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5 from 3 votes

Lemony Cherry Tomato Pasta

This Lemony Cherry Tomato Pasta is a quick and easy dinner made with juicy sautéed cherry tomatoes, garlic, and a bright finish of fresh lemon juice and zest.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I used pappardelle)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 large cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more/less to taste
  • 1 pound (450g) cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
  • optional garnishes: chopped fresh basil freshly-grated Parmesan, extra black pepper

Instructions

  • Prep the pasta water. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
  • Sauté the aromatics. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
  • Cook the pasta and start the sauce. Add the cherry tomatoes, salt, and a few twists of black pepper to the skillet and stir briefly to combine. At the same time, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente. Cook the tomato sauce for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes as the tomatoes begin to cook down. Reserve about 3/4 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta.
  • Toss the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, along with a few splashes of reserved pasta water. Toss until the pasta is glossy and evenly coated, adding more pasta water as needed so the sauce lightly clings to the pasta.
  • Finish and serve. Remove from heat and toss with the lemon zest and juice. Taste and season with additional salt, black pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed. Serve warm, garnished with basil, Parmesan, and/or extra black pepper if you’d like. Enjoy!