• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Little Ferraro Kitchen logo
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Fresh & Flavorful Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fresh & Flavorful Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Contact
×
Home » Recipes » Italian Recipes

Cherry Tomato Pasta with Garlic and Basil

Published: Jun 2, 2023 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

Jump to Recipe

15 minute cherry tomato pasta is what summer dinners are made for! Sweet cherry tomatoes burst in olive oil and lots of garlic, creating the most delicious, slightly sweet and bright summery pasta.

Pasta with cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil.
Jump to:
  • 🍅 Burst Tomatoes or Tomato Confit
  • Recipe Highlights
  • 📋 Ingredients
  • 🍋 Substitutions and Variations
  • ⏲️ Instructions
  • 📍 Recipe Tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Love Tomato Recipes, Try These!
  • Cherry Tomato Pasta with Garlic and Lots of Basil

Pasta with cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil is one of my favorite go-to weeknight dinners when tomatoes are at their peak! You will always find me with pounds of tomatoes for roasted cherry tomato and garlic bruschetta or serving a simple caprese with burrata and a good hunk of crusty bread to dip into. There is truly nothing better!

🍅 Burst Tomatoes or Tomato Confit

You can go about this in two ways. One, you can heat a skillet over high heat, saute garlic in olive oil and add whole cherry tomatoes for a solid 10-15 minutes. The high heat will burst the tomatoes, creating a simple pan sauce. I also like to use a wooden spatula to gently press the tomatoes along.

Or, you can make tomato confit, which is essentially roasted tomatoes in lots of olive oil. I have a recipe for roasted tomatoes here that you can use as the sauce as well.

Either method works as long as you soften the sweet cherry tomatoes. Then top with loads of fresh basil, a good drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt and, optional, but highly recommended, a good grate of Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Highlights

  • Cherry tomato pasta is a fantastic weeknight dinner and is done in less than 20 minutes!
  • Cherry tomatoes are the star of the show and as they cook down, become even more sweet and "jammy".
  • This tomato pasta recipe utilizes simple and fresh ingredients sautéed garlic and lots of fresh basil.

📋 Ingredients

Ingredients for cherry tomato pasta with garlic and parmesan cheese.
  • Linguine: This is one of my favorite pasta shapes but feel free to use other styles such as spaghetti, angel hair or penne rigate.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: Look for cherry tomatoes on the vine with a deep color, which will be sweeter and more flavorful. If tomatoes are not at their peak, the cherry tomatoes will sweeten as they burst in the sauce.
  • Garlic: Look for garlic cloves that are tightly packed without any green stems growing, which means it is a fresh garlic bulb.
  • Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil since this will be the base of the cherry tomato sauce.
  • Basil: This is the time to use all of that beautiful fresh summer basil! The basil is added right towards the end to gently wilt in the warm tomato confit.
  • Red Pepper Flakes: This is optional, but if you like a bit of spice, add a good pinch worth. Another option is added a dollop of Calabrian chilis which have great flavor.
  • Parmesan: A good grating of Parmesan cheese right at the finish gives the whole pasta a slight saltiness and balances the sweet cherry tomatoes.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🍋 Substitutions and Variations

  • Use any color cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes available.
  • If cherry tomatoes are not available, substitue with Roma tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes that are cut into ½ inch cubes.
  • Add pieces of tangy goat cheese or cubes of fried halloumi cheese to the tomato pasta.

⏲️ Instructions

  1. Cook the Linguine. Begin by boiling a pot of water for the pasta and season liberally with kosher salt. Cook linguini according to directions, until al dente. About 8-9 minutes.
  2. Saute the Garlic. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and saute for 30 seconds until just softened but color has not changed.
  3. Make the Cherry Tomato Sauce. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until tomatoes begin to burst. Use a wooden spoon to gently press on the tomatoes as they soften to help them burst. Season with salt and cook for about 10 minutes or until tomatoes have started to release their juices.
  4. Add Cooked Pasta to the Sauce. Once the pasta is done, add cooked pasta directly to tomatoes and toss to combine and stir in Parmesan cheese. If sauce is too dry, add a bit of pasta water and another good drizzle of olive oil.
  5. Garnish the Cherry Tomato Pasta. Roughly tear up some of the basil and add to pasta, tossing everything together, along with a pinch of red pepper flakes, drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and Parmesan cheese.

📍 Recipe Tips

  • To help cherry tomatoes cook a bit quicker, place a lid over the skillet, which will also help retain any juices/liquid.
  • Cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes less then the package directions, then finish cooking in the cherry tomato sauce.
  • Save ½ cup of pasta water and if the sauce is too dry, add the starchy pasta water and stir to combine.
Pasta with cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil and red pepper flakes.

Recipe FAQs

Can cherry tomato pasta be made ahead of time?

You can make the tomato confit up to 3 days in advance and stir it into cooked pasta when ready to serve.

Is there a difference between grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes?

Cherry tomatoes are smaller and have a thinner peel, where grape tomatoes are a bit larger with a thicker peel. As they cook down, both tomatoes will become sweeter and more condensed.

Love Tomato Recipes, Try These!

  • This mascarpone tart is as simple as it gets. Buttery puff pastry is layered with creamy mascarpone cheese, grated Parmesan and slices of sweet heirloom tomatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature for a easy and effortless summer meal.
    Tomato Mascarpone Tart
  • Cheese and tomato flatbread with balsamic glaze.
    Herbed Flatbread with Goat Cheese and Cherry Tomatoes
  • Greek tomato fritters are savory pancakes that are full of sweet tomatoes, fresh mint, dill and creamy feta cheese. The tomato fritters is fried until perfectly golden brown on both sides and served with a bright and lemony yogurt dill sauce.
    Greek Tomato Fritters
  • This colorful summer fruit caprese salad is arranged in a wide bowl and is full of sliced peaches and nectarines, quartered strawberries and sweet orange cherry tomatoes. The caprese salad is topped with roughly torn fresh mozzarella cheese, basil leaves and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and vinegar.
    Summer Fruit Caprese Salad

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

Cherry tomato pasta with basil and garlic.

