This Fresh Tomato Pasta is my favorite summer pasta recipe that's light and fresh with a no-cook sauce. Using marinated tomatoes, garlic and basil, it's ready in 20 minutes. Think of it like bruschetta pasta!
Summer time, especially here in Italy, is piping hot every single dayโฆand I don't know about you but the last thing I want to eat or cook is a hot meal. This fresh tomato pasta is something I make on repeat and it always hits the spot! It's the perfect summer pasta that's made with a no-cook sauce, the only cooking you'll have to do is boil the pasta ๐, and it's made with 5 simple ingredients. Its a simplified version of Sicilian pesto - pasta alla trapanese which is another staple summer pasta in my home. Especially when topped with crispy pangrattato breadcrumbs...yummmmmm!
The fresh tomatoes are diced and marinated with garlic, fresh basil leaves and a healthy amount of extra virgin olive oil. Sound familiar??? It's basically the same mixture for making bruschetta with the addition of pasta instead of bread, so think of it like a bruschetta pasta! To get the most flavor, I always recommend allowing the mixture to marinate for about 30 minutes, but if you are short on time not to worry as even a short marinade of 10 minutes will work while you cook the pasta.
You can use any fresh tomatoes, from cherry tomatoes, Roma or even baby grape tomatoes which is what I used. The crucial thing however is that they must be ripe - the more red and softer the better. That's when they're most juicy, sweet and flavorful which is key to making the best fresh tomato pasta. Now I know weโre spoiled for choice here in Italy when it comes to tomatoes, but try your local farmers market or source the best produce you can as we're only using a few ingredients, so the better the produce, the better the end taste will be.
This pasta is also super popular in Italy. Its Italian name is pasta all crudaiola, which translates to raw pasta. The word โcrudaiolaโ in the title comes from the word crudo which means โrawโ. Its a go-to dish especially through southern Italy where they have the best tomatoes and fresh produce including Puglia, Sicily and the Campania region. Enjoy at room temp, or chill to make a pasta salad, either way you will love this summer pasta!
Some other light pasta's perfect for summer are my lemon pasta and the classic spaghetti aglio e olio.
Table of Contents
What makes this recipe special
- Quick & Easy: Using 5 simple ingredients and easy steps, ready in 20 minutes
- No-cook sauce: The tomato sauce requires no cooking or simmering so itโs fast and fuss-free
- Light & Fresh: Using ripe fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs for vibrant summer flavors
- Versatile: Enjoy it warm or chilled as a pasta salad, add extra veggies or protein or simply enjoy as is
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ripe tomatoes are crucial and key to making the perfect pasta, the more red and softer the better. Iโve used small grape tomatoes but cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes or any juicy tomatoes will be great
- Spaghettini pasta is my preference here which is a little thinner than classic spaghetti, so it works well with the light sauce. Angel hair pasta would work too or any long pasta
- Garlic cloves adds a punch of flavor, feel free to double if you love the garlicky flavor
- Fresh basil leaves add freshness, color and brightness to the pasta. If you don't have fresh basil, try dried or even oregano would be delicious
- Extra virgin olive oil is essential here, I recommend a good quality oil since its the base of the sauce and we're not cooking it
- Garnish (optional), add grated parmesan cheese and extra basil. You can also add some baby bocconcini / fresh mozzarella cheese balls or if you like it spicy, feel free to add some red pepper flakes for a kick
How to make Summer Fresh Tomato Pasta
This no-cook tomato sauce is inspired by the flavors of bruschetta but turned into a light and refreshing summer pasta dish. Follow my simple steps below (note quantities are listed in the recipe card below)
Dice ripe tomatoes and place them in a large bowl
Chop fresh basil, grate the garlic, add olive oil, salt and pepper and stir them into the bowl
Let the mixture sit for 30-60 minutes to bring out the flavors. If in a rush, 10 minutes will do while you cook the pasta
Boil spaghetti in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Reserve a bit of pasta water before draining
Add the cooked pasta to the tomato mixture with 2 tablespoons of the reserved water. Gently toss to coat
