Description
This Lemony Cherry Tomato Pasta combines vibrant cherry tomatoes with fragrant garlic and zesty lemon for an easy, fresh meal ready in no time. Perfect for a quick dinner or as a healthy option, this flavorful dish delivers bright taste with minimal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- optional garnishes: chopped fresh basil
- optional garnishes: freshly-grated parmesan
- optional garnishes: extra black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes; cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add cherry tomatoes, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Mix the drained pasta into the skillet with a few splashes of reserved pasta water, tossing until everything is coated in sauce.
- Remove from heat, then toss with lemon zest and juice. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve warm, garnished with basil, Parmesan, and black pepper.
Notes
Use any pasta shape you prefer; pappardelle is an excellent choice for sauce adherence.
Feel free to adjust the level of crushed red pepper flakes based on your spice preference.
For added creaminess, a splash of heavy cream can be stirred in just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg