This easy tomato basil pasta recipe is a simple and delicious pasta recipe that is perfect for a busy weeknight or a meatless Monday. You only need 5 ingredients for this dish. It is fresh, vibrant, and super flavorful.
A restaurant-quality dish you can easily make at home. Let me show you how to do it.
Related recipe: spaghetti arrabbiata.
Why you will love this recipe
Quick and easy: Just like my canned tuna pasta and olive oil pasta with sundried tomato recipes, this easy basil tomato pasta is quick and easy and comes together in about 15-20 minutes.
It is a classic tomato spaghetti recipe that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen making it. This recipe is very simple, unbelievably delicious and yet so easy to make.
Fresh and vibrant: This recipe is light, refreshing, and perfect for this summer month or any time of the year really. A colorful dish that will make everyone on the table ask for seconds or even thirds, is very satisfying.
You will be surprised by the amount of flavor packed in just using garlic, fresh cherry tomato and basil as a base for this pasta. It will definitely become one of your favorite go-to pasta recipes for when you need something quick and delicious but still packed with flavor.
Perfect for all occasions: this simple pasta dish is perfect for all occasions, it can be served as a light lunch, dinner, or even as a side dish. It pairs wonderfully with grilled meat and fish, just like a classic Italian pasta dish.
That said I like to serve it as a meatless meal with a side of garlic bread. when I am feeling ultra lazy, I reach out for frozen garlic bread. 7-10 minutes in the aif fryer and dinner is served.
Economical: cheap doesn't have to taste bad, bland or boring. This flavorful tomato basil pasta is a great way to stretch your grocery budget, it can feed 4 people for easily under 10 dollars (£5). What is not to love?
What you will need
To make this 5 ingredients pasta dish, you will need the following ingredients.
Spaghetti: you can substitute it with any other long-shaped pasta such as linguine, fettuccine, angel pasta, etc. Short-shaped pasta such as penne or fusilli would work here too.
Cherry tomatoes: substitute with grape tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves: this is an important ingredient of this recipe, and I wouldn't recommend substituting it with the dried one as they don't taste the same.
Garlic: only fresh garlic is recommended for this recipe for optimum flavor.
Extra virgin olive oil: ensure to use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. You can also use olive oil or grapeseed oil.
Mozzarella cheese: to serve, substitute with grated parmesan cheese.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
How to make tomato basil pasta
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving some pasta water.
Make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the sliced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Keep an eye on the garlic you want to cook until it starts turning brown but not burnt.
Add cherry tomatoes to the aromatic and carefully stir into the oil, place a lid partially on the tomatoes, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften a bit and blistered
Add cherry tomatoes to the aromatic and carefully stir into the oil, place a lid partially on the skillet, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften a bit and blistered.
Season the tomatoes with salt and black pepper (They should be releasing their own juices at this point) and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes stirring it occasionally.
Smash the tomatoes: Using a potato masher or the back of the spatula, smash the tomatoes so that it becomes saucy.
Tear the fresh basil into the sauce, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly (bear in mind that the spaghetti is already salted)
Add the cooked spaghetti to the tomatoes and stir until everything is combined. Add pasta water accordingly to the sauce until your desired consistency is achieved.
Take it off the heat and serve immediately with more fresh basil leaves as garnish and cubed mozzarella cheese.
This is so good and I am sure you will report back to me and say it was the best tomato basil spaghetti you have ever had. Enjoy!
Tips
- Make this a complete meal by adding grilled or baked chicken. You can also toss in some fresh shrimp to the sauce as it cooks or pan-fried salmon.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy tomato dish.
- To get the best flavor out of this dish, choose tomatoes that are still firm, plump, ripe and juicy.
- Do not substitute fresh basil for dried ones. The fragrant aroma of fresh basil can't be compared or replaced.
How to store and reheat
This dish is best served fresh however if you do have leftovers or you made this as part of a meal prep, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat with a splash of water or broth on the stovetop or microwave to ensure the pasta doesn't dry out.
More quick and easy pasta recipes you should try next
Easy salmon pasta without cream
Tomato Basil Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pound spaghetti
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large garlic cloves sliced
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- 30 g fresh basil leaves
- Mozzarella cheese to serve
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- pasta water
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside reserving some pasta water.
- Make the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Keep an eye on the garlic, you just want to cook it until it starts turning brown but not burnt.
- Add cherry tomatoes to the aromatic and carefully stir into the oil, place a lid partially on the skillet, reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften a bit and blistered
- Season the tomatoes with salt and black pepper (They should be releasing their own juices at this point) and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes stirring it occasionally.
- Smashed the tomatoes: Using a potato masher or the back of the spatula, smash the tomatoes so that it becomes saucy. Tear the fresh basil into the sauce, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly (bear in mind that the spaghetti is already salted)
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the tomatoes and stir until everything is combined together. Add pasta water accordingly to the sauce until your desired consistency is achieved.
- Take it off the heat and serve immediately with more fresh basil leaves as garnish and cubed mozzarella cheese. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious past recipe you can make at home in 20 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
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