Basil and Tomato Pasta

Use fresh cherry tomatoes and basil to make this fast and easy Basil and Tomato Pasta recipe. Perfect for a weeknight family dinner, this pasta is tossed with optional toasted panko for added texture and flavour. About 30 minutes from start to finish and you get to dig in and enjoy!

When preparing a recipe like this Basil and Tomato Pasta, you’ll want to use the freshest ingredients you can find.  I always err on the side of fresh is best when a recipe has very few ingredients.  You really do want the flavours to be bright and present.  Most local grocery stores will have fresh basil and cherry tomatoes on hand at any time of the year.  And, if you’re lucky enough to have a little garden of your own, these ingredients are extremely easy to grow.

This is one of those pasta dishes that started as a need to use up a bunch of tomatoes before they spoiled. The result, however, is one of the most satisfyingly delicious pasta dishes. It’s partly because it was so easy, but partly because the dish is simple and fresh, but tastes like a million bucks. No doubt this pasta will be in regular rotation in our home!

We always have fresh tomatoes on hand. McKenna and I love tomatoes, however, John.e doesn’t care for them that much. He will eat them cooked and sliced on a sandwich, but never on their own. I can make an entire meal out of sliced tomatoes, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and a little bit of olive oil! I garden in the summer months and always have an abundance of tomatoes of all varieties and fresh basil too.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Pasta – Any short-shaped pasta will do. I used penne, but you could use longer pasta too. Spaghetti would be perfect!
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper 
• Cherry Tomatoes – Any little tomato will do here.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for the best result.
• Basil Pesto – You can make your own pesto at home or you can you use the store-bought type. I’m not a huge fan of basil pesto, but whenever I buy it, this is the only brand I get.
• Panko – These are Japanese-style breadcrumbs.
• Butter – Use salted butter to toast the panko.
• Parmesan – As I have mentioned so many times before, freshly grated parmesan is best, but the stuff in the can will work here too.
• Basil – Fresh basil is a must. Do not be tempted to use dried basil from your spice rack.

HOW TO MAKE BASIL AND TOMATO PASTA

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain well, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water, and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir to coat. Continue to stir to prevent burning until the panko has absorbed the butter and has been toasted to a deep, golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl. Set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, salt, and ground black pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the tomatoes soften and break down a little. Stir in the basil pesto. Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water into the skillet. Toss well to coat. Cook just long enough to reheat the pasta – 2-3 minutes will do just fine.

Add the toasted panko, parmesan, and basil leaves. Stir to incorporate and turn off the heat. Plate and garnish with fresh basil, parsley, and more grated parmesan.

HOW TO TOAST PANKO BREADCRUMBS

Toasting panko breadcrumbs is easier than frying an egg! I use that comparison because when my daughter was learning to cook, she was so excited when was able to master the perfect over-easy egg.

When toasting panko, all you need is a skillet, a whisk, and some patience. Do not for one minute think that you can walk away from the skillet to do something else. And, don’t ever think that you can stop moving the panko around the pan. It will burn. And, it will burn fast!

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir to coat. Continue to stir to prevent burning until the panko has absorbed the butter and has been toasted to a deep, golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl. Set aside. It’s that easy!

COOKING PASTA

Let me talk to you a bit about how to get the pasta just right without overcooking it. Someone once told me that I prepare pasta like an old Italian grandma. That has stuck we me for so many years. You see, Dear Reader, I’m far from perfect, but cooking pasta is one thing I can certainly do perfectly. I don’t care what the back of the pasta package says, cook your pasta according to taste and texture. Ignore everything else. Here are my 4 steadfast rules:

Rule #1: Say no to oil!

Do you add oil to your pasta water before adding the pasta? Stop that right now! I don’t know who’s responsible for that, but I have seen some TV chefs do it! If you add oil to your pasta water, do you know what happens when you put the sauce on it? The sauce won’t stick as well as it should. It will slide off because the oil prevents it from sticking.

Rule #2: Add extra salt!

Salt the water. I used to be so afraid of salting pasta water because I thought it would be too salty to eat. Salting the water, before you add the pasta, is the only chance you get to season that pasta. Let the water come to a full boil before adding your salt. The water should taste like the ocean. Your version of this Basil and Tomato Pasta will thank you! Don’t dump the salt in; stir it in. Preventing the salt from settling at the bottom of your pot will keep your pot looking shiny and new. If you have pots with what looks like a tarnished or unpolished interior bottom, it’s because salt sits at the bottom of your pot.

Rule #3: Get that pasta moving about immediately!

Stir the pasta for a good minute when you first add it to the water. This helps to wash off some of the starch and prevents the pasta from sticking to the pot and to itself. I always pull out a piece of pasta 4 minutes before the package says it will be ready. Taste it. Chew it. It shouldn’t be completely soft. If it has a bit of bite left in the center, get it out of the water and drain it immediately. You can thank me later!

Rule #4: Do not rinse!

So many of us are tempted to rinse pasta under running water after it’s been drained. I think it comes from the notion that it gets rid of the starch. Well, it does in a way. But, when pasta begins to cool off and dry, it becomes a little sticky. That stickiness soaks up pasta sauce, so don’t flush it out! A quick drain is all you need. Get the pasta into a bowl or onto a plate. Get the sauce on it and serve it up. (That all applies to hot pasta dishes, but for a pasta salad, go ahead and rinse. Get all of that starch off!)