This Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta is one of those recipes that makes a simple bowl of pasta feel a little special. Sweet roasted tomatoes, basil and a spoonful of ricotta are blended into a silky, fresh-tasting sauce that clings beautifully to every piece of pasta.
The sauce takes just a few minutes to make once you have roasted tomatoes on hand. And that is exactly why I love keeping a batch in the fridge or freezer: when pasta night calls, all you need to do is blend, toss and serve.
It is creamy without being heavy, full of bright tomato flavor, and just as good for a quick weeknight dinner as it is for a relaxed summer lunch.
Table Of Contents
Why You'll Love This Creamy Roasted Tomato Pasta
- Deep, sweet-roasted flavor. Roasting concentrates the tomatoes into something jammy and caramelized that no jar of sauce can match.
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly. Roast the tomatoes in advance and keep them ready to go.
- Naturally vegetarian. And easy to make vegan — the notes below show you how.
- A handful of ingredients. Tomatoes, ricotta, basil, garlic, olive oil. Simple, honest, and mostly things you already have.
- Weeknight-fast. With the tomatoes already roasted, the whole dish comes together in about 15 minutes.
Ingredients & Notes
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
For the roasted tomatoes:
- Cherry or grape tomatoes — both are perfect. They're sweet, they blister quickly, and their skins slip and soften in the oven.
- Extra virgin olive oil — A generous drizzle. It carries the flavor and helps the tomatoes caramelize rather than dry out.
- Garlic — One or two cloves, left whole or lightly smashed. They soften and sweeten as they roast, losing their raw bite entirely.
- Fresh basil — A handful of leaves, tossed in to perfume the tomatoes as they roast.
- Salt — To taste, to draw out the juices and season as they concentrate.
For the sauce and pasta:
- Pasta — use your favorite shape. Spaghetti and linguine are great for a silky sauce like this, but short pasta such as rigatoni, fusilli or penne works just as well.
- Roasted tomatoes — You can use freshly roasted tomatoes or a portion you have made ahead and frozen.
- Ricotta — makes the sauce extra creamy. Use a good fresh, whole-milk ricotta for the silkiest result.
- Fresh basil — A sprig, blitzed in for freshness.
For Green Parmesan (optional):
When I want to impress without stress I make green Parmesan that fits so well the roasted cherry tomato sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese - aged at least 24 month or better yet 36.
- Fresh basil leaves - for signature green look and flavor.
Top Tips – Don’t Miss
- Roast the tomatoes until they are caramelized.They should look wrinkled, collapsed and juicy. Under-roasted tomatoes will give you a thinner sauce with less sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water. It is the secret to bringing the ricotta and tomato sauce together. Add it a little at a time until the sauce looks creamy and glossy.
- Cook the pasta al dente. The pasta will spend another minute or two in the pan with the sauce. Pull it from the water while it still has a little bite so it does not turn soft by the time you serve it.
- Use a wide pan. The more surface area you have, the easier it is to toss the pasta evenly in the sauce.
FAQs
Cherry or grape tomatoes are ideal because they're naturally more sweet and roast quickly, but any ripe tomato will roast down nicely. Roma tomatoes are a great larger option. Just cut them into halves or quarters so they roast evenly.
Absolutely — it freeze beautifully. Skip the ricotta, blend roasted tomatoes only (with oil, their juices and basil) and portion them into an ice-cube tray or small containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
It's up to you. For a smooth, creamy sauce, blitz the tomatoes and ricotta fully in a blender. For a more rustic, chunky sauce, pulse briefly or simply mash everything with a fork and stir it together in the pan.
Yes. The ricotta adds creaminess, but you can leave it out for a lighter roasted tomato sauce, or swap in mascarpone, or a plant-based ricotta. Even without it, the pasta water gives the sauce body.
It can be — the roasted tomato and ricotta sauce is tasty at room temperature. If serving cold, loosen it with a little olive oil rather than pasta water, since the sauce firms up as it cools.
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Full Recipe
Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with Green Parmesan
Ingredients
For the roasted tomatoes:
- 500 g cherry tomatoes , about 1 lb
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 sprigs Fresh basil leaves
- Salt , to taste
For the sauce and pasta:
- 1 cup roasted tomatoes (from above)
- 2 tablespoon ricotta cheese
- 1 sprig fresh basil
- 200 g pasta , about 7 oz (spaghetti, linguine or short pasta - all shapes work well!)
For Green Parmesan:
- 70 grams Parmigiano Reggiano cheese , about 3 ounces or a couple of cubes
- 5 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Roast the tomatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, basil, and salt in a roasting pan.Roast for 30–40 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and slightly caramelized. Toss halfway through cooking.Make Ahead Tip: Cool and blend until smooth or slightly chunky (up to yourtaste). Refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze in large silicone cube tray and store in the freezer up to 3 months.)
Blend the sauce:
- Add 1 cup of roasted tomatoes, ricotta and a small sprig of basil to a blender or immersion-blender container. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
- For an extra-silky sauce, pass it through a sieve to remove the tomato skins. I usually don't since skins are rich in nutrients and fiber, plus I love its slightly rustic texture.
Cook and finish the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Warm the sauce in a large pan over low heat. Add the drained pasta.
- Add a generous splash of pasta cooking water. Set the heat to medium.
- Toss or move pasta in the pan with thongs for 1–2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed, until glossy and creamy.
- Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan or my green Parmesan if you like.
Make Green Parmesan:
- Add a couple of cubes of Parmesan cheese to a food processor along with a few fresh basil leaves. Pulse quickly to get medium-fine crumb.
Notes
- Make ahead: the roasted tomatoes keep 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer — this is what makes the dish so fast. Use 1 cup of roasted tomatoes for this recipe and freeze the rest in portions for another quick pasta night.
- Texture: blend fully and sieve for an extra-smooth sauce, or mash/pulse for rustic.
- Do not skip the pasta cooking water — it is key to a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Vegan: skip the ricotta or use a plant-based version; the tomatoes and pasta water carry the sauce.
- See the Top Tips – Don't Miss section above for extra details and to avoid the most common mistakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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