This rustic tomato pasta with fresh basil and garlic is simple enough to make anytime but elegant enough for any special occasion.
Our rustic tomato pasta with fresh basil and garlic has been gracing our kitchen for some years. It’s easy to prepare and is visually appealing. Plus, it is made with what I like to call the “Italian trinity” of basil, garlic, and tomatoes. How can you go wrong, right? If I remember correctly, I made this dish for Kim a little over a decade ago, and now she makes it for us from time to time as well. I can’t remember all the details behind why I decided to cook this pasta, probably because we were burned out on the jarred stuff.
What I like about this sauce is that it isn’t pureed and retains its integrity. Even though the tomatoes are cooked down, you can still feel the textures in every bite. The sauce seems to “stick” to the noodles just as well as its blended cousin. Fresh basil and garlic work better than the dried versions on this occasion because the dish doesn’t cook for very long. So you end up with explosions of flavor that balance well with background sweetness of the grape tomatoes.
Tossing the noodles in the same pan with the cooked sauce helps to coat them evenly. Unlike the pureed sauces, this one is hearty, and it will not easily mix in a serving bowl. You have to get your wrist into it and flip the pan slightly. Although, you can use tongs to combine everything if you are not comfortable flipping hot food into the air and catching it again. With that being said, I recommend learning the technique, and it’s a lot of fun; especially if you “spill” a little wine onto the burner.
Of course, this is a meal best served fresh and hot. If only I could successfully make fresh pasta noodles, then I would be in heaven. I like to think of this tomato sauce as marinara deconstructed and it’s my favorite Italian inspired meal. When eaten with breadsticks and a glass of white wine, it will take you to a different place. I can only hope you decide to give a try and see for yourself. In closing, I wish you a long life, love everlasting, and a full tummy!
Instructions:
Start by preparing your spaghetti noodles or any pasta noodle you desire. However, I recommend spaghetti because this sauce seems to coat long noodles better than short noodles. Next, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. After the oil is warm, add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Let these ingredients cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add your basil and garlic while letting the pan sauce continue to cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Please keep an eye on the garlic as it can become very bitter if overcooked.
Lastly, add the chicken or vegetable broth and increase the heat to medium on your stove top. Let this mixture cook down and simmer for approximately 3 to 5 more minutes. It should only take around 25 minutes in total for everything to cook. With the pasta noodles cooked and drained, add them to the pan with the sauce and toss them gently. The tossing action will ensure the sauce coats every noodle with goodness! All that is left to do is serve it and devour. You can top it with Parmesan cheese if you so desire.
Want more pasta goodness? Then click on our Smoky Chipotle Chicken Pasta or our Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta!
Used in this Recipe:
This rustic tomato pasta with fresh basil and garlic is simple enough to make anytime but elegant enough for any special occasion.
- 8 Ounces Pasta Noodles Gluten-free (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 10 Ounces Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
- 4 to 5 Cloves Fresh Garlic Depending upon size
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons Fresh Basil After chopping
- 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth Vegetable Broth (optional)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt Add more to taste
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper Add more to taste
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Start by cooking your pasta. Ensure to salt the water liberally and while the pasta cooks you can make the sauce.
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In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
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Once the oil is warm, add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and let them cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Then add the garlic and basil and let the pan sauce cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
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Afterward, pour in the chicken broth and increase the heat to medium and allow the mixture to simmer for approximately 3 to 5 minutes to reduce the liquid.
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Lastly, drain the pasta noodles and add them to the pan sauce. Toss the noodles in the sauce to coat them evenly.
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Serve immediately.
You can substitute vegetable broth or stock for the chicken broth making the sauce vegetarian. Similarly, you can also use gluten-free noodles and both to make the dish gluten-free and vegan. Serves four 2 ounce pasta servings. Can be topped with Parmesan cheese. It can also be stored in your fridge for up to three days in a sealed container.
I love pasta, this is such a great recipe and with very little ingredients, it looks so good.
Thank you for commenting! I always try to go for simplicity, easy and tasty are my mottos lol!
This looks delish! I will have to try it out. Your pictures are amazing, too!
Thank you, Kim! Glad you liked everything on the post 🙂
Pasta is such a easy and cheap meal to prepare. Love the fresh ingredients you have used. Will be making this dish.
Thank you, Candy! I agree, you can feed a lot of people for little money when it comes to pasta. Glad you liked the recipe and want to try it. 🙂
I love a simple Italian dish full of flavor. My kids would love this and so easy!
Thank you, Quinn! Simple is what we do, well most of the time lol! Glad you liked it 🙂
Fresh and flavorful and perfect for spring! My family would love this!
Thank you, Allison! Glad you liked and I hope you get the chance to make it at some point 🙂
This looks amazing. Such a simple yet delicious recipe that really shows off each of the ingredients– looks delish!
Thank you, Karly! Kim works really hard to get the pictures to showcase the dish so I am glad you liked them 🙂
pasta is probably my favorite food ever! I love making my own sauce, if makes the whole meal taste better in my opinoin. I love this recipe! Cant wait to try
Thank you, Kristen! We love pasta as well and I agree, making your own sauce is great. It definitely helps control the sugar. 🙂
I love simple pasta recipes like this. And I completely agree-garlic, basil, and tomatoes are totally the Italian cooking trinity! Yum!
Thank you, Kate! Good to know you feel the same way 🙂 It seems a lot of cuisines have their own cooking trinities. Thanks again for dropping by for a comment 🙂
Love that this uses GF pasta, can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Chantal! We try lol! We aren’t totally GF, but we are trying new foods and would like to move to a GF diet. 🙂
Mmmm. This is a keeper. I love chunky tomatoes in my sauce. This recipe looks so simple but looks very flavorful. Can’t wait to share it with my hubby!
Thank you, Elaine! Me too! Kim prefers the pureed but sometimes we just have to compromise lol! I hope you and your husband love the sauce 🙂
Yum! This looks delish!
Thank you, Rachel! Glad you liked it 🙂
i could feast on the basil alone. lol. can’t wait until it’s basil city this summer!!
Thank you, Jessica! Basil city, I think that’s near Thyme town 🙂
This sounds really good! I’m going to have to try this out soon.
Thank you, Crystal! I hope you enjoy the pasta when you make it 🙂
This looks way too good! I’m pinning this, and I’ll be sure to use veggie broth to make it a vegan version. Thanks for sharing :))
Thank you, Rosalyn! The chicken broth is my influence, I am quite the meat eater lol! However, it’s nice this recipe can still be vegan and vegetarian. We hope you love it when you make it 🙂
oh my gosh this looks so yummy! I love anything that involves basil, garlic and tomato so I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Ellie | http://www.scotchandstilettos.com
Thank you, Ellie! Us too and I am glad you want to try the recipe. I hope you love it 🙂
I love pasta like this! Thank you for the recipe! xx, Lindsay | Paris, Meet Boston | http://www.parismeetboston.com
Thank you for commenting Lindsay and I am glad you liked the post 🙂
Wow this looks like an easy dish to make. PERFECTION!
Thank you, Meghan! Simple is the way to go when it comes to pasta sauces 🙂
Simple pleasure are often the best
Thank you, Marinka! I completely agree, keep the ingredient list short and let the food speak for itself 🙂