Easy Cherry Tomato Pasta

Here’s a simple and delicious pasta dish that lets cherry tomatoes shine—perfect for a quick dinner or a summer lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti noodles
• 1 quart cherry tomatoes, whole or split in half (I prefer splitting them) You can also easily substitute a whole heirloom tomato or two in place of cherry tomatoes!
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced thin. In a hurry, crushed is fine.
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (for finishing)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions

1. Sauté garlic in ¼ cup olive oil over medium-low heat until golden (about 3 minutes).
2. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.
3. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
4. Add pasta water to the tomato pan and simmer for 1 minute.
5. Toss in pasta and mix well. Cook for 1 more minute.
6. Remove from heat, stir in basil, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
7. Serve hot, optionally topped with grated Parmesan or Asiago and more basil.

**While boiling water, then tossing in pasta is kind of a standard way to cook pasta, I have been using another method with great success, plus it’s energy-time saving!

Here’s my hack: Boil the water you would for your pasta, and once it’s boiling steady, add your pasta and turn off the heat. I know. Turn it off. Let the pasta sit the regular 8-10 minutes, covered, not heat, and it will cook. Drain (reserving one cup for the tossing!) and serve. Give it a shot!