Cherry tomato and basil pasta
Jun 20, 2025
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This cherry tomato and basil pasta tastes like summer in a bowl. With just a handful of fresh ingredients, it delivers bright and summery flavors thanks to jammy, blistered cherry tomatoes, plenty of good olive oil, and fresh basil. As the tomatoes burst in the pan, they create the most delicious sauce that is jammy and rich.
Love a cherry tomato pasta? You will love my cherry tomato pasta with scallops, creamy cherry tomato pasta and one pan creamy orzo.
If you’re craving a pasta that tastes like summer, this cherry tomato and basil pasta is it. The cherry tomatoes burst open as they cook, turning jammy and sweet, and when combined with good olive oil and fresh basil, you get the most delicious sauce that rivals any jarred ones you can buy at the store.
I make this dish all the time for my family as it comes together so quickly and uses ingredients that I always have on hand. It’s perfect for using up those cherry tomatoes that have been sitting in the fridge a little too long. The riper they are, the sweeter and juicier your sauce will be.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know I have a serious love affair with tomatoes, especially when pasta is involved. From my cheesy tomato gnocchi to the creamy cherry tomato pasta, my one pot tomato orzo and even a cherry tomato pasta with seared scallops to jazz things up, I just can’t get enough. I love their sweetness, their tartness, their versatility. That’s exactly why this dish is one of my favourites. It’s simple, summery and full of flavour and I know you are going to love it too!
Ingredients for Cherry Tomato & Basil Pasta
You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this pasta, but make sure they’re good quality, especially the olive oil and tomatoes.
- Cherry tomatoes – You want them ripe, soft and juicy. The older they are, the sweeter and more jammy your sauce will be. Leave them sitting on your kitchen bench for a few days before using!
- Good quality olive oil – This is what brings the whole sauce together. Use the best one you’ve got because it really makes all the difference!
- Fresh basil – This dish is best made in summer when tomatoes and basil are in season. The basil will be sweet and absolutely delicious!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
One of the best things about this cherry tomato pasta is how flexible it is. You can build on the base sauce in so many ways, whether you’re adding protein or using what you’ve already got in the fridge.
- Add a protein: Seared scallops, grilled chicken or even prawns work beautifully here. They make it feel a little fancier while still keeping it fresh and light.
- Use larger tomatoes: If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, you can absolutely use larger ones. Just keep in mind they have a higher water content, so roasting them first will help concentrate their flavour.
- Serve the sauce with something else: This jammy tomato and basil sauce is delicious spooned over crispy crumbed chicken, grilled meats or even stirred through couscous or orzo.
- Add greens or herbs: A handful of baby spinach, rocket or fresh parsley gives it an extra layer of flavour and nutrition for the kids!
- Cheese it up: Burrata, mozzarella or a good grating of pecorino brings even more richness to the dish.
How To Make Cherry Tomato Pasta
This cherry tomato and basil pasta comes together in no time at all! The key is getting the tomatoes to blister and burst open to create a rich and jammy sauce.
Step 1: In a large frypan, bring the olive oil to heat. Add the garlic cloves to the oil and cook for 2 – 3 minutes or until slightly golden.
Step 2: Add the cherry tomatoes to the frypan and cook for 7 – 10 minutes or until they have burst open and create a jammy sauce. Season with a generous amount of salt and pepper and stir through the chilli flakes if using.
Step 3: On a low heat, toss the pasta through the sauce while slowly incorporating the pasta water until you have a silky and glossy sauce. You may not need all the pasta water so do this step slowly. Turn the heat off and stir through two thirds of the basil.
Step 4: Sprinkle over the cheese and remaining fresh basil. Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.
FAQ’S
You can, but fresh cherry tomatoes give the sweetest result. If you only have canned, drain off most of the liquid and simmer a little longer to concentrate the flavour and mimic that burst tomato texture. You can refer to my canned tomato and basil sauce recipe!
This dish is 100 percent vegan as-is when you skip any optional cheese. Simply finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and an extra sprinkle of fresh basil for richness and aroma.
Yes, but larger tomatoes have a higher water content. For best results, roast them in the oven first to concentrate their flavour before adding them to the sauce.
Spaghetti, linguine or bucatini are perfect for this light, silky sauce. But honestly, any pasta shape will work—just use your favourite.
How To Serve
This pasta is best served straight from the pan while the sauce is still glossy and warm. I love topping it with a generous handful of freshly torn basil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, if you’re not keeping it vegan, a good sprinkle of parmesan or pecorino. It pairs beautifully with a crisp green salad or some warm focaccia to mop up any leftover sauce. You could also add a side of crispy crumbed chicken or grilled seafood if you’re looking to bulk it up a little more.
How To Store
If you have any leftovers, let the pasta cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to three days. When reheating, add a splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce and bring it back to life. While you can freeze the sauce on its own, I wouldn’t recommend freezing the pasta once it’s been mixed through—it’s best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated.
Tomato Pasta’s you’ll Love
If you make this cherry tomato and basil pasta, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!
If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Cherry tomato and basil pasta
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, + extra to serve
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves , peeled
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, tightly packed, finely sliced
- salt and pepper
- 10 oz spaghetti
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, optional
- 1/2 cup pecorino romano , to serve
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil. Follow the instructions on the back of the pasta packet for al dente pasta and drain your pasta 1 – 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time. Reserve up to 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Sauce: While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. In a large frypan, bring the olive oil to heat. Add the garlic cloves to the oil and cook for 2 – 3 minutes or until slightly golden. Add the cherry tomatoes to the frypan and cook for 7 – 10 minutes or until they have burst open and create a jammy sauce. Season with a generous amount of salt and pepper and stir through the chilli flakes if using.
- Garlic: Remove the garlic from the sauce and mash into a paste with the back of a large knife. Add the garlic back to the sauce and stir through.
- Add pasta and herbs: On a low heat, toss the pasta through the sauce while slowly incorporating the pasta water until you have a silky and glossy sauce. You may not need all the pasta water so do this step slowly. Turn the heat off and stir through two thirds of the basil.
- Serve: Sprinkle over the cheese and remaining fresh basil. Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Cherry tomatoes – You want them ripe, soft and juicy. The older they are, the sweeter and more jammy your sauce will be. Leave them sitting on your kitchen bench for a few days before using! You can slice the tomatoes in half to speed up cook time but this is not necessary!
- Good quality olive oil – This is what brings the whole sauce together. Use the best one you’ve got because it really makes all the difference!
- Fresh basil – This dish is best made in summer when tomatoes and basil are in season. The basil will be sweet and absolutely delicious! Pick the leaves off and jam pack them into a measuring cup. Easiest way to finely slice the basil leaves is to get some leaves and roll up tightly into a cigar. Then finely slice.
- Garlic – There are a few options for the garlic! You can follow the recipe and cook them whole them mash them up and add them back into the sauce. You could just flavour the olive oil with them and then discard of the garlic. Or you could finely slice or mince the garlic cloves and cook them with the tomatoes for a stronger garlic flavour throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Very delicious! I had a bunch of cherry tomatoes in my garden and this was the perfect way to use them. My husband usually cooks but he was tired today, so I got brave. This came out great!! Will definitely make it again.
So happy to hear this!
Delicious and oh so simple to make. My toddler and husband loved it. Will make again.
What lovely feedback! Thank you so much.
Thanks for posting this version. I usually make it but never cooked the tomatoes before. I also have used spinach and fresh mushrooms on occasion but nothing like this simple dish, one of my favorites. Would roasting the garlic be a good addition do you think?
Roasted garlic would absolutely be a great addition! I hope you enjoy!
The whole family loved this one. Will be making again!
So happy to hear this!
This was so quick and delicious! When I added the garlic, I also added a couple tablespoons of chopped sun-dried tomatoes. I used Aleppo pepper flakes and parmesan instead of pecorino Romano. This recipe will be on repeat!
Simple to make and lots of flavor. Hubby loved it. Thank you!
Yay! So happy to hear this.
This is absolutely an outstanding pasta dish. I added a tin of @Fishwife anchovies when sautéing the garlic which created a paste. Lip licking good!! Thank you so much!!
Thank you for such lovely feedback! So glad you enjoyed the pasta.
I made this for dinner last night and it was incredible! I even added some grilled chicken but it was not needed. Thanks for a beautiful recipe. We will be making this again for sure!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Such a simple and lovely recipe. My kids love this one too.
Such a great recipe for the kids too!
What a beautiful recipe! I always make this when I have cherry tomatoes in my fridge. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that!