Garlic Basil Pasta With Grape Tomatoes

This simple Garlic Basil Pasta With Grape Tomatoes is an easy take on enjoying the fresh tastes of grape tomatoes while in season. My favorite part of this recipe is the fact that it’s ready in less than 20 minutes! If the idea of basil, grape tomatoes, butter, and cheese sounds delicious to you, then you may want to try this pasta dish.

This is another spring-summer pasta recipe that I just love! It is so simple, delicious, and uses very few ingredients from the pantry. I cannot tell you the origin of this dish, however, combining basil and tomatoes has been a winning combination of ingredients. And you know what they say, “butter makes everything taste better”!

There are some reasons why you’ll love this Garlic Basil Pasta recipe. Firstly, it takes very few ingredients to cook making it a budget-friendly family dinner recipe. Also, it keeps well. If you love cheese then one is for you.

Ingredients And Substitutions

• Spaghetti – using spaghetti in this recipe works well. Other pasta types that can be used are fettuccine, tagliatelle, and bucatini.
• Grape Tomatoes – these tomatoes are similar to cherry tomatoes but are sweeter and have an oval shape. Needless to say, using cherry tomatoes as a substitute is fine as well.
• Fresh Basil Leaves – half a cup of fresh basil leaves will provide a fresh and aromatic flavor to this dish. Don’t miss adding it!
• Grana Padano Cheese – cheese is important in this dish as it serves as a flavor enhancer as well as a binder for the sauce. A great alternative for Grana Padano cheese is parmesan.
• Garlic Cloves – have some cloves sliced or minced with a garlic press. Alternatively, use store-bought pre-minced garlic.
• Butter – unsalted butter is part of the sauce base.
• Dried Oregano – it flavors the sauce nicely.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – also a part of the sauce base.
• Salt and Black Pepper – flavor enhancer to taste.

How To Make This Dish

1. Set a medium-sized pot of water on the stove to boil. Salt the spaghetti and cook it al dente or according to the package’s directions.
2. While that’s going on, heat up a skillet on low. Follow with a small amount of olive oil and butter. After the butter has melted, add the garlic and grape tomatoes. Stir occasionally while they’re frying for four-five minutes.
3. Add some black pepper and oregano into the tomatoes once they begin to wilt, and stir for 1 minute.
4. Then add 1/4 cup of pasta water and grated cheese. Stir them well into the sauce.
5. Combine the spaghetti and basil leaves, then stir everything together to incorporate everything.
6. If desired, additional grated cheese can be added.

Extra Notes

1. Make sure to cook your pasta al dente (cooked but firm). It makes a lot of impact on the texture of the completed dish.
2. Don’t forget to save some pasta water to flavor the sauce. If you mistakenly throw it out, use water or some few tablespoons of vegetable or chicken stock.

Can Dried Basil Be Used In This Pasta Dish?

Although fresh basil tastes and looks much better on the finished dish, dried basil can also be used as a last resort. It will provide enough flavors to this dish. Just make sure to use a high-quality one.

Storing Tips

Store any leftovers in a glass air-tight container after it has completely cooled down. This garlic basil pasta with cherry tomatoes will keep for 5 days in the fridge.

Other Simple Pasta Recipes

• Zucchini and Mushroom Pasta

• Pasta Alla Norma

• Mushroom Aglio Olio