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This cherry tomato pasta recipe takes 20 minutes from start to finish. With the addition of tomato paste and shallots, this pasta is absolutely delicious!
I’m always up for a simple pasta dish made with a small number of ingredients. From pesto pasta and classic spaghetti aglio e olio to delicious lemon ricotta pasta, it’s always possible to whip up a tasty pasta dish with a few pantry staples in less than 30 minutes. Today’s recipe is a quick pasta recipe with cherry tomatoes that everyone will rave about!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick: It only takes 20 minutes to make this pasta recipe which makes it ideal for busy weeknight dinners.
- Simple: The recipe is not only economical, but also calls for a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- Delicious: Even though this cherry tomato pasta is made with just a few ingredients, the flavor profile is comforting and craveable!
Ingredients
- Pasta: I like to use spaghetti for this recipe but bucatini or linguine would work too.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil works best for this recipe.
- Shallots and garlic: They infuse the oil and add a lot of flavor to the pasta.
- Tomato paste: It adds both color and flavor to the dish.
- Red pepper flakes: For a subtle kick. It’s not going to make the sauce too spicy.
How To Make Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Make the pasta according to the packaging instructions and reserve one cup of the pasta water.
- Saute the shallots and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until translucent.
- Add in the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium high, add in the cherry tomatoes and cook until they start bursting. Press a few of them with the back of the spoon to release their juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of the pasta water and bring to a simmer. Add the drained pasta and toss with the sauce to make sure it’s all well coated.
- Top with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure to reserve some of the pasta water and add it to the sauce to make it creamy and rich.
- I usually use about 4 cups of cherry tomatoes, but you can add more if desired.
- Freshly grated parmesan makes all the difference. Buy a piece of parmesan cheese and keep if refrigerated or frozen, then grate it on the pasta right before serving for maximum flavor.
Serving Suggestions
This cherry tomato pasta goes very well with a side of burrata salad, Mediterranean salad or caprese salad. If looking to add some protein to the dish, serve it with caprese chicken or honey balsamic chicken.
Storage
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the pasta in a pan over medium heat with a few tablespoons of water. Cover and reheat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use red onion instead to shallots. Use 1/2 red onion for 1 shallot and dice it finely.
I don’t recommend making it with regular tomatoes because the flavor and texture of the sauce won’t be the same. Those burst cherry tomatoes add a lot of flavor.
There is no need to cut the cherry tomatoes for this recipe. They are already small and will burst as they cook.
Use long pasta such as spaghetti, linguine or bucatini to make cherry tomato pasta.
More Pasta Recipes
Mediterranean recipes
Easy Greek Pastitsio Recipe
Rice and Pasta
Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe
Vegetarian
Creamy Spinach Pesto Pasta Recipe
Rice and Pasta
Chicken Parmesan Pasta [Video]
Cherry Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounce spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot , diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Fresh basil
- Parmesan
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and save 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute the shallots and garlic until golden. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook them for 5 minutes so they start bursting. Crush a few of them with the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.
- Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer. Then add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss it so all is well coated with the sauce.
- Top with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
- You can use spaghetti, bucatini or linguine for this recipe.
- The red pepper flakes add a kick to the pasta, you can leave it out if desired.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan with a bit of water over medium heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the perfect summer pasta recipe, the blistered tomatoes put it over the top! I am in love with this dish and will be making it again over the weekend, thank you!
This really is a great pasta! I loved the flavor the shallot gave to the dish. Thank you so much!
This is my kind of pasta!! I just bought a bunch of cherry tomatoes, so I am so excited to try this recipe 🙂
We tried this pasta last night and it was amazing. So easy to make and full of flavour!
Yum! So easy to make and full of flavor. Love a good pasta dish!
YES! LOVE IT! THANKS!