Tomato Basil Pasta with Fresh Basil
Tomato Basil Pasta is a quick Italian-inspired dinner made with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan. Ready in 25 minutes, it's a light, flavorful, and easy vegetarian meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Pasta
- Salt
- ½ pound penne cavatappi, or your favorite pasta
Tomato Basil Sauce
- 2 –3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ⅓ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups fresh basil chopped
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Toppings
- Extra grated Parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the halved tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and begin to burst.
- Mash about two-thirds of the tomatoes with a fork, leaving the remaining tomatoes whole for texture.
- Add the cooked pasta, chopped basil, and Parmesan cheese to the skillet.
- Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve the Tomato Basil Pasta immediately with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, Italian seasoning, and garlic toast if desired.
Notes
- Substitute gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Fresh mozzarella pearls make a delicious addition.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the flavors.
- Add spinach during the last minute of cooking for extra greens.
- Sprinkle toasted pine nuts for extra crunch.