Garlic Tomato-Basil Pasta
A light, fresh pasta dish featuring sun-ripened tomatoes and aromatic basil, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs spaghetti, olive oil, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves, minced garlic
- 1 cup, halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup, chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil; add 12 oz spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, sautéing for 30 seconds until fragrant—do not let garlic brown.
- Step 3: Add 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt to the skillet, cooking for 2 minutes until tomatoes soften slightly.
- Step 4: Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, tossing to coat the pasta; cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats the strands.
- Step 5: Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil and serve immediately.
