Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- optional garnishes: chopped fresh basil, freshly-grated parmesan, extra black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir briefly to combine. Simultaneously, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente.
- Cook the tomato sauce for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally as the tomatoes cook down. Reserve about 3/4 cup of starchy pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet with a few splashes of reserved pasta water. Toss until the pasta is glossy and evenly coated, adding more pasta water as needed to achieve a light cling of sauce.
- Remove from heat and toss with lemon zest and juice. Season with additional salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as needed. Serve warm with garnishes like basil and Parmesan.
Notes
Use your favorite pasta type; pappardelle works well but feel free to substitute.
The pasta water helps create a silky sauce, so don’t forget to reserve some before draining!
Garnish the dish with freshly chopped basil and Parmesan for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Entrees
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 5mg