Tomato Garlic Pasta. A delicious and simple 7-ingredient pasta dish that is so satisfying and light in sauce! So easy to make in 15 minutes! This recipe is also vegan.
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My quick easy tomato garlic pasta dish is so simple to make with minimal ingredients in 15 minutes or less! This Italian dish is fantastic as a main for dinner or lunch and great for a busy weeknight meal, when time is of the essence!
The whole family will love this pasta dish because it's so flavorful thanks to the tomatoes and lots of garlic! This is an Italian food that I can enjoy repeatedly especially when we have fresh cherry tomatoes in the garden. I love to eat these noodles when I'm not craving meat as it's completely meatless and so filling!
The tomato garlic pasta sauce is very light and not heavy whatsoever. It's simply made of juicy cherry tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. So if you make this, please don't expect a heavy saucy pasta. Nevertheless, this dish is super yummy and such a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Spaghetti: or spaghettini pasta. This texture of pasta works best with a light tomato sauce. You can also substitute with fresh pasta.
- Cherry Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes: I recommend either of these tomato breeds for this tomato pasta recipe because they both have a sweetness to them that isn't as strong in regular tomatoes.
- Fresh basil leaves: do not substitute with dried basil flakes as it won't taste the same. Fresh herbs are the best for this dish.
- Garlic cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Reserved hot pasta water: this starchy noodle water creates the base for our tomato sauce so don't substitute with plain water.
Expert Tips
- Don't overcook the pasta. Only boil until it's al dente and do a taste test.
- Don't forget to reserve some of that starchy pasta water and grab some at the end of the pasta boiling process so it's extra starchy.
- This starchy water helps the sauce stick to the pasta and creates a thicker sauce.
- Let the garlic slow cook in the oil and don't raise the heat past low. If you raise it any higher it'll burn and the garlic flavors won't release into the oil.
How to Make Tomato Garlic Pasta
- In a large pot of water, season it with 2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Boil pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Near the end of the cooking process, reserve ⅓ cup of hot pasta water for sauce. Strain pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large pan on low heat, add extra virgin olive oil. Add in sliced garlic and slow fry until fragrant. Once fragrant, add in the tomatoes. Season with remaining salt and black pepper. Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 3-5 minutes until tomatoes are softened and tomato juices release.
- Remove the lid and add in reserved pasta water. Toss in cooked pasta. Add chopped basil leaves and toss everything together. Remove off heat and serve immediately with more fresh basil as a garnish. Season with salt to taste if needed. Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat and add some water to help loosen the pasta.
📖 Recipe
Easy 15-min. Tomato Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
- 0.55 lb spaghetti pasta or spaghettini
- 9 oz cherry tomato sliced in half
- ¾ cup fresh basil roughly chopped, packed
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup reserved pasta water
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ¼ teaspoon salt to season pasta water and to season sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot of water, season it with 2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Boil pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Near the end of the cooking process, reserve ⅓ cup of hot pasta water for sauce. Strain pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large pan on low heat, add extra virgin olive oil. Add in sliced garlic and slow fry until fragrant. Once fragrant, add in the tomatoes. Season with remaining salt and black pepper. Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 3-5 minutes until tomatoes are softened and tomato juices release.
- Remove the lid and add in reserved pasta water. Toss in cooked pasta. Add chopped basil leaves and toss everything together. Remove off heat and serve immediately with more fresh basil as a garnish. Season with salt to taste if needed. Enjoy!
Victoria
This looks so simple but delicious. I was just thinking the other day about making something along the same lines!
Christie
Thanks so much Victoria! I love simple recipes that pack a lot of flavour.
Anna
This was very delicious, light and tasty with flavour. I love how simple the ingredients are too.