Description
This simple yet incredibly flavorful cherry tomato spaghetti sauce highlights the natural sweetness of ripe tomatoes. It’s a quick and elegant dish perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 pints (about 4 cups) fresh cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
- 4–5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 12 oz spaghetti or your favorite pasta
Instructions
- 1. Prepare Ingredients: Wash tomatoes. Slice garlic. Have basil ready to chop.
- 2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic (and red pepper flakes, if using) and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- 3. Cook Tomatoes: Add cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar (if using). Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and break down into a rustic sauce. Gently press some tomatoes with a spoon.
- 4. Finish Sauce: Remove from heat. Stir in fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 5. Cook Pasta: While sauce cooks, boil spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water.
- 6. Combine & Serve: Drain pasta and add directly to the sauce. Toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan cheese if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins