Tomato Basil Pasta
This Tomato Basil Pasta recipe requires only 6 ingredients! It’s fresh, healthy and easy to make. Pair it with your favourite grilled protein for a delicious summer meal!
Tomato Basil Pasta
I’m excited to share this recipe with you all because it’s an all-time favourite recipe in my family. My mom got the recipe from a good friend, adapted it a little on her own, and has been making it for us since we were kids.
In fact, Tomato Basil Pasta is my sister’s favourite meal ever. If it’s her turn to request a recipe for a family gathering, she will almost always request this dish. Honestly, I can’t blame her! It’s a fresh, delicious and frankly, pretty easy pasta dish to make.
Not only is it easy, it’s also quite healthy! The recipe is made with only simple, whole foods. It’s most delicious in the summertime when you can get really nice fresh, ripe tomatoes and fresh basil.
Tomato Basil Pasta Ingredients
All you need to make this fresh tomato and basil pasta recipe is:
Pasta of course. Personally, I prefer long noodles in this recipe but I’ve enjoyed it with penne pasta as well. Traditional, whole wheat, gluten-free…you choose!
Fresh tomatoes. You’ll need about 4-5. My mom swears by the ‘beefsteak’ tomatoes at the grocery store. The ‘on the vine’ tomatoes work as well, but you may need 6-7 of those as they tend to be smaller.
Fresh basil. Is there anything better? About 1 cup, chopped!
Fresh garlic. 3-4 cloves. I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten a pasta recipe without garlic. It’s a must.
Feta cheese, cubed or crumbled, that’s up to you!
Olive oil. Liquid gold.
Salt and pepper to taste, of course!
How to Make Tomato Basil Pasta
In order to peel the tomatoes, we have to blanch them. Blanching is a cooking process in which a food, usually a vegetable or fruit, is scalded in boiling water, removed after a brief, timed interval, and plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water to halt the cooking process.
Blanch (see recipe instructions), peel and dice tomatoes. While you’re dicing your tomatoes, you should boil water and cook your pasta.
Place diced tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl. Add chopped basil, minced garlic, feta cheese olive oil and salt and pepper. Do not refrigerate the mixture while waiting for the pasta noodles to cook. Let it sit at room temperature.
Once your noodles are ready, serve on top of pasta and enjoy!
Notes About This Recipe
The best part about this recipe is that it doubles as a pasta salad! If you have leftover pasta + tomato basil mixture, I recommend mixing them together and chilling in the fridge overnight. The next day, you’ll have a delicious pasta salad to enjoy!
As I mentioned, we like to serve this dish alongside a grilled protein like fish, chicken or shrimp to create a more satisfying, balanced meal.
Other Pasta Dishes You’ll Love:
Pesto Pasta Salad with White Beans
Creamy & Healthy Pumpkin Sage Pasta
Quick & Easy Tomato Basil Spaghetti
Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!
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Tomato Basil Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (one box) dry linguine, or any other long, thin pasta
- 4-5 large beefsteak tomatoes, can use on the vine tomatoes, but may need 1-2 more
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add tomatoes to boiling water for 30-60 seconds each, then remove from pot and run under cold water to prevent from cooking further.
- Peel and chop the blanched tomatoes and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add chopped basil, minced garlic, feta cheese, and olive oil, salt and pepper then mix to combine.
- Serve immediately (don't store in the fridge until serving) with cooked pasta and enjoy!
- If you have leftovers, mix with pasta noodles and store in fridge for 2-3 days. Enjoy as a pasta salad.
