Description
This No-Cook Tomato Basil Pasta is a refreshing and flavorful dish that comes together effortlessly. The ripe heirloom tomatoes provide a burst of freshness, complemented by garlic, Parmesan, and a hint of lemon zest. Tossed with your favorite long pasta and fresh basil, it’s a perfect no-fuss meal for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes (4 to 5 medium tomatoes), halved at the equator
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
For the Pasta:
- 1 pound long pasta, like spaghetti, linguini, or fettuccine
- 1 1/2 cups basil leaves, torn
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes: Gently squeeze each tomato half to release any watery guts and seeds into a bowl and discard. Chop the tomato flesh into 1-inch pieces and add them into a large bowl. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher, or use your hands to break down the tomatoes. Everything should be smaller than a nickel.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Add the garlic, Parmesan, butter, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, balsamic vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Use tongs or a spider to transfer the cooked pasta directly into the bowl with tomatoes and toss. Season with more salt and black pepper if needed. Gently mix in the basil.
- Serve: Transfer the pasta into bowls, spooning any residual sauce over it. Garnish with more Parmesan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The tomato sauce can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until 1 hour before you plan to serve it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 336
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 479mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 33mg
