Why You’ll Love This Roasted Tomato Pasta Recipe
Peak-season tomatoes need little more than high heat and olive oil to transform into an easy tomato pasta worthy of the season. My turning-point breakthrough came when I realized this delicate roasted tomato pasta sauce works far beyond wheat pasta: spoon it over zoodles, spaghetti squash, or even as a lighter topper for chicken or eggplant Parmesan.
The sheet-pan method keeps prep minimal yet delivers that blistered cherry tomato sweetness without hovering over the stove. Add a dollop of ricotta (or trendy cottage cheese) for body, and you’ve got a weeknight dinner as effortless as my traditional Sicilian pasta con le sarde or bright and easy pasta al limone.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: Their natural sugars caramelize into a roasted cherry tomato sauce with intense, sweet depth.
- Red onion: Adds a mild bite and natural sweetness once roasted.
- Garlic cloves: Whole cloves mellow in the oven for a nutty, roasted garlic finish.
- Fresh basil: Tear leaves before roasting for herb-infused oil; garnish with more for a classic basil tomato pasta vibe.
- Olive oil, salt, pepper: Quality oil and proper seasoning ensure a silky roasted tomato pasta sauce.
- Ricotta, cottage cheese, mascarpone, or cooked white beans: Choose your creamy angle; each thickens the sauce while keeping it light.
- Short pasta shapes: Tubes catch sauce pockets; try penne or rigatoni. Gluten-free shapes work, too.
- Parmesan cheese (optional): For a salty finish on this Parmesan tomato pasta.
For another amazing sauce, try my homemade marinara or this creamy vodka pasta sauce!
How to Make Roasted Tomato Pasta
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204 °C). Line a half-sheet pan with parchment. Arrange tomatoes, onion, garlic, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Roast until tomatoes blister and burst, about 15–20 minutes. Avoid over-roasting to keep skins tender, not stringy.
Step 3: Transfer the oven roasted tomatoes and veggies to a blender. Add ricotta (or cottage cheese/white beans) and blend, venting the lid slightly. Start low, then purée until silky. This becomes your roasted tomato pasta sauce.
Step 4: Meanwhile, boil pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
Step 5: Toss pasta with sauce, adding splashes of pasta water as needed for a glossy coat. Top your cherry tomato pasta with fresh basil and grated Parmesan.
Troubleshooting & Pro Tips
- Watery sauce? Use high heat. 425°F gives fast evaporation, and roast tomatoes whole so juices concentrate before bursting.
- Too acidic? Blend in a pinch of sugar or an extra spoonful of ricotta to balance.
- Garlic burning? Keep cloves whole and nestle under tomatoes; they’ll roast, not scorch.
- Winter swap: Substitute one 14-oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes; broil 5 minutes with olive oil and garlic before blending.
- Pasta with roasted vegetables: Add zucchini or bell-pepper chunks to the pan for extra veggies.
Recipe FAQs
High moisture tomatoes or low oven temperature leave excess liquid. Roast hotter and blend in a tbsp of Parmesan or white beans to thicken.
No. Roasting softens skins so they blend seamlessly into a smooth tomato and garlic pasta sauce.
Sweet cherry or grape tomatoes caramelize quickest, but plum tomatoes work if halved.
Yes. Cool, portion into jars, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, then re-blend with a splash of water.
Did you try this summer tomato pasta? Leave a star rating and share how you served it. Maybe over spaghetti with roasted tomatoes or spooned onto crusty bread!
More Tomato Forward Recipes
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Easy Roasted Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 24 ounces approximately 2 pints of cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes), stems removed
- ½ small red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- 4 large basil leaves, torn into pieces + extra for serving
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons ricotta cheese, mascarpone, almond milk cream cheese, cottage cheese, or cooked white beans
- 1 pound pasta, I like short or tube pasta shapes here
- Kosher salt for cooking the pasta
- Optional: grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a half-sheet pan with unbleached parchment paper. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil on the prepared sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast the tomatoes in the oven until everything is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer all vegetables on the sheet pan into a blender with the ricotta. Carefully blend until smooth. Keep the lid open slightly and start on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed.
- In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a raging boil and add a good amount of kosher salt plus the pasta. Keep the heat on high while you stir the pasta constantly until the water comes back up to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally. Cook according to package directions until pasta is al dente. Save a little pasta water in case. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Toss with sauce and serve with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
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