Cherry Tomato Pasta

In just 30 minutes you can have this restaurant-worthy Cherry Tomato Pasta on your table. The sauce is so easy to make, yet the deep flavor will blow you away!

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 468kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Equipment

Ingredients

10 ounces dry spaghetti or linguini
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
3-4 cloves garlic , sliced thin
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pints cherry tomatoes , halved
⅓ cup dry white wine (optional)
¾ teaspoon sea salt or to taste (more for pasta water)
Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
1 cup basil , chopped and divided
⅓ cup crumbled vegan feta (more for topping)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until al dente, according to package directions (usually around 8-9 minutes). *Don't drain without reading step 6.
While the pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is softened, fragrant, and barely golden. You don't want to brown the garlic, so stir often and lower heat if necessary.
Add the tomatoes, salt, and fresh cracked pepper to the pan over medium heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and release their liquid. The liquid should start to simmer and slightly thicken. Don't let it simmer too high or the liquid will reduce too much. If things are looking dry, you can add a few tablespoons of pasta water from the boiling pot into the tomatoes.
Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly. If the wine smells strong in the sauce, give it another minute to simmer to meld the flavors.
Now add the feta cheese and half the basil. Stir and let it cook until the cheese melts into the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
Once the pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Now add the pasta along with only half of the pasta water into the pan. Toss to coat well. Gently simmer until sauce is slightly thickened and silky. Add the remaining pasta water if needed. The pasta should be well coated in the sauce. Top with the remaining basil and more feta if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Vegan Feta - I have used Violife Feta and Follow Your Heart for this recipe and they both melted perfectly in the sauce. If you can't find vegan feta, you can use any type of soft cheese. Something that'll meld into the sauce like vegan ricotta or cream cheese (I would only use 2-3 tablespoons though). Just make sure you like the taste because it will add that flavor to the sauce. You can also make this recipe without any cheese and it'll still be delicious.
Wine - if you want to skip this, you don't need to substitute it with anything. However, if you want to add more depth of flavor, you can choose from the ideas below.
Not all wine is vegan, but there are many varieties out there. Here is a helpful Guide to help you find the right one for you. I used Bogle Chardonnay for this recipe.
Flavor-Enhancing Ideas - 1 tablespoon of capers with 1-2 teaspoons of brine (lower salt in the recipe If using capers), 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest, or 1 tablespoon lemon juice (I wouldn't add lemon if you're using wine). Add to the tomatoes when they are almost done.
If the sauce is done before the pasta, just put the pan on low heat until the pasta is done. Just remember to raise the heat to medium when you add the pasta.
This recipe serves about 3-4 people. If you're having a salad with it, then it will definitely serve 4 people. If not, I would say it serves 3 people.
Pasta water is your friend! It helps create the silky consistency of the sauce so don't forget to save some before draining.
It may be tempting to reduce the amount of olive oil, but it's really needed to bring everything together. You'll see the magic happen when the tomatoes start to soften in the warm oil.

Nutrition