Cherry Tomato Sauce
This quick and simply homemade 4-ingredient Cherry Tomato Sauce is packed with fresh flavor for an easy pasta dish all year round. Meal prep a big batch of this sauce to keep in the fridge or freezer for dinner when you’re in a pinch!
Believe it or not homemade pasta sauce is so easy to make and makes a big different in flavor when you toss it with al dente noodles. This Cherry Tomato Spaghetti Sauce is one of my family’s favorites that I make all year round. It’s no-fuss with just a few good quality staple ingredients, and takes only 30 minutes to make. There’s no excuse to not try making your own sauce when my recipe has only 4 ingredients – tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and basil.
Whether it’s peak summer and you pick up some ripe cherry tomatoes or grab them from the grocery store in the colder months, the flavor is sweet and robust every time. Using just one pan, I blister and cook the tomatoes to a jammy texture, then toss them with al dente spaghetti for a beautifully glossy sauce – it’s the perfect meal in my husband’s opinion.
If you like the fresh tomato flavors in this dish, try some of our other favorites. This easy Caprese Pasta Salad is always a hit and we love this fresh Bruschetta al Pomodoro.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Made with only 4 good quality ingredients, less is more here. This recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients and doesn’t lack in flavor at all.
- Quick and Easy 30 Minute Meal: With a simple, straightforward process, this dish comes together fast and can be served in no time at all.
- Perfect for Weeknight Dinners: Easy to make, full of flavor, and no-fuss, this simple and beautiful pasta is ideal for busy weeknights.
- Great Use For Cherry Tomatoes: If you’ve got extras on hand or simply want a new way to enjoy them, this is a delicious way to use them up.
Ingredients
- Spaghetti: A classic, long-cut noodle. Always cook pasta to al dente for a firm, chewy bite.
- Cherry Tomatoes: The star of the show here, bursting with fresh flavor and color.
- Olive Oil: Use a high-quality, fruity, extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic and fragrant flavor to the sauce.
- Pasta Water: Reserve a cup of the starchy liquid gold — it’ll help bring the sauce together.
- Basil: Fresh herbs make all the difference.
- Salt & Pepper: Season generously, always.
How To Make Cherry Tomato Spaghetti Sauce
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until just shy of al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden in spots.
- Add the cherry tomatoes along with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until many of the tomatoes have softened, blistered, and begun to burst. The tomatoes should slowly cook down and caramelize, creating a glossy sauce. Keep the heat gentle enough to prevent the oil from splattering too aggressively, but not so low that the tomatoes stop cooking down and caramelizing.
- As the tomatoes cook down, carefully use the back of a spoon to gently press some of them to help create the sauce while leaving others whole. Be careful, as the hot tomato juices may splatter. If the skillet starts to look dry, add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of reserved pasta water at a time as needed to keep the sauce glossy and saucy.
- Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the skillet and toss well to coat. Continue tossing, adding additional pasta water a little at a time as needed, until the sauce becomes glossy and lightly coats the pasta.
- Remove from the heat and add the fresh basil. Taste and adjust with additional kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed. Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil and more fresh basil on top if desired.
Expert Tips
- Use Ripe Cherry Tomatoes: Bright red, slightly soft, and ripened to perfection will give the sauce the best flavor
- Let the Tomatoes Slowly Cook Down: Don’t rush this step. Giving the tomatoes enough time to blister, soften, and caramelize creates the rich flavor and glossy sauce.
- Reserve Pasta Water: A few Tablespoons of pasta water help loosen the sauce and create that silky, glossy texture that clings to the spaghetti.
- Keep the Heat at Medium-Low: Too high and the oil can splatter aggressively; too low and the tomatoes won’t properly cook down and caramelize.
- Add Parmesan Cheese: This is optional, but we highly recommend it if you are a cheese lover.
Variations
I’ve made several other versions of this cherry tomato sauce since it’s easy to whip together. Here are some other options that I’ve tried:
- Use any pasta shape. I love this with spaghetti, but you can also use penne, rigatoni, or any pasta you already have at home.
- Roasted Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are fresh and bright as is, but try slow-roasting them until they’re jammy and sweet for a deeper flavor.
- Add Cream: For a rich, decadent version, stir in a splash of heavy cream or half and half off the heat.
- Include Protein: To bulk up the pasta, add simply seasoned grilled or sautéed chicken or shrimp.
- Add Vegetables: For extra nutrition and flavor, wilt in baby spinach or sautéed zucchini. Sliced mushrooms or diced eggplant would be delicious, too.
What To Serve with Cherry Tomato Spaghetti Sauce
While it’s perfectly delicious as is on its own, we have a few favorites to serve with it:
- Garlic Bread or Crusty Grilled Bread
- Simple Side Salad or Italian Chopped Salad
- Grilled Chicken or Pork Milanese
- Burrata or Mozzarella
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium with a splash of water or cream to referesh.
If possible, we recommend storing leftover sauce separate from cooked pasta for maximum freshness and the best texture. To reheat the sauce, warm on the stove with a splash of water and serve with freshly cooked pasta.
You can freeze leftover Cherry Tomato Sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving and warm gently on the stove with a splash of water, cream or starchy pasta water to loosen, if needed.
Make this sauce up 1-2 days in advance for a time-saving meal. Cook and cool the sauce, then store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat. Warm on the stove with a splash of hot pasta water, combine with noodles and enjoy.
FAQs
Yes — canned tomatoes will give the sauce a tangier, jammier flavor and texture that’s delicious, but not as fresh and bright tasting.
To thicken, let the sauce reduce and simmer a bit uncovered, until it reaches the desired consistency.
We love a long, thin-cut pasta like spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini or buccatini for this sauce, but even short-cuts like rigatoni, penne or corkscrews would work fine.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Cherry Tomato Spaghetti Sauce
Equipment
- Large Pot
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 pints cherry tomatoes
- 5 Tablespoons olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed
- ½ to 1 cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup torn fresh basil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until just shy of al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden in spots.
- Add the cherry tomatoes along with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until many of the tomatoes have softened, blistered, and begun to burst. The tomatoes should slowly cook down and caramelize, creating a glossy sauce. Keep the heat gentle enough to prevent the oil from splattering too aggressively, but not so low that the tomatoes stop cooking down and caramelizing.
- As the tomatoes cook down, carefully use the back of a spoon to gently press some of them to help create the sauce while leaving others whole. Be careful, as the hot tomato juices may splatter. If the skillet starts to look dry, add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of reserved pasta water at a time as needed to keep the sauce glossy and saucy.
- Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the skillet and toss well to coat. Continue tossing, adding additional pasta water a little at a time as needed, until the sauce becomes glossy and lightly coats the pasta.
- Remove from the heat and add the fresh basil. Taste and adjust with additional kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed. Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil and more fresh basil on top if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium with a splash of water or cream to referesh.
- If possible, we recommend storing leftover sauce separate from cooked pasta for maximum freshness and the best texture. To reheat the sauce, warm on the stove with a splash of water and serve with freshly cooked pasta.
- Freeze leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving and warm gently on the stove with a splash of water, cream or starchy pasta water to loosen, if needed.
- Make this sauce up 1-2 days in advance for a time-saving meal. Cook and cool the sauce, then store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat. Warm on the stove with a splash of hot pasta water, combine with noodles and enjoy.
