Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta

5 from 10 votes

Ripe cherry tomatoes are roasted with garlic and tossed with al dente pasta, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil.

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Preheat oven to 425f.
Place tomatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the tomatoes and sprinkle with kosher salt. Wrap garlic cloves in foil and add to the baking sheet as well. Roast the tomatoes and garlic in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the garlic cloves from the foil, and mash with the back of a knife.
Heat a large pan to medium-low heat. Add remaining olive oil and the roasted garlic. Saute for a minute then add in the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the tomatoes and the juices to the pan and cook over medium to medium-low heat to slightly thicken the sauce.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt. Cook pasta in boiling water to al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water!
Add the pasta to the pan with the tomatoes and toss to coat and emulsify. Cook for 30-60 seconds or right until the pasta is done. If the pasta is too dry, add a touch (couple ounces) of pasta water.
Taste test and adjust salt and pepper if required. Turn off the heat and add in the basil. Serve in bowls with an extra drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil and grated cheese on the side. Enjoy!

The roasted tomatoes will have plenty of liquid after being removed from the oven. Cook in the pan over moderate heat to evaporate the liquid, but not too much to dry out the sauce.
Any type of tomato can be used, but cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes have the most flesh and least amount of liquid, making them good for this sauce.
Leftovers can be saved for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
If choosing to make extra sauce, it can be saved for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.