Tomato Basil Pasta

Name: Tomato Basil Pasta
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 200 g wholewheat spaghetti; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 lemon ((juice only)); 2 garlic cloves (crushed); 4 tomatoes (diced); 4 tbsp fresh basil (chopped); 1 Pinch sea salt and black pepper; 30 g parmesan cheese (grated)

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Tomato and basil is a perfect flavour combination and it works so well in this light and delicious Tomato Basil Pasta. It is ready in under 15 minutes and is a delicious summer meal for feeding a crowd. Serve with some homemade garlic bread and a green salad for a fresh summery meal.

A bowl of Tomato Basil Pasta next to a bowl of salad

This Tomato Basil Pasta is ready in the time it takes to cook the spaghetti. There is no cooking required for the topping, as it is fresh raw tomatoes, plenty of garlic and basil and the sauce is simply some olive oil and lemon juice. This pasta recipe couldn't be more simple.

This is best made in the summer when tomatoes are ripe and in season, as you will get plenty of flavour. It will also ensure this is a really budget friendly meal to make. If making it out of season, chances are you will be paying extra for bland and hard tomatoes, which won't give you the best dish. You can add even more tomato flavour to this by stirring in some chopped up sun dried tomatoes.

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Why should you try it?
What you will need
Step by step
What tomatoes to use
What pasta to use
Add some protein
Other ingredients to add
What to serve with tomato basil pasta
FAQs
Extra tips
More pasta recipes
Recipe
Feedback

Why should you try it?

Really quick and simple to make
No cook topping
A great way to use up end of summer tomatoes
Under 300 calories a portion
Delicious cold the next day

What you will need

Spaghetti
Olive oil
Lemon
Garlic
Tomatoes
Basil
Parmesan

Step by step

One: Add the spaghetti to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.

Two: Chop up the tomatoes, crush the garlic and finely chop the basil.

Chopped tomatoes, basil leaves, garlic cloves and two lemon halves on a wooden chopping board

Three: Drain the spaghetti and put it back in the pan with all the other ingredients and mix well.

A saucepan containing cooked spaghetti, chopped tomatoes, chopped basil and crushed garlic

Four: Serve with Parmesan (optional).

Tomato Basil Pasta in a white bowl next to a tomato, basil leaves and lemon halves

What tomatoes to use

We used money maker tomatoes, as that is what we had an abundance of growing in our garden, however you can use pretty much any tomato - as long as they are nice and ripe. You need to use tomatoes that have plenty of flavour, as the tomatoes are really where all the flavour comes from.

Other options are Roma tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes. You can add extra flavour to this by chopping up some sun dried tomatoes.

What pasta to use

We used spaghetti, as the simple sauce of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic clings really well to it and the chunky tomatoes can sit on top. But you can use any pasta you like - so there is no need to buy anything specially. This also works well with orzo for a pasta salad type dish which is great at a BBQ.

Chopped tomatoes, basil leases and grated parmesan on top of spaghetti

Add some protein

This is a simple vegan pasta dish (unless served with cheese), but that doesn't mean you can't add some extra protein to it. You can grill some salmon, chicken breast or king prawns to go with this, or even some grilled halloumi. It needs to be something fairly chunky. We just went with some shaved Parmesan. Leftover Roasted Chickpeas are also really good on this.

Other ingredients to add

Like most of our dishes, they are easy to customise so you never have to eat it the same way. Sometimes we like to add a sprinkle of chilli flakes for some spice, or some pine nuts just for some added texture. We also chop up some olives to mix in if we have any left over.

A little bit of cheese goes a long way on a pasta dish, so we used some Parmesan. But we often use mozzarella or feta to mix things up a bit.

What to serve with tomato basil pasta

This is a light and fresh meal, so you don't really need to serve it with anything. However, a simple green salad and some homemade garlic bread would go well with this if you are making it for a dinner party. We recommend a balsamic dressing with the salad, which will compliment the tomatoes really well.

Chopped tomatoes on top of spaghetti in a white bowl

FAQs

Is tomato basil pasta healthy?

As far as pasta dishes go, this is a healthy one. There are no rich and creamy pasta sauces, just lots of fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. They are also the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene. This has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

Can you use canned tomatoes?

This isn't like a traditional tomato pasta sauce that would use canned tomatoes. Instead, it uses diced fresh tomatoes to make a light and fresh chunky topping. Using canned tomatoes would make it too runny, so we wouldn't recommend it.

How to choose the best tomatoes

The key to this dish being the best it can be, is having really ripe and juicy tomatoes. When it comes to choosing tomatoes, you want to make sure they are in season. Winter tomatoes are just absolutely tasteless. Locally grown or homegrown are always the best, but if you are getting them from the supermarket then we have some tips.
You might think that squeezing the tomato is the best way to tell if it's ripe, but it isn't. Instead, hold the tomato in the palm of your hand and it should feel heavy for its size. You should also do a sniff test - ripe tomatoes should smell sweet and earthy and the stronger the tomato smells, the more ripe it is. So, resist squeezing it and ruining it.

How to make a creamy tomato basil pasta

If the simple sauce of olive oil and lemon juice isn't enough for you, then you could make this dish creamier by adding a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche or Greek yogurt.

How to store tomato basil pasta

This dish is best eaten fresh, and luckily it's so quick and easy to make. However, if you have some of this leftover, then it is delicious the next day. The garlic and basil flavours really intensify and it's really good cold too.

Extra tips

Use fresh, ripe and in season tomatoes for the best results.
Make this dish creamy by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt to the spaghetti.
You can add a kick of spice to the finished dish with a sprinkling of red chilli flakes.
Add even more tomato flavour with some chopped up sun dried tomatoes.
Give the dish some extra crunch with a sprinkling of pine nuts.
Generously salt the pasta so the spaghetti isn't too bland.
If would would prefer a warmer version of this, why not try adding our Roasted Cherry Tomatoes.

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