Bursting with the essence of summer, this dish combines garden-ripe cherry tomatoes, aromatic basil and rosemary, and garlic-infused olive oil with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese to create a simple yet irresistible pasta sauce.

Welcome to a delightful taste of Italy with this vibrant and flavorful fresh tomato and basil pasta recipe!

Last summer my daughter had a plethora of garden fresh cherry tomatoes and a bountiful harvest of beautiful basil! She shared that bounty with me. Honestly, is there anything better than tomatoes fresh out of the garden? Nothing in the stores can compare.

Any who… I decided to take those ruby-red baby tomatoes and that fragrant basil and create a light and refreshing pasta dish!

This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a leisurely weekend meal. Simple, wholesome, and bursting with Mediterranean flavors, this dish is a go-to when you crave something fresh and satisfying. It’s superb if I do say so myself.

Ingredients List

• 2-3 cups fresh cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ tablespoons fresh sliced basil
• ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary-chopped
• 1½ teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce
• 2½ tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese – extra for garnish
• Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
• Cellentani Pasta – 1 lb. box, prepared per box instructions

How To Prepare Fresh Garden Fresh Pasta

Start with the Pasta

To begin with, and because this sauce comes together quickly, prepare the 1-pound box of Cellentani Pasta per package instructions in a large pot of boiling water. Pasta should be “al dente”.

Once the pasta is cooked, strain and set aside while you prepare the sauce. Remember this sauce really comes together very quickly, and you don’t want it to get cold!

TIP: Drizzle a little olive oil over the warm pasta to prevent it from sticking together.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. You are simply “infusing” the olive oil with garlic.

Add the fresh tomatoes. Sauté until some of the skins begin to burst, about 2 minutes. Gently push the tomatoes around in the pan, being careful not to “smush” them. (Smushing is a very high-tech cooking term!)

TIP: If you are unable to locate fresh garden tomatoes, or you want to kick this dish up a notch with extra color, you can use store-bought heirloom medley tomatoes in a rainbow of beautiful colors! Reds, yellows, oranges and purples!

Add in the fresh chopped basil and rosemary! BAM! There’s your fresh flavors. Suddenly your house smells like Italy! Give it a good stir with the tomatoes.

Now you don’t have to tell me that we’ve already added most of the ingredients found in homemade pesto…but, I wanted to add a little more flavor, so I tossed in a couple tablespoons of store-bought pesto. You can use homemade if you have some hanging around in the refrigerator! You can even skip it if you prefer!

Give everything a good stir, or you can go “Gordon Ramsay” and just give the skillet a good flick to toss. I’ll let you decide on your level of expertise!

Next up…and this one is totally optional, but I love them, even though they are a little pricey...add the pine nuts! (Squirrels and birds know a good thing when they see it, my friends! I’ll leave out mentioning bears and deer!)

Cook for another minute and turn off the heat!

Bringing it all together: Pasta and Sauce

Pour the fresh tomato and basil sauce over the cooked pasta.

Now I know…this doesn’t look like much…you’re just going to have to trust me on this one.

Using a spoon, combine the two quickly, being careful not to demolish the tomatoes totally! Yes, some are going to fall apart…but the majority should hold their shape.

Add salt and pepper to your taste. In order to know if you have reached that level…it’s really sad, but you’re gonna have to do a “taste test”! Shucks!!!

TIP: When seasoning with salt and pepper, always start out with less. You can add more…but it’s SO hard to pick out those little grains of salt and pepper!

Finish the dish by adding 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese! DO NOT pick up that Green Shaker of Parmesan cheese!!! You’ve just created a delightfully fresh pasta dish…it deserves freshly grated Parmesan cheese…not saw dust! ( Don’t get me wrong, the green shaker has its place…it’s just not in this dish.)

Stir the Parmesan cheese in with the pasta and light tomato basil sauce.

Serving Tomato and Basil Pasta

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl and garnish with more freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped basil or tiny sprigs of rosemary.

I like to serve this dish with my warm Homemade French Bread and Caesar Salad Wedges. It’s a spectacular spring and summer meal. Even better eaten at Sunset on the deck!

Fresh Garden-Friendly Recipes

• Homemade Garden Pizza
• Oven-fried squash
• Fresh Tomato-Avocado Italian Salad
• Grilled Greek Portobello and Veggie Sandwiches
• Fried Peach Sweet Biscuit Shortcakes
• Chicken and Spinach One Pot Pasta from A Red Spatula

Share this dish with loved ones for a truly satisfying dining experience. Embrace the joy of cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients, and let this recipe become a staple in your kitchen for years to come.

We can’t get enough of this dish! It’s so good! Enjoy Friends! The free printable recipe is below.

Happy Nesting!

Printable Recipe Card

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