta water a few ounces at a time to loosen it up. Serve with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Top tips for velvety cherry tomato butter sauce
- The tomatoes. This recipe uses 3 pints of red cherry tomatoes. Feel free to add another pint - if you want more sauce - or experiment with different colored cherry tomatoes, like orange, yellow, or even the green cherry heirloom type. This is a simple sauce with relatively inexpensive ingredients - the best type of sauce to experiment with. Feel free to add some canned crushed tomatoes to substitute for part of the cherry tomatoes as well.
- The butter. We used unsalted butter for this recipe. If you prefer to use salted butter you can, however, just be sure to taste test as you may not need to add much additional salt at the end.
- Save your pasta water. As with most of our recipes, we recommend saving some pasta water. The pasta water can really help reconstitute the butter and cherry tomato sauce pasta if it becomes too dry. Start by adding just a few ounces at a time to prevent the pasta from becoming overly watery.
- The herbs. We finished this pasta with some hand-torn basil leaves and chopped fresh parsley. These are optional and can be omitted if you don't have them on hand. We don't recommend using dried herbs or seasoning for this recipe.
More simple pasta recipes
One of the great things about fettuccine with cherry tomato butter sauce is that it can be made in about 35 minutes and requires just a few ingredients. Here are a few other simple pasta recipes that are perfect for when you're short on time and don't want to run to the grocery store.
- Fettuccine Alfredo - Butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, starchy pasta water and fettuccine - simple but always delicious.
- Penne puttanesca - Olives, capers, anchovy, tomato, and penne are tossed together in this super flavorful pasta dish.
- Roasted cherry tomato pasta - Cherry tomatoes and garlic are roasted and tossed with pasta, extra virgin olive, and fresh basil.
- Linguine al limone - Lemon zest and juice, fresh basil, Parmigiano Reggiano and butter are tossed with linguine.
- Linguine aglio e olio - The simplest of them all, pasta is tossed with garlic, oil, crushed red pepper, and parsley.
- Tuna pasta - also known as Pasta al tonno, this is made with canned yellowfin tuna, garlic, capers, and fresh parsley.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccine or linguine, spaghetti, etc
- 3 pints cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup parsley minced
- ¼ cup basil hand torn
- 2 cups reserved pasta water will most likely not need it all
Instructions
- In a large pan saute the onion in butter over medium-low heat until soft (about 5 minutes) then add the tomatoes. Season the tomatoes initially with a teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Cook the sauce over medium heat for 30-35 minutes (stir frequently and lower heat if scorching) or until the cherry tomatoes have burst and softened and the butter has completely blended in with the tomatoes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water) water to boil. When the sauce is almost to your liking begin boiling the fettuccine to 1 minute less than al dente.
- A few minutes before the pasta finishes cooking add 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce and stir to combine. Continue to cook the sauce over medium heat.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Cook until the pasta is just al dente then turn off the heat and season to taste with more salt and pepper as required. Add the herbs, toss once more, then plate. If the sauce is at all dry, add more of the reserved pasta water a few ounces at a time to loosen it up. Serve with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Some tomatoes will be juicer than others. If you need a bit more tomato, feel free to increase the amount of cherry tomatoes or supplement with 14 ounces (half of a can) of crushed plum tomatoes.
- Make sure to reserve extra pasta water, to thin the sauce as much as required to avoid it drying out.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
Pretty good and easy. For me, three 10oz containers of cherry tomatoes and 1 cup of pasta water made more than enough sauce for a pound of linguine. My tomatoes cooked down in to a thick sauce in about 20 minutes. Just before adding the pasta in, I decided to give my immersion blender a whirl around the pan for a smoother sauce. I’ll add more basil and maybe some garlic for even more flavor next time.
Hi Amber, glad the recipe was successful for you and thank you for sharing your experience!
I made this for dinner tonight using whole grain fusilli pasta and it was delicious! Small tweaks to my dish - added 2 garlic cloves; added crumbled chicken sausage to the sauce toward the end of the cooking process. Another great recipe Jim, thanks for sharing and keep them coming!
