Roasted cherry tomato pasta is a simple pasta dish that can be served hot or cold. Juicy cherry tomatoes and garlic are coated in olive oil and spices, roasted in the oven, and tossed with your favorite cooked pasta and fresh basil.
Place cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning in an oven-safe baking dish (I used an 8x8 ceramic dish). Toss ingredients to evenly coat.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tomatoes are softened and begin to caramelize around the edges. Optionally, broil for 1-2 minutes to add additional color.
While your tomatoes are roasting, bring a pot of salted water to a boil on the stove top. Add your favorite dry pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente pasta. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of your cooked pasta water.
Carefully add the cooked pasta and sliced basil to the roasted tomatoes and toss until evenly coated. Add pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, and toss to coat until desired consistency is reached (pasta water adds flavor, thickens your sauce, and helps the sauce adhere to your pasta).
Pasta can be served hot or chilled and served cold.
Notes
Pasta can be served hot, or chilled and served cold (like a picnic pasta salad). Leftover pasta will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator and reheats beautifully.
Optionally, add your favorite protein, like garlic shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken, canned tuna, or flaked salmon.
Cherry tomatoes can be substituted with any ripe, in-season, juicy tomatoes. However, grape tomatoes have a thicker skin and lower water content, so your sauce may be less juicy.