This beautiful roasted cherry tomato pasta with olives couldn’t be easier to make! Roast the cherry tomatoes together with olives, garlic, olive oil and fresh basil, boil the pasta and then combine the two! It is a delicious summer pasta that makes the most of a glut of cherry tomatoes.
This cherry tomato pasta sauce is one I love to make as it is one of those easy recipes that doesn’t require much prep, but tastes delicious! The tomato and olive sauce is made with garlic and fresh basil and is rich and flavoursome; however as it is made without cream or cheese, it is a light sauce too and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
This is an ideal recipe for an abundance of cherry tomatoes, especially once their flavour starts to fade: roasting cherry tomatoes gives them an intense sweet sour flavour.
It is also so versatile: use the roasted tomato and olive sauce with your favourite pasta, or pile on top bruschetta or cooked quinoa, or served as a vegetable side to grilled fish and meat.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for all ingredients and ingredient quantities.
- Cherry tomatoes – red or yellow cherry tomatoes.
- Black olives – I tend to use pitted Kalamata olives for ease, however you can use whole olives if you prefer and take the pips out before roasting. I have also tested it with green olives and they work just as well, bringing a slightly different taste that is still delicious.
- Olive oil – I recommend using a good extra virgin olive oil, as this makes up the sauce when the tomatoes have burst and their juices mixed with the oil.
- Garlic – fresh garlic is a must in this sauce!
- Basil – fresh basil adds a fragrance that really does make the sauce. If however you don’t have basil, a few sprigs of fresh thyme or fresh oregano would be lovely, or add ½ a teaspoon of dried oregano, or leave it out altogether.
- Pasta – this sauce works well with penne, rigatoni or tagliatelle if you don’t want to use spaghetti.
How to make this cherry tomato pasta
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the full recipe.
- Roasted cherry tomato sauce: Tip the cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic, basil into an oven proof baking dish. pour over the olive oil and stir to combine. Press the basil leaves into the olives oil to avoid them from scorching, they will become delicious and crispy instead! Roast until soft, the skins burst and the tomatoes are collapsing.
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, once boiling add the spaghetti or dried pasta of choice, and cook until al dente. Drain.
- Combine: Mix the cherry tomato olive sauce with the pasta and serve straight away.
FAQ
No. You don’t need to cut the cherry tomatoes in half before roasting, their skins will naturally burst during cooking.
You can roast regular tomatoes, halved, however they will make a very chunky pasta sauce.
Yes! The roasted cherry tomato sauce freezes very well.
My recipe tips
- If the cherry tomatoes aren’t very ripe, prick them with the tip of a sharp knife after they’ve been in the oven for 15 minutes to help them burst and break down.
- No basil? Have a look at these substitutes for basil.
- If you have any leftover sauce, freeze in portions and then defrost and spread on homemade pizza dough and top with mozzarella and your favourite pizza toppings.
Serving Ideas
- This tomato pasta recipe is delicious served by itself, or with a light rocket salad on the side; however a side of garlic bread (or air fryer garlic bread) is always popular!
- If you want to add a little extra, goats cheese is especially delicious sprinkled on top of the finished pasta, or a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan.
- The sauce is also delicious served with lamb chops or cutlets, grilled salmon or roast chicken. Or spooned onto a slice of toasted sourdough, for a rich olive flavoured tomato toast.
Make ahead/storage
- Make ahead – the pasta is best enjoyed freshly made as the pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it sits, however you can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Then boil some pasta, heat the sauce gently and combine for a super quick dinner!
- Leftovers – store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Either reheat gently or enjoy cold as a pasta salad.
- Freeze – the sauce will freeze for up to 2 months.
Why not try…
You may also like these other family friendly pasta recipes:
Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
Author: Robyn
Equipment
- oven proof dish approx 17 cm x 26 cm (7" x 10 ") in size
Ingredients
- 450g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes
- 100g (⅔ c) kalamata olives pitted
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- large handful fresh basil
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- black pepper
- 350g (12 oz) dried spaghetti or other dried pasta
- Salt For pasta water
- fresh basil for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan / 200˚C / 360℉.
- Tip the cherry tomatoes into a 17 cm x 26 cm (7" x 10 ") oven proof baking dish, along with the olives, garlic cloves, basil, olive oil and black pepper.
- Stir well, then place in the oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst, stirring half way through.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the dried spaghetti. Cook according to the packet instructions.
- Stir the tomatoes, mashing the soft garlic cloves with a fork to break them up.
- Drain the spaghetti and tip in the tomatoes, olives and any sauce.
- Mix well, check for seasoning and serve straight away with extra fresh basil, optional.
Video
Notes
- Make ahead – the pasta is best enjoyed freshly made as the pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it sits, however you can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Then boil some pasta, heat the sauce gently and combine for a super quick dinner!
- Leftovers – store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Either reheat gently or enjoy cold as a pasta salad.
- Freeze – the sauce will freeze for up to 2 months.
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- Cherry tomatoes – red or yellow cherry tomatoes.
-
- Black olives – I tend to use pitted Kalamata olives for ease, however you can use whole olives if you prefer and take the pips out before roasting. I have also tested it with green olives and they work just as well, bringing a slightly different taste that is still delicious.
-
- Olive oil – I recommend using a good extra virgin olive oil, as this makes up the sauce when the tomatoes have burst and their juices mixed with the oil.
-
- Garlic – fresh garlic is a must in this sauce!
-
- Basil – fresh basil adds a fragrance that really does make the sauce. If however you don’t have basil, a few sprigs of fresh thyme or fresh oregano would be lovely, add ½ a teaspoon of dried oregano, try these substitutes for basil, or leave it out altogether.
-
- Pasta – this sauce works well with penne, rigatoni or tagliatelle if you don’t want to use spaghetti.
Nutrition
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