Hi Brian, thanks for sharing your tweaks and so happy you liked the recipe!
Easy and delicious!
Are those actually cherry tomatoes, or are they perhaps grape tomatoes? They look more oval-shaped in the first couple of photos (before you chopped them). And does it matter? Thanks!
Hi Louis, yes, these were a bit more of an oval shape but I've found most groceries will label grape and cherry tomatoes as cherry. I use them both interchangeably so no, it wouldn't really matter which ones you use. Thank you for your comment!
I made this tonight and thought it had great flavor -- I've been using the Marcella Hazan spaghetti sauce for years as part of the rotation, and I actually think I preferred this take on her recipe even more. I made some grilled chicken breasts with it, and the combo was excellent.
I will say it did not look like yours does in the video or still images; it had more of an orange color, and the tomatoes were more broken down, so it wasn't as aesthetically pleasing, but the taste was really good. I've made probably a half-dozen of your dishes now and this was my favorite. Appreciate you sharing these recipes.
Thank you, HC! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Cooking this right now! I had leftover cherry tomatoes + used a can (14.5oz) of crushed tomatoes (liquid and all). Sauce tastes amazing already! I'm going to garnish with feta cheese!
Thanks, E! Feta sounds like a great addition!
I did this with 4 pints of cherry tomatoes and it had enough moisture that no pasta water was necessary. I also cooked it till it was more of a uniform sauce instead of the partially formed tomatoes, which was around the amount of time you have in your recipe. Ultimately, this was spectacular! It was good as leftovers too, but it was magic when fresh.
Thank you, Scott! So happy you enjoyed it!
I accidently came by this video today, when working. Decided to watch it. It was calming, I liked the energy of the host. Then decided let's make it for dinner. My picky 5 year old helped me cook this. He wouldn't eat the basil or cheese, but he loved the sauce.
Then told me I was the best spaghetti cooker. He thanked me and asked me to make this again.
Yes it was a lot of butter, but seriously priceless that he ate his bowl and thanked me. And bonus, the adults really liked it too. Adding to the rotation.
Hi, Nicole. Thank you for sharing that experience! So happy you and your son enjoyed it!
Pretty good! To be honest with you, I wasn't expecting it to be as tasty as it is, I also accidentaly burned tomatoes a bit and slightly oversalted the dish at final step, but in the end it turned out to be very delecious and hearty. It is probably not the cheapest dish you can cook in a dorm, but I definitely will look forward to cook it again someday.
My deep bow for you, Jim, your genius amazed me again.
Thank you, Raman! I'm happy you enjoyed this one!
Made this the first time for 7 people. Although it was my first try, I was really confident that it was gonna be good. Turned out exceptionally delicious, everybody loved it and they couldn't get enough of it! Supreme recipe
Hi Blaz, thank you so much for letting me know. I'm so happy you all enjoyed it!
Any thoughts about using this recipe with other varieties of tomatoes? When my harvest comes in, I'm always looking for good uses of many different types of delicious heirloom tomatoes. I would use them unpeeled.
Hi there. It really depends on the type of tomatoes you're using. Some types, like brandywines, will be more watery so you'll need to keep that in mind.
Absolutely delicious. I didn't have the herbs unfortunately but that did not matter. The butter and the juicy soft tomatoes combination was so good. I was honestly not expecting it to be that good without garlic and herbs but I was pleasantly surprised. The cheese grated on top made it all the more yummier.
Mine turned out exactly as the video. I don't understand the comment saying theirs didn't.
Hi Michelle, thank you for letting me know! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
We had this tonight. I made the sauce two days ago, so it had time to mellow - it was was delish and had a sweet flavor! I did add about a tsp of sugar in the sauce.
I served it with Baked Chicken Caprese and steamed cauliflower. The sauce did double duty as I actually used it over the chicken also.
Hi Karen, thank you for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Serving it over chicken is a great idea!
So delicious and really simple to make!
Hi Beth, thank you and so happy you liked it!
