This super simple pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil and garlic is absolutely perfect for when you have a pasta craving but want a light, summer dish!
It can be made all year round of course, but we particularly love it with our fresh grown cherry tomatoes and basil that we pick right from the garden.
Don’t worry though – fresh, good-quality cherry tomatoes are around all year long, so this tomato basil pasta can be made year round!
All you’ll need for this recipe is some good good-quality cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, spaghetti or any pasta you like, garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, olive oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Super simple ingredients!
How To Make Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes, Basil And Garlic
- Start by cooking the pasta in salted ( 2 Tbsp kosher salt per gallon of water) water to “al dente”. Slice or chop 10 cloves of garlic.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. This is not 100% necessary, but the tomatoes cook a little quicker in the pan and don’t burst and pop, potentially burning your skin, while cooking.
- In a large pan, saute garlic until lightly golden in a 1/4 cup olive oil over medium to medium-low heat.
- After the garlic is golden, add all the tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes longer until they are lightly charred and wilted. Give the pan a shake to thoroughly coat the tomatoes with the garlic oil. Season the tomatoes with 1 tsp of salt and a 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Reserve 2 plus cups of pasta water before draining the pasta, or ideally use a pasta spider or basket to keep the water in the pot.
- Add 1 cup of pasta water to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the pasta to the cherry tomatoes and give it all a stir or toss.
- Continue to mix the pasta and cook for a minute or so to allow the sauce to slightly absorb. Add a 1/2 cup or more of fresh hand torn basil leaves and turn off the heat. Taste test and adjust salt and crushed red pepper levels if required. Give the pasta a 1/4 cup drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Finally, if the pasta gets dried out before serving, just add a few ounces of the reserved pasta water at a time to bring the consistency right back to perfect.
So that is how to make a great summer pasta with grape tomatoes. Be sure to serve it with more crushed red pepper, extra virgin olive oil and grated cheese on the side.
Pasta Choices
There are so many great ones to use for this tomato basil pasta.
Bite size shapes like orecchiette, penne, and rigatoni all work well. We used spaghetti which works great if looking for a long pasta. Angel hair would also be nice.
Pappardelle, fettuccine and bucatini might be a little too heavy for this light summer pasta, but ultimately use what you like!
Tomato Basil Pasta Substitutions And Additions
- spinach or kale – Use baby spinach and throw it in right at the end with the hot pasta to let it slightly wilt. Kale should be sauteed with the tomatoes as it needs some cooking time.
- zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms – All three of these go great with pasta and grape tomatoes. Saute them before the tomatoes until fully cooked through.
- chicken or shrimp – Either one would work well and make a more substantial pasta dish. Use 1-1 1/2 pounds of either for 1 pound of pasta.
- oil cured black olives – These are amazing olives to add in. Use 1/4-1/2 cup as they are very salty and strong. Make sure to rinse them first to remove some of the salt.
- Cheese – Definitely serve pecorino or parmigiano reggiano on the side. Fresh mozzarella broken into bite size pieces makes a great addition as well.
How To Maximize the Flavor of Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes
So of course you want to make this dish perfectly. There are not a lot of ingredients in this dish, so using quality ripe tomatoes and fresh basil is critical.
Even more important is the act of sauteing the garlic properly. Keep the heat pretty low to avoid burning it, but high enough to get a nice golden color on the garlic. That wonderful flavor will be imparted to the tomatoes and will make the dish so much better.
The final tip is to reserve and use enough pasta water. The pasta water and the olive oil along with some of the released juice from the tomatoes will create a delicious sauce. That sauce will thoroughly coat the spaghetti, making the perfect pasta dish!
Difficulty Level
On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being easy this spaghetti with cherry tomatoes recipe is a 2. Just take your time with the garlic to not burn it, yet get that perfect golden color. Cook the pasta al dente and reserve extra pasta water to ensure a perfect dish.
Drink Recommendations
- Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- Negroni
- Aperol Spritz
Other Fresh Tomato Dishes
- Easy Stuffed Tomatoes With Ricotta Salata And Parsley
- Italian Chicken With Capers And Tomatoes
- Cheeseless Pizza With Heirloom Tomatoes
- Bruschetta Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
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Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 quart cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup pasta water
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente in salted (2 Tbsp kosher salt per gallon) water. Slice or chop garlic and halve cherry tomatoes.
- In a large pan set to medium-low heat saute garlic in a 1/4 cup olive oil until golden (about 3 minutes). After garlic begins to turn golden add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes longer. Season tomatoes with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
- To pan, add 1 cup of pasta water and cook for 1 minute longer. Next, add the pasta and toss to coat. Mix well and taste test, adjusting salt and pepper levels if necessary.
- After 1 more minute of cooking remove pan from heat and add 1/2 cup torn basil leaves. Drizzle a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil on to pasta and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- 1 tsp kosher salt was added, adjust to taste.
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes are optional.
- Make sure to reserve extra pasta water, to thin sauce.
- Serve with extra virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes and grated cheese.
Nutrition
Your site looks great! Love this recipe also!! Great job!
Thank you! Very much appreciate it.
Fabulous! We used tomatoes and basil from our garden. Thank you
Always the best when it’s homegrown! Glad you enjoyed it!
Just delicious! Now my favorite pasta recipe!
Thanks very much!!