There’s nothing better than turning a handful of simple ingredients into a rich, flavorful pasta dinner, and this Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta does exactly that by transforming sweet blistered tomatoes into an incredibly fresh homemade sauce.
This Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta is proof that the best meals often come from the simplest ingredients. Fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, and seasonings are slowly roasted in either a smoker or oven until the tomatoes burst and caramelize, creating a naturally sweet and savory sauce. Once mashed together, the roasted vegetables combine with starchy pasta water to create a silky sauce that perfectly coats every strand of spaghetti. Finally, a generous topping of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil brings everything together for an easy weeknight dinner that tastes like it came from your favorite Italian restaurant.
Feeds 4-5 People
Prep Time 10-15 minutes
Cook time 35-45 minutes
Why This Roasted Tomato Pasta Works
Roasting Creates Incredible Flavor: First, roasting the cherry tomatoes at 400°F (204°C) allows their natural sugars to caramelize while concentrating their flavor. At the same time, the garlic becomes buttery and sweet while the onions soften, creating the perfect base for a homemade pasta sauce.
The Smoker Adds a Delicious Twist: If you choose to make this recipe on a smoker, the light smoky flavor pairs beautifully with the sweet roasted tomatoes. However, if you don’t own a smoker, the oven produces equally delicious results, making this recipe accessible for everyone.
Pasta Water Creates a Restaurant-Quality Sauce: Rather than relying on heavy cream or butter, reserved pasta water naturally emulsifies with the olive oil and roasted vegetables. As a result, the sauce becomes silky, glossy, and clings beautifully to every bite of spaghetti.
Simple Ingredients Shine: Instead of hiding the fresh ingredients under heavy sauces, this recipe allows ripe cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, and Parmesan cheese to take center stage. Consequently, every bite tastes bright, fresh, and full of authentic Italian-inspired flavor.
Ingredients:
- 24-32 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound pasta
- ½ to ¾ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
Instructions
Prepare the Tomatoes: First, preheat your smoker or oven to 400°F (204°C). Next, add the cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder to a large baking dish or cast iron skillet. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
Roast Until Blistered: Meanwhile, place the baking dish into the smoker or oven. Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes have burst, become blistered, and the onions are tender. During the final few minutes, the garlic should be soft enough to mash easily.
Cook the Pasta: While the tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then cook the spaghetti until al dente according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve ½ of the pasta water.
Create the Sauce: Once the roasted vegetables are finished cooking, carefully remove the dish from the smoker or oven. Then use a potato masher or large fork to mash the tomatoes, garlic, and onions together until a rustic sauce forms.
Combine Everything: Next, add the cooked spaghetti directly into the baking dish. Gradually pour in the reserved pasta water while tossing everything together until the sauce becomes smooth and coats the pasta evenly. If needed, add a little more pasta water until your desired consistency is reached.
Finish and Serve: Finally, stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and most of the chopped basil. Toss everything together one last time before serving. Finish each bowl with additional Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for an easy pasta recipe that’s packed with fresh flavor, this Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta is one you’ll make again and again. The combination of blistered tomatoes, roasted garlic, sweet onions, and fresh basil creates an incredibly satisfying homemade sauce without spending hours at the stove. Better yet, the option to cook it on a smoker adds a subtle layer of smoky flavor that makes this simple pasta dinner even more memorable. Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a relaxed weekend meal, this recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Great side dishes for this recipe are my Cheesy Garlic Bread & Garlic Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms
Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
This Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta is proof that the best meals often come from the simplest ingredients. Fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, and seasonings are slowly roasted in either a smoker or oven until the tomatoes burst and caramelize, creating a naturally sweet and savory sauce. Once mashed together, the roasted vegetables combine with starchy pasta water to create a silky sauce that perfectly coats every strand of spaghetti. Finally, a generous topping of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil brings everything together for an easy weeknight dinner that tastes like it came from your favorite Italian restaurant.
Ingredients
- 24-32 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound pasta
- ½ to ¾ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
Instructions
Prepare the Tomatoes: First, preheat your smoker or oven to 400°F (204°C). Next, add the cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder to a large baking dish or cast iron skillet. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
Roast Until Blistered: Meanwhile, place the baking dish into the smoker or oven. Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes have burst, become blistered, and the onions are tender. During the final few minutes, the garlic should be soft enough to mash easily.
Cook the Pasta: While the tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then cook the spaghetti until al dente according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve ½ of the pasta water.
Create the Sauce: Once the roasted vegetables are finished cooking, carefully remove the dish from the smoker or oven. Then use a potato masher or large fork to mash the tomatoes, garlic, and onions together until a rustic sauce forms.
Combine Everything: Next, add the cooked spaghetti directly into the baking dish. Gradually pour in the reserved pasta water while tossing everything together until the sauce becomes smooth and coats the pasta evenly. If needed, add a little more pasta water until your desired consistency is reached.
Finish and Serve: Finally, stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and most of the chopped basil. Toss everything together one last time before serving. Finish each bowl with additional Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.
Notes
Simple Ingredients Shine: Instead of hiding the fresh ingredients under heavy sauces, this recipe allows ripe cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, and Parmesan cheese to take center stage. Consequently, every bite tastes bright, fresh, and full of authentic Italian-inspired flavor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 545Sodium: 620mgCarbohydrates: 65gSugar: 10gProtein: 16g