The recipe cannot be simpler, and the sauce is ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta. This a favorite tasty meal for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.
Ingredients & Substitutions
How to make cherry tomato pasta
Variations
Serving suggestions
Tips
Storage
More easy pasta recipes
More cherry tomato recipes
Its original name is “pasta allo scarpariello” because it was popular among the shoemakers (“scarpari” means shoemakers in Neapolitan) that lived in the Spanish quarters of the city. The recipe showcases the creativity and simplicity of Italian food. The ingredients cannot be simpler: pasta, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, and parmesan cheese. When combined, they create the perfect pasta dish: a chewy “al dente” bite, a fresh and creamy sauce, a savory tang, an ideal balance of sweet and acidic from the tomatoes, and the pleasant aromas of garlic and fresh basil. We are sure you will love this dish for its simplicity, ease of making, and irresistible flavors of Mediterranean cuisine.
Pasta
We like to make cherry tomato pasta with spaghetti – here, we used squared spaghetti, which is slightly bigger than regular spaghetti, and have an incredible bite. Other pasta shapes that work well are linguine, bucatini, bavette, paccheri, and rigatoni. What’s most important here is that you use Italian pasta made with 100% durum wheat flour and cook it al dente, with a bite. If you can find “bronze-cut” pasta, it’s even better because its rugged surface makes it easier for the sauce to stick. For gluten-free, substitute gluten-free pasta for durum wheat pasta.
Tomatoes
We recommend cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes. We combined small cherry tomatoes with golden or yellow plum tomatoes to add extra sweetness. Substitute canned or bottled cherry tomatoes for fresh ones.
Olive oil
We recommend extra virgin olive oil to make the sauce.
Garlic
Fresh garlic is a must here.
Salt and Pepper
We recommend sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Red pepper flakes
Optional to add a touch of heat to the dish.
Fresh basil
Fresh basil is lovely with the cherry tomato pasta sauce, and we recommend not substituting other fresh herbs.
Parmesan cheese
Grated parmesan cheese adds a savory taste and a creamy texture. Substitute pecorino romano or ricotta salata for parmesan. For vegans, you can use a vegan parmesan alternative or another vegan cheese suitable for pasta. When the water is boiling, season it with salt and add the pasta. Boil the pasta as per package instructions minus 3 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and season them with salt, black pepper, pressed or grated garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is ready. Stir occasionally. Note: the medium-high heat allows the tomatoes to burst and release their juices in a short cooking time. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and fresh basil leaves, and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce on medium heat while stirring for a couple of minutes. The pasta should be al dente, with a bite. Add more pasta water if necessary. Turn the heat off, add the grated parmesan cheese, and stir until the cheese melts and makes the sauce creamy. Serve the pasta immediately in a bowl, topping it with the cherry tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The recipe is as easy and delicious, and it’s a beautiful alternative if you don’t have cherry tomatoes. Check out our pasta pomodoro recipe.
Sautéed eggplant (basil, eggplant, tomato, garlic, olive oil, etc.) Chickpea salad (cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, black olives, corn, cucumber, etc.) Easy house salad (carrot, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, etc.) Sautèed zucchini (red onion, zucchini, olive oil, salt, pepper, etc.) Avocado salad (cherry tomato, parsley, avocado, red onion, bell pepper, etc.)
Sautéed Zucchini
Sautéed Eggplant
Chickpea Salad
Avocado Salad
You’ll need a large pot of salted water as follows:
8 ounces of pasta (230 grams): cook pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water (8 cups or 2 Liters) with 1 tablespoon of salt (15 grams). Serves 2 – 3 people. 12 ounces of pasta (340 grams): cook pasta in 3 quarts of boiling water (12 cups or 3 Liters) with 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (21 grams). Serves 4 people. 1 pound of pasta (450 grams): cook pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water (16 cups or 4 Liters) with 2 tablespoons of salt (30 grams). Serves 5-6 people.
Undercook the pasta
Cook the pasta for 2 to 3 minutes less than instructed on the package so that you can finish cooking it in the pan with the sauce. This will make for a creamier dish with a chewy bite.
Turn the heat off, then add cheese.
Adding the cheese with the heat off allows it to melt slowly and become creamy without the risk of separating. Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. Reheat: warm it on a pan with a drizzle of olive oil or in the microwave for 60 – 90 seconds. Freezer: pasta with cherry tomatoes is not suitable for freezing.
Pasta Pomodoro (cherry tomatoes, canned tomatoes, spaghetti, basil, etc.) Spaghetti Puttanesca (olives, capers, parsley, canned tomatoes, pasta, etc.) Penne arrabbiata (red pepper flakes, canned tomatoes, penne pasta, etc.) Roasted red pepper pasta (roasted bell pepper, almonds, canned tomato, etc.)
Pasta Puttanesca
Pasta Pomodoro
Penne Arrabbiata
Red Pepper Pasta
Mushroom pasta (portobello mushrooms, fettuccine, garlic, parsley, etc.) Tomato confit Basil tomato salad Bruschetta
For many more pasta ideas, check out our pasta category page.
Tomato Confit
Tomato Salad
Vegan Mushroom Pasta
Bruschetta
25 Summer Pasta Recipes
30 Cherry Tomato Recipes
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40 Italian Vegetarian Dishes
The recipe cannot be simpler, and the sauce is ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta. This a favorite tasty meal for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner. ” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
