Summer Garden Pasta
It’s so good, you’ll be making it on repeat.
Serves4 to 6
Prep10 minutes to 15 minutes
Cook5 minutes to 10 minutes
As soon as tomato season officially kicks off, you can bet I’m trying to eat them in as many ways as possible. On nights when it’s too hot to stay in the kitchen for long or I’m short on time (or sometimes both), I turn to this quick and easy summer garden pasta. While it may look simple thanks to a short ingredient list, the flavor is anything but. It starts with marinating raw cherry tomatoes in vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. A splash of reserved pasta water and a shower of Parmesan bring it together into a silky sauce that clings wonderfully to the noodles. The whole thing can be made in under 20 minutes, making this a true weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love It
- There’s minimal cooking involved. The dish comes together in minutes, as the only cooking required is cooking the pasta on the stove.
- It’s got a great balance of flavor. Salt, fat, acid, and heat are all present in this dish thanks to olive oil, tomatoes, vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
Key Ingredients in Summer Garden Pasta
- Cherry tomatoes. Tomatoes are the star of this dish. I’ve opted for cherry tomatoes since they’re packed with flavor and are easy to slice, making them ideal for a weeknight dinner.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano. Grating real Parmigiano-Reggiano adds umami into every bite.
- Garlic. Grated garlic adds instant flavor to the pasta without much work.
- Red wine vinegar. While any vinegar could be swapped in here, I love the punchiness that red wine vinegar adds to the tomatoes.
- Pasta. This dish is all about the twirly long pasta, which clings to the sauce beautifully.
How to Make Summer Garden Pasta
- Prep the ingredients. Cut the tomatoes, grate the cheese, chop the basil, and grate the garlic before getting started.
- Marinate the tomatoes. Let the tomatoes marinate in a mixture of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Boil the pasta. While the tomatoes are marinating, cook the pasta. Reserve pasta water.
- Assemble the dish. Add the pasta, reserved water, and Parmesan cheese to the tomatoes and toss to combine. Finish the dish with chopped basil.
Helpful Swaps
- While angel hair is a classic choice, you can sub capellini or thin spaghetti.
- Any tomatoes can be used here, just make sure to cut them into bite-size pieces.
- If you want to make this dish vegan, just omit the cheese.
Summer Garden Pasta Recipe
It’s so good, you’ll be making it on repeat.
Prep time 10 minutes to 15 minutes
Cook time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds
cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups)
- 6 ounces
Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups freshly grated or 1 3/4 cups store-bought grated)
- 4 cloves
garlic
- 1 large bunch
fresh basil
- 1/4 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons
red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon
red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 pound
dried angel hair pasta
Instructions
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, halve 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes. Finely grate 6 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups), or measure out 1 3/4 cups store-bought grated. Finely grate 4 garlic cloves. Pick the leaves from 1 large bunch fresh basil until you have 1 packed cup, then coarsely chop.
Place the tomatoes, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if desired in a large heatproof bowl and stir to combine.
Add 1 pound dried angel hair pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Transfer 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the bowl of tomatoes. Drain the pasta.
Add the pasta and Parmesan to the bowl of tomatoes. Toss with tongs until the pasta is evenly coated. Add the basil and toss again until combined.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but the basil may darken.