Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta
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Why we love this recipe
Oh, this pasta and its luxurious tomato butter sauce! It’s the perfect dish to make when it is mid-summer and the basil and local tomatoes have us surrounded.
However! Due to the fact that cherry tomatoes mysteriously keep their delectably sweet tomato flavor all year around, AND the fact that you can usually now find basil in your produce section at any time of year, it’s perfectly possible to have this deliciousness in, say, February.
It’s also what I like to call a Pantry Recipe, because once you have your hands on some tomatoes and some basil, you might already have everything else you need to put this deliciousness together.
Yep, happily this recipe is speedy and scrumptious and totally doable 365 days per year. Let’s make it!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Tomatoes: We love cherry tomatoes for this recipe both in the summer and all year round because they hold their delicious taste, but in local tomato season you can almost use the big ones – just cut them up into bite sized chunks.
- Pasta: Any kind of short pasta – penne, elbows, ziti – will work for this recipe.
- Basil: You can find basil pretty much year round in the produce section of your grocery store. It’s usually best on the same day you buy (or pick) it. You can plant any leftovers if you get the kind with roots, otherwise pop it in a vase of water and store it on your counter, not in the fridge. And make this recipe for a creamy basil tortellini!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Heat a couple of tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté a cup and a half of halved cherry tomatoes along with a couple cloves of peeled and minced garlic until tomatoes just start to break down, about 5 minutes.
STEP 2: Meanwhile, cook 10 ounces of pasta in salted water according to package directions – you can use any kind, but we like short pasta like bowties or campanelle for this recipe because it works best with the chunky sauce. Drain the pasta and add to skillet with tomatoes.
STEP 3: Stir in 4 tablespoons of butter and a half cup of cream until the butter is melted and everything is heated through. Taste and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
STEP 4: Remove from heat and toss with a half cup or so of chopped fresh basil. Ladle it into bowls, grind on some fresh pepper and serve it up! Oh, and we do love a sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan if you have some handy.
Recipe FAQs
You can! We love cherry tomatoes because they magically keep their tomato flavor even when tomato season is (sob!) over, but regular tomatoes will work just fine – just chop them into cherry tomato-sized chunks.
Yep! You can 3 tablespoons of butter and 1/3 cup of cream – it won’t be as dreamily creamy, but it will still be scrumptious!
Yes, with a couple of guidelines! Definitely use cherry tomatoes, which are flavorful all year round, and if you can’t find basil out of season in your supermarket, fresh thyme or oregano or even parsley will give it a nice herb flavor.
Pop your question in the comments below and I will answer pronto!
What to serve with this recipe
Other pasta and veggie recipes we love
Hurray for pasta and butter and tomatoes! Happy sigh.
We’d love to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta
This luxurious recipe for fresh tomato basil pasta makes the most of fresh veggies and herbs for a delectable summer supper!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or regular sized tomatoes, chopped into one inch pieces)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 10 ounces short pasta (penne, campanelle, bowties, etc)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup cream
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté tomatoes and garlic until tomatoes just start to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and add to skillet with tomatoes.
- Stir in butter and cream until the butter is melted and everything is heated through. Taste and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Remove from heat and toss with basil. Serve, grinding a little more pepper on top if you like! Oh, and we do love a sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan if you have some handy.
Notes
-
- Tomatoes: We love cherry tomatoes for this recipe both in the summer and all year round because they hold their delicious taste, but in local tomato season you can almost use the big ones – just cut them up into bite sized chunks.
-
- Pasta: Any kind of short pasta – penne, elbows, ziti – will work for this recipe.
-
- Basil: You can find basil pretty much year round in the produce section of your grocery store. It’s usually best on the same day you buy (or pick) it. You can plant any leftovers if you get the kind with roots, otherwise pop it in a vase of water and store it on your counter, not in the fridge. And make this recipe for a creamy basil tortellini!
Love how this is a gentler tomato flavor than a red sauce but still such nice flavors. Will definitely be making again!
Hi Makayla and yes! Fresh tomato sauces are so scrumptious. :)