Cherry Tomato Pasta with Garlic and Lots of Basil

Samantha Ferraro

LittleFerraroKitchen.com

15 minute cherry tomato pasta is what summer dinners are made for! Sweet cherry tomatoes burst in olive oil and lots of garlic, creating the most delicious, slightly sweet and bright summery pasta.
4.94 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 sservings
Calories 610 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound linguini
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup olive oil + more for garnish
  • 3-4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes any variety
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves roughly torn
  • Flaky sea salt for garnish
  • Red pepper flakes optional, for heat

Instructions
 

  • Begin by boiling a pot of water for the pasta and season liberally with kosher salt. Cook linguini according to directions, until al dente. About 8-9 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds until just softened but color has not changed.
  • Add cherry tomatoes and cook until tomatoes begin to burst. Use a wooden spoon to gently press on the tomatoes as they soften to help them burst. Season with salt and cook for about 10 minutes or until tomatoes have started to release their juices.
  • Once pasta is done, add cooked pasta directly to tomatoes and toss to combine and stir in Parmesan cheese. If sauce is too dry, add a bit of pasta water and another good drizzle of olive oil.
  • Roughly tear up some of the basil and add to pasta, tossing everything together.
  • Plate pasta with cherry tomatoes and top with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • To help cherry tomatoes cook a bit quicker, place a lid over the skillet, which will also help retain any juices/liquid.
  • If you don't have cherry tomatoes, larger tomatoes will work well, just chop them into ½ inch cubes.
  • Save ½ cup of pasta water and if the sauce is too dry, add the starchy pasta water and stir to combine.

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcalCarbohydrates: 95gProtein: 19gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 778mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1206IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

More Delicious Italian Recipes

  • Caesar pasta salad made with a homemade Caesar dressing, grilled chicken and shaved Parmesan.
    Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
  • This pesto caprese pasta salad with full of cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and a vibrant fresh pesto.
    Caprese Pasta Salad with Pesto
  • Easy one pot pasta recipe with sundried tomatoes and spinach and topped with parmesan cheese.
    One Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes
  • Bolognese sauce recipe with pasta and topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
    Traditional Bolognese Sauce

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. New2Cooking says

    July 09, 2023 at 5:20 pm

    5 stars
    We found Heirloom cherry tomatoes and knew this was the pasta for us. It's simple but we used the peppers a little at first then added more more a little Kick.

    Reply
  2. Aline Terrell says

    June 18, 2023 at 1:53 am

    5 stars
    Had to give you thanks for this one. We've got a slew of cherry tomatoes coming in out of the garden, and I'm so happy for it -- but also wanting to come up with some new ways to cook with them and do something past (delicious!) caprese salads and salads in general.

    This fit the bill! I did refer to another, similar recipe elsewhere and added six threads of saffron while the tomatoes were roasting, and also went by your roasted cherry tomato recipe and added whole cloves of garlic for roasting, not minced. I added fresh basil and parsley for the last five minutes of roasting, too. I wanted a more substantial dinner, so I sautéed some shrimp and stirred them and the pan juices into the roasted tomatoes, then spooned it all over angel hair pasta. Absolutely delicious!

    I'm going to also try making this and freezing it. This is so perfect for a summer freeze project here, unlike doing whole tomatoes for spaghetti sauce. There's nothing better in the winter than your own sauce from your own tomatoes, but I'm in Texas, and it's super hot, and you can just imagine what the kitchen feels like after you boil tomatoes and skin them for a while! This is so much simpler, doesn't heat the house up, and it paired just beautifully with fresh Gulf shrimp, which is one of my husband's faves.

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      June 18, 2023 at 2:07 am

      Aline, What a great spin on this recipe. Funny we did a Batch of cherry tomatoes yesterday in the wood burning stove and put them on a pizza. "Six Threads" of Saffron, just goes to show you how strong the flavor can be from Saffron. Love it. Thank you so much for sharing Aline. Samantha.

      Reply
4.94 from 16 votes (14 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Samantha! I started this blog for my love of world cuisine and cultural flavors! You’ll find everything here from Jewish recipes, Middle Eastern, Italian and more!

More about me →

Mediterranean Favorites

  • Greek shrimp saganaki recipe with feta in a rich tomato sauce.
    Greek Shrimp Saganaki
  • Pearled couscous with colorful roasted vegetables.
    Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables
  • One pot Dutch oven chicken thighs are cooked with rice and chickpeas and seasoned with lemon and cumin.
    One Pot Chicken and Rice with Lemon and Chickpeas
  • Easy and creamy homemade hummus is garnished with olive oil and sprinkle of paprika on top.
    Creamy Homemade Hummus
  • Greek quinoa salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, artichoke hearts, olives and cubes of feta cheese. The quinoa salad is tossed with a lemon vinaigrette and fresh mint and fresh dill.
    Greek Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Lemon Vinaigrette
  • Roasted chicken with turmeric, fennel and citrus.
    Roast Chicken with Fennel and Citrus
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from IndieBound
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Amazon
One Pot Mediterranean
Buy now!

Order My Latest Cookbook!

One Pot Mediterranean cookbook cover

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and a FREE Mediterranean Dinner Meal Plan!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Follow on Bloglovin

Footer

↑ back to top

Featured In

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · Samantha Ferraro · Little Ferraro Kitchen · All Rights Reserved

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.