Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
Fresh and simple ingredients will get you this very quick Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta. It’s really the perfect weeknight meal…I mean 20 minutes tops to throw this together. I like this dish as a late summer early fall dish because it feels light enough, and still uses fresh seasonal ingredients all while giving you that cheesy, creamy, and comforting pasta.
Fresh cherry tomatoes cook down and create a creamy sauce mixed with the goat cheese. If you aren’t a goat cheese fan, ricotta cheese would also be really good, you just won’t get the tang. Fresh onions, garlic, and basil bring vibrant flavors to this dish. You can use any shape pasta that you like. I try and find the imported pastas because there is usually a bigger variety of fun shapes to choose from. This can easily be made gluten free by using gluten free pasta. My favorite gluten free pasta that I have found is Barilla brand.
I’m always worried about one flavor taking over the whole dish, but these flavors all marry very well together. I add a touch of balsamic for extra tang and sweetness, it really helps bring everything together. This dish was inspired by an old college cafeteria dish. My freshman year I was on the meal plan, and there was a pasta line with someone making individual portions of a dish very similar to this. The fragrant onions, garlic, and tomato cooking always got me! Definitely add this creamy tomato basil pasta dish to your meal plan.
If you’re looking for other fabulous pasta dishes, here are some of my favorites on the blog!
Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Skillet
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta any short cut
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fresh basil minced
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 oz goat cheese
- salt and pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes optional for spice
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
-
While the pasta is cooking, add olive oil and chopped onions to a large skillet over med-high meat. Cook until onions are translucent. Stir in minced garlic, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to soften. Turn heat to med-low.
-
Stir in the goat cheese, fresh basil, and cooked, drained pasta. Season with salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (optional). Stir until cheese is fully melted, taste for seasoning, and use reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Add additional balsamic for added zip, or a dash of Parmesan for extra cheese. Enjoy immediately!
Recipe Notes
If you have a big enough grocery store, check out the imported Italian section if it exists, your pasta options will be larger. I love to try fun new shapes! Any short cut pasta will work, like penne, shells, or spirals.
If you aren’t a goat cheese fan you can sub the goat cheese for ricotta cheese. It will give you the creaminess just the same. In my opinion the goat cheese is not overpowering in this dish, it just blends really nice with the other flavors.
Another great addition or revision to this would be a scoop of basil pesto, especially if you don’t have fresh basil. Yum!
