This fresh tomato pasta is another perfect recipe for cooking things you have on hand and a great use for those ripe tomatoes that we need to use up. I’m looking daily in my refrigerator and at my non perishable items trying to make sure I don’t let anything go to waste!
Other that the olive oil and salt and pepper, this recipe has 4 ingredients! I used very ripe Roma tomatoes, a few leftover sweet cherry tomatoes I had on hand, fresh garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil or Italian parsley, whichever you have on hand. In a pinch you could use dried basil if you don’t have fresh.
fresh tomato pasta.
I used spaghetti, however any pasta would work. I tubed pasta or fusilli or other spiral shaped pasta would work well. This recipe is not one to just make with fresh tomatoes when you need to! I’ve been making this recipe for years and I have used a canned diced tomato before. I would use a really good tomato like Mutti or a San Marzano brand. Here’s a link for the Mutti: https://amzn.to/2Jhwseb
Need another pasta receip? https://the2spoons.com/best-pasta-and-clams/. This pasta with clams is also a great recipe for cooking from your pantry. While at the grocery store the other day they had canned clams which work well in the pasta with clams dish.
Here’s the easy recipe for the fresh tomato pasta! Bon Appetit!
Fresh Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta of your choice, I used spaghetti
- 8-10 Roma tomatoes, diced or good quality Italian diced canned tomatoes like Mutti or San Marzano.
- handful of cherry tomatoes (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- fresh basil, several leaves torn, or 1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley chopped (If you only have dried, add about 1/2 teaspoon of basil, parsley, or a combination of both)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling while plating
- salt and pepper to taste and salt for the pasta water
- 1 cup reserved pasta water or more if needed
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Bring a salted pot of water to a boil and add your pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil to medium in a large skillet. Add the red pepper flakes, cook about a minute, then add the garlic. Stirring constantly add the garlic and do not allow the garlic to brown. Reduce the heat if you need to. After about a minute, add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are broken up and a sauce has formed. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the pasta from pot with tongs or a spider and add to the sauce in the skillet, tossing with tongs and adding a little pasta water at a time as needed to make a nice sauce.
- Check for salt and add your fresh herbs. Toss then serve in bowls or on plates drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and grated or shaved Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!