20-minute Cherry Tomato Pasta

20 minutes is all it takes to make this easy, tasty cherry tomato pasta. Juicy cherry tomatoes, basil and Parmesan ensures every bite is delicious.

Ingredients

• Pasta. Any pasta shape will work with this sauce.
• Olive oil.
• Cherry tomatoes. 
• Fresh garlic. 
• Basil. 
• Chilli flakes. 
• Parmesan.
• Salt and pepper. 

How to make cherry tomato pasta

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water before draining.
2. Make the cherry tomato sauce: While the pasta water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Pour olive oil into a large pan set over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and allow to fry for a few seconds before adding the cherry tomatoes. I like to halve around three quarters of the tomatoes and keep the rest whole for texture. Season with chilli flakes, salt and pepper and allow to cook, stirring regularly until the tomatoes start to pop. Squash some of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to get all the juices to release. Once all the tomatoes have softened, reduce the heat. Add the drained pasta with some of the reserved cooking water. Stir until well combined.
3. Serve: Stir in Parmesan and roughly torn basil leaves then serve.

Can I make this ahead?

Absolutely! The sauce can be made and refrigerated for up to 5 days in advance. Simply reheat in a pan before tossing with cooked pasta.

Can I make this with canned tomatoes?

Yes, you can. The flavor will be a little different because the fresh cherry tomatoes are much brighter in flavor than canned tomatoes but it will be delicious, regardless.

Easy pasta recipes

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2. Fettucini Alfredo
3. Shrimp Aglio e Olio