Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce (4-Ingredients!)

To get the best flavours from this recipe, it really comes down to purchasing the right cherry tomatoes at your grocery store! As best you can, try to look for the following:

1. Local, in-season cherry tomatoes – these often have the most intense tomato flavour. During the late summer months, you may find locally grown cherry tomatoes at your grocery store (they’re often sold in little cardboard boxes, rather than packaged in plastic). Otherwise, check out your local farmer’s market to see if they have them there!
2. Vine-ripened cherry tomatoes – if you can’t find local tomatoes, the next best option is to look for the words “vine-ripened” on your cherry tomatoes. This means that the tomatoes are left on the vine to ripen, which allows for their sugars to develop and results in a more intense flavour.
3. Sungold cherry tomatoes – these yellow tomatoes are super sweet and the main cherry tomato I used in this recipe. However, I love mixing them with a few red ones for a beautiful array of colours! If you can’t find sungold tomatoes, don’t sweat it – this recipe works with red cherry tomatoes too.

There is no need to peel the skin of cherry tomatoes to make this sauce. In fact, I love the added texture that the skins create.

Plus, the skin is where many of the tomato’s micronutrients and fiber are located. Leaving the skin on thus results in retaining more of those nutrition benefits!

Preparing this cherry tomato sauce requires only 1 pan, a couple steps, and about 20-25 minutes of your time!

Start by adding olive oil and minced garlic to a large pan. After a couple minutes, the garlic will become fragrant – now is the time to add in your cherry tomatoes!

Season the cherry tomatoes with salt (I love using these sea salt flakes) and allow the tomatoes to cook, stirring regularly. Once the tomatoes start to soften, press down on them using a spatula. This will release their juices to create that “creamy” sauce.

Continue to cook the sauce, allowing it to reduce and thicken slightly. After about 20-25 minutes, turn off the heat and stir in freshly chopped basil. Adjust seasoning to taste and your sauce is ready to serve 🙂

Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

As this is a pasta sauce, the most obvious combination would be to serve it with your favourite pasta shape. I personally love this one with long spaghetti noodles.

The pasta will cook in about the same amount of time it takes to make the sauce. The flavours of the burst cherry tomatoes are so delightful, this recipe is truly delicious enjoyed as a simple pasta dish.

If you’re gluten-free, simply choose a gluten-free pasta variety. The sauce itself is naturally a gluten-free option.

However, if you want to use this cherry tomato sauce in other ways, why not try the following?

1. Use it as a dip or spread for crusty bread, like toasted baguette or sourdough. This would make for a delicious side dish or appetizer idea.
2. Use it as a base for shakshuka, paired with runny eggs.
3. Use it to poach fish, similar to how I’ve done in this poached halibut recipe.
4. Use it with shrimp and rice, such as how I’ve done in this shrimp with tomato sauce recipe.
5. Add it to spaghetti squash, similar to how I’ve done in this baked spaghetti squash with tomato sauce recipe. Otherwise, you could also try it with zucchini noodles.
6. If you’d like to up the protein content, you could try adding ground beef, chicken, or turkey to the sauce. Or, crumbled tofu for a plant-based option.

Not only are they so tasty, but cherry tomatoes are packed with nutrition benefits, too.

Cherry tomatoes are a source of:

• dietary fiber
• vitamin A
• vitamin C
• folate
• potassium
• vitamin K

Notably, cherry tomatoes are also a rich source of antioxidants called carotenoids, as indicated by their vibrant red, orange, and yellow hues. These carotenoids include lycopene, beta carotene, and lutein, all of which are protective of your health.

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Did you give this Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!

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