This angel hair pasta is a delicious dish made with burst tomatoes, parmesan cheese, garlic and basil. This quick and easy meal is ready in 15 minutes and is great for those on the go.
This is one of my go to meals when I have very little time but want something tasty. It also makes a bunch so you can feed the whole family easily. Funny story about this dish is that I used to make it all the time in college. I would throw in some chicken for some extra protein but it was many of my fraternity brothers lived it when I cooked this because they would come to eat the extra servings. I am sure you will love this as much as they did.
In this recipe
There are only a few ingredients. Made with fresh ingredients this is a simple recipe however there are a few substitutions that you can make.
Cherry tomatoes: these are the perfect size for this recipe however if you want to use larger tomatoes then make sure you cut the tomatoes smaller to about the size of a cherry tomato. Plum tomatoes are a great alternative.
Garlic: while fresh garlic is great for this dish however like in the photo below garlic confit is a great alternative as well as using the olive oil from the garlic confit.
Parmesan: this cheese adds a nutty flavor to the dish however you can cut the portion in half and use some Pecorino-Romano.
Bursting the tomatoes
Bursting cherry tomatoes is one of my favorite ways to cook cherry tomatoes. By heating the tomatoes as the liquid inside starts to boil it will spilt the skin. This will end up making a nice sauce for the pasta when it is done without having to do much work. You will want to make sure that you keep moving the tomatoes around so they don’t burn on one side. Once a few of the tomatoes start to burst that is when you add the garlic. This will keep it from burning.
Pasta water is your friend
One of the biggest takeaways that I have when making a pasta dish is to make sure that you reserve some of the pasta water. When the pasta cooks it will release starch in the water and this is a great ingredient for making a nice smooth sauce that clings to the pasta. Even when making a ragu or another other sauce a little pasta water goes a long way. The smaller amount of water in the pot the higher the starch content. Try not to over salt the water for the pasta.
Making the angel hair pasta
First and foremost the first thing I will suggest is to salt the dish at the end. The reason for this is when you add the pasta water any salt there will season the dish first. Next you will want to add the water to the pan before adding the parmesan cheese. This will help to keep the cheese from clumping and making a nice smooth sauce. Keep tossing the pasta in the sauce until it evenly coats all of the pasta. Add additional pasta water if necessary.
Looking for other pasta recipes?
Angel Pasta with Tomato and Basil
Equipment
- Pot
- Large pan
- Colander optional
- Spider skimmer
Ingredients
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- ½ pound angel hair pasta
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup basil fresh, packed then sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic sliced
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking heat the oil in a pan on medium high heat and add the tomatoes. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the the tomatoes burst. Add the garlic and cook for another minute
- Save 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta into a colander or use a spider skimmer to remove the pasta and add to the pan.
- Add the basil, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and toss to mix everything well. Add ¼-½ cup of pasta water to create a smooth sauce. Serve while still hot and top with additional basil and parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
So simple and yet so delicious! This is a recipe I make over and over in the summer using fresh basil from my garden!
I sure wish my university roommates cooked like this! What a perfectly simple and well rounded dish. I can’t wait to make this again using fresh garden cherry tomatoes, too!
What a refreshing pasta dish. So simple yet so full of flavor! Great recipe.
I tried this Pasta with Tomato and Basil for dinner tonight. It is truly wonderful, nothing is overpowering and not heavy on the stomach. Thank you so much for sharing. Definitely making this delicious pasta again!
This recipe is so simple, but offers so much flavor! We loved it. I definitely will be making it again.
Wow! This pasta dish looks absolutely delicious and very yummy! The presentation makes this so enticing and tempting! We can never go wrong with pasta! Loved it!
I made this, and it is so easy and so delicious.
Served it with roasted chicken, and it turned out a perfect dinner for the family.
This is one of my all time favorite go to recipes for a fast, easy and healthy dinner. The flavors are always just right and taste great for lunch the next day too!
We love pasta. This is such a wonderful dish for any night of the week. Fresh ingredients, delicious results.