Easy Tomato Basil Pasta Recipe
This effortless tomato basil pasta dish is an uncomplicated and delightful recipe that is ideal for a hectic weeknight or a meat-free Monday. You just need 5 ingredients for this meal. It is fresh, lively, and incredibly flavorful.
A restaurant-grade dish you can effortlessly prepare at home. Let me guide you on how to create it.
Related recipes: spaghetti arrabbiata, sausage fennel pasta, and tomato bacon pasta.
Why you will adore this recipe
Quick and effortless: Just like my canned tuna pasta and olive oil pasta with sundried tomato recipes, this simple basil tomato pasta is fast and convenient, coming together in about 15-20 minutes.
It’s a timeless tomato spaghetti recipe that tastes like you dedicated hours in the kitchen to prepare it. This dish is extraordinarily simple, remarkably delicious, and yet so easy to assemble.
Fresh and lively: This recipe is light, invigorating, and perfect for this summer month or indeed at any time of year. A colorful meal that will make everyone at the table want seconds or even thirds, it is truly gratifying.
You will be astonished by the depth of flavor packed into just using garlic, fresh cherry tomatoes, and basil as a base for this pasta. It will become one of your favorite quick and delectable pasta recipes when you require something delicious yet full of flavor.
Ideal for all occasions: this easy pasta meal is suitable for any event, be it a light lunch, dinner, or even as a side. It pairs beautifully with grilled meats and fish, just like a traditional Italian pasta dish.
That said, I enjoy serving it as a meatless dinner alongside garlic bread. When I’m feeling particularly lazy, I grab frozen garlic bread. Just 7-10 minutes in the air fryer, and dinner is ready.
Inexpensive: cheap doesn’t equate to tasteless, bland, or dull. This tasty tomato basil pasta is an excellent method to stretch your grocery spending; it can easily feed 4 people for under 10 dollars (£5). What’s not to love?
What you will require
To create this 5-ingredient pasta meal, you will need the following components.
Spaghetti: you can swap it with any other long pasta like linguine, fettuccine, or angel hair pasta. Short pasta like penne or fusilli would also work here.
Cherry tomatoes: can be replaced with grape tomatoes.
Fresh basil leaves: this is an essential component of this dish, and I wouldn’t advise swapping it with the dried variety, as they do not have the same flavor.
Garlic: only fresh garlic is recommended for optimal flavor in this recipe.
Extra virgin olive oil: make sure to use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. You can also opt for regular olive oil or grapeseed oil.
Mozzarella cheese: to serve, you can substitute with grated parmesan cheese.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
How to prepare 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 directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, saving some pasta water.
Prepare the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a spacious skillet. Introduce the sliced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Be cautious with the garlic; you want to cook it until it begins to turn brown, but not burnt.
Add cherry tomatoes to the fragrant mixture and carefully stir into the oil, cover the tomatoes partially with a lid, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften slightly and blister.
Add cherry tomatoes to the aromatic mixture, carefully stir into the oil, cover the skillet partially with a lid, lower the heat, and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are a bit softened and blistered.
Season the tomatoes with salt and black pepper (They should start releasing their own juices at this stage) and keep cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mash the tomatoes: Using a potato masher or the back of a spatula, crush the tomatoes to create a saucy consistency.
Tear the fresh basil into the sauce, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary (keep in mind that the spaghetti is already salted).
Incorporate the cooked spaghetti into the tomatoes and stir until everything is blended together. Add pasta water to the sauce as needed until your desired consistency is achieved.
Remove from heat and serve immediately with additional fresh basil leaves as a garnish and cubed mozzarella cheese.
This is absolutely delicious, and I am sure you will come back to tell me it was the best tomato basil spaghetti you’ve ever tasted. Enjoy!
Suggestions
- Make this a full meal by including grilled or baked chicken. You can also toss in some fresh shrimp while the sauce cooks or add pan-fried salmon.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy tomato dish.
- To extract the best flavor from this dish, select tomatoes that are firm, plump, ripe, and juicy.
- Do not replace fresh basil with dried alternatives. The aromatic scent of fresh basil is incomparable.
How to store and reheat
This meal is optimally enjoyed fresh; however, if you possess leftovers or have prepared this as part of a meal prep, place them in a sealed container and store in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3-4 days.
Warm up with a bit of water or broth on the stove or in the microwave to prevent the pasta from becoming dehydrated.
Additional quick and simple pasta dishes you ought to try next
Pasta with bacon and peas
Creamy mushroom pasta
Creamy spinach pasta
Simple salmon pasta without cream
Creamy chicken curry pasta
Creamy Gochujang pasta
Garlic butter pasta recipe
Broccoli pasta with shrimp
Tomato Basil Pasta Recipe
This tomato basil pasta recipe is a straightforward and delectable dish ideal for a hectic weeknight or a meatless Monday. It requires only 5 ingredients, presenting a fresh, lively, and exceptionally flavorful experience. A high-quality restaurant dish you can effortlessly create at home. Let me guide you through the process.
- 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 for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- pasta water
Prevent your display from dimming
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Cook the pasta: Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Introduce the pasta and cook as per package guidelines until al dente. Drain and set aside, retaining some pasta water.
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Create the tomato sauce: In a spacious skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Incorporate the sliced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Monitor the garlic closely; you aim to cook it until it begins to brown yet remains unburnt.
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Add cherry tomatoes to the fragrant mixture, gently stirring them into the oil. Half-cover the skillet with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften slightly and become blistered.
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Season the tomatoes with salt and black pepper (at this stage, they should be releasing their own juices) and continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Smash the tomatoes: Using a potato masher or the back of the spatula, crush the tomatoes to create a saucy consistency. Tear the fresh basil into the sauce, stir to blend, and cook for 1 minute. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt as necessary (note that the spaghetti is pre-seasoned).
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Add the prepared spaghetti to the tomato mixture and stir until evenly combined. Introduce pasta water as needed to achieve your preferred consistency.
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Remove from heat and serve right away with additional fresh basil leaves as garnish and diced mozzarella cheese. Savor!
Calories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 9gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 17mg
Potassium: 408mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 950IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg
Nutritional information: Please be aware that the nutrition label presented is an approximation derived from an online nutrition calculator. It may differ according to the particular ingredients and brands utilized. In no event shall thedinnerbite.com be liable for any loss or damage arising from your dependence on the nutritional details.
And there you have it, a quick and tasty pasta recipe that you can prepare at home in just 20 minutes. As always, if you tried this recipe, I would be thrilled to hear from you! Please rate the recipe 5 stars and share your thoughts in the comment section below. Mention me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and bookmark it to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for complimentary new recipes in your inbox.
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