Make this amazing homemade Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce in just 15 minutes, using 4 simple ingredients! This quick and easy recipe will be a perfect addition for a busy weeknight dinner that everyone will love.
If you have some extra cherry tomatoes and you are not sure what to do with them, make this delicious quick and easy Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce. It takes only 15 minutes to make and it will taste so much better than a store bought one.
Similar to my Homemade Marina Sauce and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, you will need just a few simple ingredients to make a flavorful sauce that you can use in so many dishes. Below, I will provide a list of meal ideas and recipes to pair this delicious sauce with.
Ingredients and Substitution
- Cherry tomatoes. I like to cut them in halves, so they will cook faster. Although, you can easily leave them whole and they will burst while cooking, still creating a nice creamy texture.
- Garlic powder. Garlic powder is my favorite ingredient to add to the sauce, as it adds delicious aroma without having chunks of garlic in it. If you prefer to use fresh garlic, you can easily do so.
- Red pepper flakes. This is another my favorite ingredient to spice up my meals. If you don’t like your food spicy, you can simply skip it.
- Basil. Fresh basil will work the best in a quick sauce. It will add a perfect touch of aroma without overpowering the dish. If you don’t have fresh basil, you can use ½ tsp dried basil or Italian seasoning.
How to make it
Wash cherry tomatoes and cut them in halves.
Preheat a large skillet over medium/low heat and add 3 tbsp olive oil. Add diced tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Stir, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring.
Then add ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, stir again and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve it with spaghetti or any pasta of your choice.
Tips for best results
- Remove acidity. If the sauce tastes a bit acidic, you can add a pinch of sugar and cook for a few more minutes. It will help to break down the acidity.
- Sprinkle with some cheese. When I serve this sauce with some pasta or meat, I always like to sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top. It adds complexity to the whole meal and elevates the flavor.
- Fresh basil. While you can use dried basil in this recipe, fresh basil will make this dish taste more refreshing and elevated.
How to serve Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Serve is with meat. You can serve it with pretty much any meat (chicken, turkey, beef, pork, or even seafood), like Cast Iron Chicken Breast, Pork Milanese, Cast Iron Chicken Thighs, Baked Chicken Cutlets, etc.
- Make it gluten-free. Instead of serving it with classic pasta, make some noodles, using zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, or spaghetti squash.
- Incorporate in other recipes. Instead of using canned tomatoes or store bought marinara sauce, incorporate this recipe in meals like Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breast, Turkey Zucchini Meatballs, Classic Chicken Parmesan.
- Serve it together with other vegetables as a side dish, like Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli, Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables, Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips, Green Beans Almondine, and many more.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can refrigerate it in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.
Yes. While I prefer using cherry tomatoes for this pasta sauce (because of their distinct flavor), you can use pretty much any tomatoes you have. Just dice them in smaller pieces, so they cook faster.
There is no need to peel them. The skin on cherry tomatoes is very thin and will become even softer after cooking.
More quick and easy dinner ideas:
- Teriyaki Vegetables
- Lemon Chicken Orzo
- Margherita Flatbread
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Hawaiian Chicken
- Cherry Tomato Bruschetta
- Tortellini in Tomato Sauce
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
15 Minute Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds cherry tomatoes cut in halves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Wash cherry tomatoes and cut them in halves.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium/low heat and add 3 tbsp olive oil. Add diced tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Stir, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Then add ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, stir again and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
- Serve it with spaghetti or any pasta of your choice.
Notes
- Remove acidity. If the sauce tastes a bit acidic, you can add a pinch of sugar and cook for a few more minutes. It will help to break down the acidity.
- Sprinkle with some cheese. When I serve this sauce with some pasta or meat, I always like to sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top. It adds complexity to the whole meal and elevates the flavor.
- Fresh basil. While you can use dried basil in this recipe, fresh basil will make this dish taste more refreshing and elevated.
- How to store. You can refrigerate it in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.
This pasta sauce seems incredibly flavorful and tasty and I like that I van still taste the chunks of tomato within it.
This is just what we needed after coming home late! This was amazing. I’m shocked at how tasty it was with so little cooking time!
Love how easy it is to make this pasta sauce. I will be cooking pasta tonight, so this is perfect timing!
I love how incredibly simple this was! And so quick to cook, too. We all really loved this sauce and will make again soon!
I always have an abundance of cherry tomatoes in the late summer and run out of ways to use them. definitely going to try this. In the meantime, I have some grape tomatoes leftover in the fridge that are going to be turned into this sauce asap.
I love love love cherry tomatoes. Haven’t seen any ripe ones at the store lately. Saving this recipe! I can’t wait to make this recipe.
A simple, quick and easy to make tomato pasta is something I can’t say no to. Your recipe looks so flavorful.
My favorite kind of pasta sauce to make in summer is this cherry tomato sauce. They grow like crazy in our backyard and I love making this recipe to use it all up.
Cherry tomatoes are my favorite and they made this sauce so delicious! I will definitely be making this again!
I am always on the search for good homemade pasta sauce recipes and this was absolutely wonderful so flavorsome and easy to make, definitely a keeper!
I have some grape tomatoes that are going to end up in the bin. Now I can salvage them and make this delicious sauce instead.