Saw your recipe on Youtube, so I thought I would give it a try. Was absolutely delicious! It was the perfect meal for when you want to get something quickly on the table. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe to help me out on busy evenings!
Thank you, Allison! I'm happy you enjoyed this one and it's helped me on busy evenings too!
OMG, this is absolutely amazing. Your YT video doesn't really begin to demonstrate how amazing this sauce is and it's so simple. Can't wait to try your other stuff!
Hi Mark, thank you for the comment and so happy you liked this recipe!
I came across this recipe’s YouTube video, noticed the green plastic countertops in the background and knew then I that could trust this guy- he’s not a poser, he’s a real one. Made the pasta tonight and WOW it is truly fantastic. It’s so perfectly balanced, and so much more special tasting than the simple ingredients that went in. The magic is in his method, highly recommend watching the video. There are not many better gifts in life than a great new recipe. Next time I’ll have to splurge on that brand of pasta you used.
Hi Ash, lol I'd love to have one of those fancy kitchens one day but for now it's the green formica! Really appreciate your comment and so happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Added 3 cloves of garlic, and threw in some shrimp at the end. Delicious
I sauted 3 cloves of garlic with the onions, and threw in some shrimp I had in the freezer. Yummy!
Hi Jill, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the recipe (and put your own twist on it)!
jfc, "a pint of cherry tomatoes" ??
Hi Harold, thanks for your comment. We are based in the US where cherry tomatoes are sold in dry pints (12 ounces) which is why we write the recipe this way. The equivalent would be 340 grams.
Unbelievable. All four consumers thought this was the best noodles they had in years.
I let the sauce cook first on low uncovered for 1 hour, then 35 minutes with the cover off to drain the liquid. Added a tablespoon of red chili flakes for a nice kick. And a dash of sugar because it was tasting a little acidic.
Don't skip the parsley or basil, especially the former, it really transforms the dish.
Thank you so much for the comment and so happy you all enjoyed it!
Made this tonight. First words from my husband's mouth was "really good". So flavorful with so few ingredients. I used grape tomatoes because the cherry tomatoes at my store did not look good. Probably a little sweeter sauce, but WOW such flavor. Thanks James for a wonderful recipe. I would rate it a 10.
Thank you, Marilyn! I'm so happy you and your husband enjoyed this one!
Easy, tasty recipe. Good when you don't want to go to the store to get special ingredients. Yum!
Hi Gwenne, so happy you liked this one and thank you for the comment!
Can I make this with plum tomatoes or regular tomatoes? I can buy them by the quart here in summer. I think there would be less peel on regular tomatoes.
Hi Maureen, you can although I haven't tested this recipe with other tomatoes. You can also use canned crushed tomatoes.
Quick and easy not to mention delicious.
Brian Langerstrom recommended your channel kudos to Brian; Sip snd Feast great 👍 find. Going to try white pizza next.
Hi Marjorie, thank you so much for the comment. I'm happy you enjoyed this one! Brian's great - I love his channel!
I have just come across your videos and think you are the ideal instructor for a novice like me. The way you cook makes good sense and seems like its intuitive. I am def going to try the recipes I have watched you prepare and hope they will be as (relatively) simple as you make them look. From your fresh ingredients and your honest family judges, I can tell they all taste delicious. Glad to have found your channel and look forward to that little subscribe bell ringing next time!
Hi Jill, I really appreciate your comment and am so happy you're finding our videos to be helpful and enjoyable! Thank you for the comment and for subscribing!
Very easy and delicious, and that's coming from somebody who hates tomatoes normally. I did add some garlic at the beginning with the onions but otherwise left the recipe alone. Great stuff!
Hi Mari, thank you and happy you liked the recipe!
Hi there, I just made this recipe tonight. I must have done something wrong, the final recipe still tastes tart and sour, like you would expect from uncooked tomatoes? I cooked it for well over 30 minutes, with lots of liquid being released and very mushy tomatoes. Is there something I did wrong?
Hi there, it may have just been the tomatoes used were more on the tart side. If you want to make it again you can make it with canned tomatoes as well. Taste test as you're making it and you can add a little sugar if it's really too tart for you.
Used 1 pint of tri-color maters and a 1 lb big boy out of garden! Besides that, no alterations...none needed! So good! Thx for this recipe!!!
Hi Sarah, thanks for the comment! I'm so happy you enjoyed this one.
Awesome recipe! My picky eater has requested this recipe 3 times this month! I love your YouTube channel and your recipes! Thank you, for sharing real “tried and true” dishes with us!
Hi Amber, thank you so much for your comment! I'm happy you and your "picky eater" are enjoying it! Thanks for watching!
What an amazing summer delicious dish.!!!
Thanks, JM!
What a wonderful dish! A neighbor gave me two quarts of cherry tomatoes that were about to go to waste because she was going away. I used them all. Delicious! I really enjoy your videos and can almost taste the dish as you make it!
Hey Richard! Glad it was a hit and thanks for liking the videos!
Greetings, Jim,
We found your recipes while surfing YouTubes - very enjoyable! We tried the linguini with cherry tomatoes and butter. Very easy indeed, and tastes even better than anticipated. My wife is an expert Italian cook (3 of her 4 grandparents immigrated from Italy) and she was taught by her grandmothers. I am of Irish/Scandinavian descent, but after 25 years of marriage, an Italian wife calls me "an Italian wanna-be". We both loved the tomatoes and butter! We have found numerous recipes on your site that we plan to try. Keep up the wonderful dishes!
Hi Gary, I really appreciate this comment and your kind words! I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipes and the videos!
Hi Jim!
I needed to comment to say that your recipes are a hit even across the pond! The only negative thing is that you are seriously feeding into my pasta addiction... I loved the dish, it's simple and delicious like many of your other recipes.
Can't wait to try more out!
Hi Marie, thanks for the comment and I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipes! Haha, sorry about the pasta addiction! 🙂
I rate you and your family 10 stars , your recipes are reminders of how my grandparents cooked. Most of their sauces were made with uncured pigs jowl as the first fat. During lent they skipped the pork so all of those pastas (carbonara, lentils, peas , ceci ,) were made with out it. They liked pork skin and used it to make braciola. Perhaps you can do a few recipes on Innards, liver in the veils, or liver sweet and sour. The butter and tomato recipe is contemporary . Hazan would have hated the skins. Keep up the great work.
Hi Saundra, thank you for the comment and I'm happy you're enjoying the recipes!
Have made this a couple of times.Family loves it,but wanted a little spice.Last time i made it I added crushed red pepper..
Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Leslie!
So simple and delicious. My new favorite pasta dish..
Hi Maryjane, thanks for the comment and I'm happy you liked this one!
Made this multiple times and love it, it's been my go-to! The flavor is so subtle and pleasant without being bland, and it's so easy to make. I have a question: Approximately what amount is one serving for the listed 660kcal? A cup of the prepared dish? Thank you.
Hi AJ, I'm happy you like this recipe! There are four servings so one serving would be 1/4 lb of the pasta plus the sauce.
Enjoyed this rather simple but flavorful recipe. This will become a part of my cooking repertoire.
Thanks and I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Just made this with "super sweet 100s" from the garden. Absolutely delicious and simple! Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Gavin, thanks for the comment and I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this one - and with your own tomatoes!
Hi Jim: I used in season tomatoes and I’m sorry it was underwhelming. Maybe add garlic? I added fresh basil and parsley.
Thx Jane
Hi Jane, thanks for the comment. I'm sorry the dish didn't meet your expectations. This is definitely meant to be a very simple dish based on Marcella Hazan's recipe which uses canned tomatoes.
Amazing recipe. My friend shared this with me on FB. I added 3 tablespoons of fresh minced garlic (I love Garlic) some shrimp and cut up some left over Hot Italian Sausages, It was a huge hit. I have since changed from using the cherry tomatoes to using a large can of diced tomatoes as it saves alot of time. I have made this with all kinds of different pasta and it is a hit every time. Thanks for a wonderful and easy recipe.
Hi Tammy, thank you for the comment and so happy you like the recipe!