Tomato pasta is an absolutely easy to make weeknight dinner recipe that you can fix in 30 minutes. This is one of my favorite ways to cook pasta. Vegetarian recipe.
Flavors of fresh tomatoes, Italian herbs and some fresh cream combines so well to make this tomato pasta recipe rich, creamy and oh so flavorful. Top with some crushed pepper and basil leaves or rosemary for a wonderful hearty dinner.
For more pasta recipes please check white sauce pasta, red sauce pasta, pasta in pumpkin sauce, pasta in spinach sauce recipes.
So let’s talk weeknight dinners today 🙂 What is your favorite go to dinner after a crazy busy day, say you have 30 minutes to fix dinner? Pasta is definitely one of the immediate choices for me.
I often make this masala pasta, pasta salad or veg pasta for an easy weeknight meal.
This tomato pasta dish is something I make when we want a hearty indulgent dinner. It is rich, creamy and tastes just like the ones from your favorite Italian restaurant. Tomato with pasta is always a winning combo right?
My inspiration for making this quick and easy pasta with tomato recipe came from an Italian restaurant only. The pasta with cherry tomatoes they served was so good and bursting with flavor, I had to recreate the same at home.
Here I have used regular tomatoes but you can easily use crushed cherry tomatoes in this recipe. See my recipe variation notes for details.
Do try out fresh tomato pasta that this
super easy to make
quick recipe, ready in 30 minutes
hearty, filling and comforting
tasty and flavorful
versatile recipe.
About This Tomato Pasta Recipe
This is a quick and easy recipe for tomato pasta that you can make with less than 10 ingredients and 30 minutes.
Here cooked al dente pasta is tossed in a super flavorful tomato sauce, flavored with fresh & dried herbs and finished with cream. So simple, so easy yet so so good 🙂
To make this tomato pasta recipe you can use any kind of tomatoes. Here I have used home grown fresh tomatoes. You can use cherry tomatoes if you like.
If fresh tomatoes are not available use canned tomatoes. Next this is a super versatile recipe where you can use available herbs, fresh or dry and season as as per your taste.
You can use any type of pasta for this dish, when making for dish you can use tiny ones as they easy to eat.
To make it healthier try using whole wheat, millet or quinoa pastas too.
The ingredient list of this tomato pasta recipe is not too long and all the ingredients are easily available.
Here is the recipe for making pasta with tomatoes along with step by step photos, tips on how to cook tomato for pasta, recipe variations and tips.
How To Make Tomato Pasta Recipe
Cooking Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to rolling boil with a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon olive oil.
Add 1.25 cups dried pasta to the large pot of boiling salted water and mix gently once to avoid pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Cook the pasta until it is tender but a bit firm (al dente). We do not want super soft pasta which will turn mushy on further tossing with sauce.
Once cooked drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta cooked water.
Preparing Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce
Rinse and wipe 4 large tomatoes and halve them.
bring a large pot of water to boil and add 1/2 teaspoon sugar to it. Add the tomatoes and blanch for 3-4 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold running water. Remove the peels and place tomatoes in a large bowl. Crush them coarsely. If you are using canned tomatoes, skip the above steps and proceed from the next step.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan. Now add crushed red pepper flakes and saute for few seconds. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn a bit soft. Add 2 cloves garlic minced and saute till the raw flavor of garlic leaves.
Now add the crushed tomatoes and mix.
Next add 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, crushed black pepper. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon dried basil.
Mix very well and add the 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooked water.
Simmer the sauce until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can use kosher salt or sea salt too.
Add cheese cubes and fresh cream. I have used mozzarella here. Mix and simmer until cheese melts.
Assembling & Serving Tomato Pasta
Add the cooked pasta.
Add more dried herbs, chopped fresh basil, chopped parsley, rosemary, more crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well. You can drizzle little bit extra virgin olive oil while serving.
Serve tomato pasta hot or warm with some grated parmesan cheese as main meal.
How To Make It With Cherry Tomatoes?
To make this pasta with cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes use 3 cups cherry tomatoes instead of the regular tomatoes mentioned here. Rinse and wipe the the cherry tomatoes thoroughly.
Skip the blanching process and add the tomatoes directly after sautéing the onions and crush them as they cook. Follow the other steps of the recipe as mentioned.
Tips + Variations
Make it vegan– to make this tomato pasta vegan just use any of your favorite vegan cheese and cream in this recipe.
Make it gluten free– to make this recipe gluten free, just use any preferred gluten free pasta.
Can I use cream cheese – yes instead of mozzarella and fresh cream you can just add 1/4 cup cream cheese and mix.
Leftovers– You can store the leftovers for 3 days in refrigerator.
Add-ins– To make this pasta more nutritious and filling you can add chopped mushrooms, vegetables like carrots, bell peppers or greens like spinach. Add about 3/4 cup chopped and saute along with onions.
Use ripe and red plump tomatoes for pasta for best tasting sauce.
You can add roasted and minced garlic cloves and freshly ground black pepper before serving
I have used red onion here but if you prefer milder flavor use yellow onion or white onion.
For intense tomato flavor and color you can add 1 tablespoon tomato paste along with crushed tomatoes.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this pasta as side dish in any Italian meal with a piece of bread, some soup and salad.
This also goes well as main dish with a touch of pepper and garlic.
More Tomato Recipes
I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy as much as we did. Please give a star rating ★ in the recipe card below if you have tried this recipe. Follow us on Pinterest , Instagram, Facebook for more recipes and ideas.
Recipe Card
Tomato Pasta (Pasta With Tomato Sauce)
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups pasta dried, any shape
- water to boil pasta
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
To make pasta with tomato sauce
- 4 tomatoes large, ripe OR 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onions chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup cheese grated or cubed
- 1/4 cup cream fresh cream or heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons parmesan vegetarian, grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to rolling boil with a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon olive oil.
- Add 1.25 cups dried pasta to the large pot of boiling salted water and mix gently once to avoid pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Cook the pasta until it is tender but a bit firm (al dente). We do not want super soft pasta which will turn mushy on further tossing with sauce. Once cooked drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
- Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta cooked water.
- Rinse and wipe 4 large tomatoes and halve them.
- bring a large pot of water to boil and add 1/2 teaspoon sugar to it. Add the tomatoes and blanch for 3-4 minutes.
- Drain and rinse under cold running water. Remove the peels and place tomatoes in a large bowl. Crush them coarsely. If you are using canned tomatoes, skip the above steps and proceed from the next step.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan. Now add crushed red pepper flakes and saute for few seconds. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn a bit soft. Add 2 cloves garlic minced and saute till the raw flavor of garlic leaves.
- Now add the crushed tomatoes and mix.
- Next add 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, crushed black pepper. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon dried basil.
- Mix very well and add the 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooked water.
- Simmer the sauce until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can use kosher salt or sea salt too.
- Add cheese cubes and fresh cream. I have used mozzarella here. Mix and simmer until cheese melts.
- Add the cooked pasta.
- Add more dried herbs, chopped fresh basil, chopped parsley, rosemary, more crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well. You can drizzle little bit extra virgin olive oil while serving.
- Serve tomato pasta hot or warm with some grated parmesan cheese as main meal.
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