Description
Transform sweet cherry tomatoes into a rich, vibrant spaghetti sauce that’s incredibly flavorful and comes together quickly. This recipe is a weeknight hero, bursting with garden-fresh taste.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (about 450g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 3–4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 12 oz (about 340g) spaghetti or your favorite pasta
- ½ – 1 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Halve cherry tomatoes and thinly slice garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden; do not burn.
- Increase heat to medium, add halved cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-12 minutes until tomatoes soften, blister, and burst open.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher to gently smash any remaining whole tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld and sauce to thicken slightly.
- Remove from heat, stir in fresh basil, and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- While sauce simmers, cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ to 1 cup of pasta water.
- Drain pasta and immediately transfer to the skillet with the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water and toss vigorously until pasta is beautifully coated. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins