5-Ingredient Easy Cherry Tomato Pasta

Whip up a quick and easy homemade tomato sauce using sweet, ripe cherry tomatoes. With just 5 simple ingredients, this cherry tomato sauce is bursting with natural sweetness. Best of all, you can have this delicious pasta dish ready in just 15 minutes. Enjoy every bite!

Key Ingredients for Cherry Tomato Pasta

1. Cherry Tomatoes:I like using cherry tomatoes because they're naturally sweeter, perfectly ripe, and higher in pectin than larger tomatoes. This not only enhances the flavor but also helps the sauce thicken much faster.
2. Garlic
3. Fresh Basil
4. Parmesan
5. Dry Pasta

key steps to making cherry tomato pasta

1. Gently Cook the Garlic:Start by adding a generous amount of olive oil and sliced garlic to a cold pan. Then, turn the heat to medium-low and slowly cook the garlic for about 2–3 minutes, just until it softens. This gentle process allows the garlic to release its natural sweetness into the oil. Be careful not to let it burn—burnt garlic will make your tomato sauce taste bitter, so keep a close eye on it as it cooks.
2. Cook the Cherry Tomatoes:Once the garlic is soft, add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and give everything a good stir. Let them cook for around 8 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to blister and soften. To speed things up, gently press down on them with the back of a wooden spatula to help release their juices. When the tomatoes are fully cooked down, stir in the basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the Pasta: While the cherry tomatoes are cooking, I like to boil the pasta. Just remember to reserve about a cup of the pasta water before draining. Once the pasta is cooked al dente, add it to the tomato sauce along with the reserved pasta water. Turn the heat up to high and toss everything together vigorously until the sauce turns creamy and coats the pasta. Then, turn off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, and give it a final mix. Plate it up and serve right away. That’s all there is to it!

Ingredients

• - 2 pints cherry tomatoes
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- 4 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
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- 1/2 lb dry pasta spaghetti, bucatini, penne rigate
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- 1 cup fresh basil roughly chopped
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- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
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- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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- salt + pepper

Instructions
Boil the Pasta: Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt for flavor, then cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Remember to reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Prepare the Garlic and Tomatoes: In a cold skillet, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced garlic. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently to avoid browning, for about 2–3 minutes. Once the garlic is fragrant and softened, add the cherry tomatoes. Cook them on medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Press gently on the tomatoes to help release their juices as they blister.
Finish the Sauce: While the tomatoes are cooking, continue boiling the pasta. Once the tomatoes have softened, stir in the fresh basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the tomato sauce, then pour in about 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water. Turn the heat up to high and toss everything together vigorously. This will help the sauce become creamy and coat the pasta evenly.
Final Touches: Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with extra fresh basil and Parmesan. Serve immediately and enjoy!