Description
Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta: A comforting and easy crowd-pleaser with juicy roasted tomatoes and flavorful garlic. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 8–10 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon (5g) sea salt
- ½ teaspoon (2g) freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon (1g) red pepper flakes (optional)
- 12 ounces (340g) pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini work best)
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup (15g) fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare for Roasting Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange the halved tomatoes cut-side up. Scatter the whole garlic cloves among the tomatoes. Drizzle everything generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Toss gently with your hands to ensure everything is well-coated. Rearrange the tomatoes cut-side up again (this helps concentrate their flavor as they roast).
- Step 2: Roast to Perfection Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 35-40 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened considerably and begun to caramelize at the edges, and the garlic is tender when pierced with a knife. The kitchen should fill with an incredible aroma – that’s how you’ll know magic is happening! The tomatoes will release their juices and begin to concentrate in flavor.
- Step 3: Cook the Pasta While the tomatoes and garlic are in their final 10 minutes of roasting, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package instructions, but stop cooking about 1 minute before the recommended time for al dente. Before draining, carefully reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it – that starch helps the sauce cling beautifully.
- Step 4: Create the Sauce Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and all their delicious juices to a large pan or return them to the pasta pot. Using a wooden spoon, gently crush the roasted garlic and about half the tomatoes to release more of their flavor into the sauce. Keep some tomatoes intact for texture variety. Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Step 5: Combine and Finish Add the drained pasta to the tomato-garlic mixture along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Remove from heat, add the Parmesan cheese and most of the basil, then toss again. Your Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta is ready to serve, garnished with the remaining fresh basil and additional Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Americaine
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (approximately 300g)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 570mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
Keywords: Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta