Pasta with Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
Simple pasta tossed with sun-ripened tomatoes and aromatic basil in a bright, fresh sauce. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs pasta, cherry tomatoes, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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
- 8 oz pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
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Instructions
- Step 1: Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 8 oz pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: While pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 3: Add 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes until tomatoes burst and sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Step 4: Add drained pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss with 1/4 cup fresh basil until coated and glossy, adding more pasta water if needed to emulsify.