Let sit for 10 minutes so the pasta absorbs the juices. If you prefer a cold pasta salad, cover and refrigerate. Serve with optional parmesan and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Choose the ripest tomatoes you can find, they will have the most flavor and are nice and juicy to create the sauce
- If you have the time, marinate the tomatoes for 30-60 minutes for more flavor
- Always reserve some pasta cooking water to loosen the pasta and add more silkiness
- Toss the cooked pasta immediately with the fresh tomato sauce and leave aside for 10-15 minutes to soak up the flavors
- Enjoy the pasta warm or you can place in the fridge to cool and serve as a pasta salad dish
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Enjoy the leftovers cold or at room temperature, or reheat gently in a pan or skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of olive oil or water to loosen
- This pasta dish is best enjoyed fresh and wonโt freeze well
FAQs
Ensure to use ripe tomatoes, dice and marinate with garlic, basil and olive oil to create a delicious no-cook sauce
Yes indeed, its a lot lighter than heavy pasta sauces. Fresh tomatoes are also nutritious and packed with vitamins. Good quality extra virgin olive oil is full of healthy fats too. Feel free to increase and add more veggies or protein such as chicken, shrimp, chickpeas or even fresh mozzarella cheese
No, this is a fresh tomato pasta which doesn't require any cooking or simmering for the sauce. You only need to boil the pasta
Its basically pasta made with fresh ingredients making it light and convenient in summer time as it doesn't require much cooking. Pasta salads such as Italian pasta salad or orzo salad are other examples
More Summer Pastas
More Tomato Pastas
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Summer Fresh Tomato Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 10oz / 300g ripe tomatoes - I've used grape tomatoes but you can use cherry or roma tomatoes
- 6oz / 170g spaghettini pasta or classic spaghetti
- 1 small garlic clove - double if you like it extra garlicky
- Big handful fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- *Optional - grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Dice tomatoes into small cubes and place in a large bowl (ensure they are ripe, so they're nice and juicy)
- Chop the basil leaves, grate the garlic cloves using a microplane grater and add them to the bowl. Add olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and stir together
- For the best flavor, cover and marinate for 30-60 minutes in the fridge, otherwise 10 minutes will be fine while you cook the pasta
- Boil the spaghetti in a large pot with salted water and reserve some of the pasta cooking water
- Drain and add the cooked pasta straight into the bowl with the marinated tomatoes. Add 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and gently toss together
- You will notice there will be some extra liquid at the bottom of the bowl from the tomato juices. Set aside for 10 minutes which will allow the spaghetti to soak in the juice and flavor (if you prefer a cold pasta salad, cover and refrigerate in this time or enjoy at room temp)Serve up your Fresh Summer Pasta with optional grated parmesan and enjoy!!
Janice says
Sounds delicious and refreshing! Can't wait to make it!
Ayeh Manfre says
So fresh for summer and hot days, enjoy Janice ๐
Edith Veenstra says
So quick to make and so fresh tasting! We loved it!
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy you tried and loved it Edith ๐
Dave says
Really really liked this recipe. I followed it almost exactly - subbed linguini for spaghetti and subbed the garlic for garLEEK - some hybrid that I needed to try. Wouldn't change a thing. Highly recommend finishing with parm, and even a drizzle of oil if that's your thing. I can't wait to try again when the summer tomatoes really hit. Thanks!
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy you tried and loved it Dave! The better the tomatoes, the better the taste will be ๐
Rosemary Newton says
I was overwhelmed with home grown tomatoes and basil. This recipe is a perfect way to enjoy them. Instead of spaghetti, I used rotini and it fully complimented my Italian grilled chicken breasts. Very fresh and satisfying.
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy you loved it Rosemary, with home grown tomatoes would have been so delicious!
Vassallo Carolina says
Have tried a few times and always comes out great. An excellent summer lunch or dinner. Just use the freshest ingredients
Ayeh Manfre says
So lovely to hear Vassallo! Its a go-to for me through summer too ๐