Easy & naturally vegan Roasted Tomato & Basil Pasta makes perfect midweek family dinner that celebrates tomatoes at the peak of their season. Ready in 30 minutes and loved by kids & adults alike this Summery pasta is bound to be a winner!
This simple pasta has become one of my kids firm favourites and also my midweek saviour! It's quick and easy to make yet delivers on that delicious flavour that only low and slow roasting could? As it turns out the roasting process doesn't have to be low and slow (there is time for that too but not with this recipe) but rather high and quick! Add couple of flavour enhancers like garlic and basil and you will get yourself the most divine midweek family dinner! You will be laughing at how quick and easy it was!
Do I need to use fresh tomatoes to make this pasta?
Yes! Even though you can make basic tomato sauce using tinned tomatoes, this particular recipe celebrates fresh tomatoes that are at their seasonal peak, sun blushed and juicy. Using beautifully ripe tomatoes and roasting them to bring out even more flavour is what really makes this dish! If you happen to have an abundant amount of fresh tomatoes you might want to try my Roasted Tomato & Fennel Soup Recipe as well.
Do I need to use vine tomatoes?
You can use whatever tomatoes you've got available. I used vine tomatoes here as I had beautiful bunch arrive in my organic veggie box but you could use any type of tomato you want (as long as they are really nice and ripe).
If you're using smaller plum or cherry tomatoes, do not bother quartering them. Simply cut them in half or you could even roast them whole, it's up to you!
Is this pasta vegan?
Yes, this pasta is naturally vegan providing you use vegan friendly cheese (like my easy vegan parmesan) to serve it with or forgo cheese altogether!
You can also easily make it gluten-free by using your favourite gluten-free pasta! I have recently tried this delicious green lentil pasta* and must say am really impressed!
How can I adapt this Roasted Tomato & Basil Pasta?
As this pasta is super basic and relies mostly on the flavour from beautifully ripe tomatoes, there is not much else you can do as then it won't be roasted tomato and basil pasta anymore! However, if you are not a garlic fan you can either reduce the amount of cloves used or leave them out altogether. Roasted garlic goes so well in this pasta though and roasting brings out its sweetness and mellows raw & harsh garlicky flavour.
If you want your pasta to have a bit more of a grown-up, rustic feel, you can skip pureeing and mash roasted tomatoes with the fork instead mixing them with thinly sliced or torn basil leaves. If that's how you choose to have it you might want to slice your roasted garlic cloves thinly as well or simply mash them with the fork as you would tomatoes. That's how I would have this pasta if it was just hubby and myself. Pureeing is brilliant and necessary if you are catering for fussy kids like mine!
Freezer friendly roasted tomato and basil pasta sauce!
If you have lots of ripe tomatoes that need using up, you can easily make bigger batch of this delicious pasta sauce and freeze it for later. It will keep in freezer safe bag or container for up to 6 months.
How to make Roasted Tomato & Basil Pasta - Step-By-Step
*** Take the time when your tomatoes are roasting to cook your pasta as per instructions on the packaging. Save some pasta water for later to adjust the consistency of your sauce! ***
Roasted Tomato & Basil Pasta
Ingredients
- 500 g ripe tomatoes (on the vine) quartered (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 15 g fresh basil leaves
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 350 g pasta of your choice I've used Spinach Trottole*
- parmesan or vegan cheese + extra basil to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
- Wash and quarter your tomatoes (if using large ones on the vine) and put them on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil.
- Add peeled garlic cloves and toss everything with dried oregano, extra virgin olive oil, some salt and pepper.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until they begin to shrivel up and look slightly blistered.
- In the meantime, put large pan of salted water to boil and cook your pasta as per instructions on the packaging. Save some pasta water to adjust the consistency of your sauce later.
- Take roasted tomatoes out of the oven and drizzle them with some balsamic vinegar.
- Next put roasted tomatoes into the saucepan or a blender, add fresh basil leaves and blend until you get nice and thick puree. Taste and adjust seasoning as per your liking.
- Serve the sauce with cooked pasta of your choice. Use the pasta water that you saved to loosen up the sauce to the consistency you like.
- Serve with some extra fresh basil and grated parmesan or vegan cheese!
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate, per serving and meant as a guideline only.
- I've used regular size vine tomatoes but you could use any ripe and juicy tomatoes you want. If using plum or cherry tomatoes simply halve or leave them whole.
- The pureed sauce freezes really well so feel free to make larger quantity and freeze in freezer safe bags or containers for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
More pasta recipes you might enjoy
Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Baked Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells
Creamy Salmon & Asparagus Pasta
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Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Wow Jo! This looks gorgeous - the perfect midweek meal for a summer's day 😀 Eb x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Eb! 🙂 Nice and easy! 🙂 x
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
This looks so tasty and perfect for summer. Also a great midweek meal!
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Cat! 🙂
Hannah says
This looks absolutely delicious - a perfect easy summer dinner for eating outside on warm evenings! I love that you roast the garlic as well as tomatoes and use fresh basil - those flavours together are just incredible!
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Hannah! 🙂 I love easy dinners that consist of few ingredients that speak volumes and you can taste every single one of them.
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
That spinach pasta is my favourite! I eat it all the time so it's great to find a new way to enjoy it!
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Kat! 🙂 I do love spinach trottole too and it goes really well with this pasta sauce! I hope you like it!