This super simple burst tomato pasta tastes fantastic, and is perfect for cooking after work since it requires minimal prep and only 6 ingredients. The tomatoes on top are juicy, sweet, and taste like summer!

Quick pasta dish
This is a delicious, light meal that comes together in minutes. It only takes 15 minutes from start to finish and taste like straight out of your favorite Italian restaurant.
It’s a weekday favorite around here, especially in summer and fall when tomatoes are in season and most aromatic, or when it’s simply too hot to stand over a stove for long.

Which tomatoes to use
I prefer small tomatoes like cherry and grape tomatoes for topping the pasta. They soften quickly and burst when cooking for just a few minutes over high heat.
This intensifies their flavor and caramelizes their edges, and makes the tomatoes just soooo delicious!


Are you a fan of burst tomatoes? Then try this burst cherry tomato pizza !
I hope you enjoy this burst tomato pasta. Please leave me a comment and rating if you do!
Easy Burst Tomato Pasta (15 minutes, 6 ingredients)
Ingredients
- 8 oz (227 g) spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
- 2 cups (300 g) cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- Fresh basil (for serving)
- Freshly grated Parmesan (for serving, omit for vegan)
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt. Cook the tomatoes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they burst and release their juices, about 5 minutes.
- Mince the garlic. When the tomatoes are done cooking, add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
- Drain pasta and divide among bowls. Top with the burst tomatoes and their delicious juice.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and grate some fresh Parmesan right over each serving with a grater.
Evelyne says
Hi Anna,
I saw the burst tomato pasta in your newsletter and wanted to try the recipe immediately. The pasta tastes gorgeous. I added more garlic and a tablespoon more olive oil but other that that followed the recipe.
One question: Could you use large tomatoes, like Roma, too?
Thanks, Evelyne
Carbgirl says
Hi Evelyne,
I prefer small tomatoes for this pasta since they cook very fast and are done in about 5 minutes. Any small tomatoes will work just fine. Of course, you could use larger ones like Roma too, but the cooking time will be considerably longer. If making a big batch of these tomatoes with larger kinds, I prefer to roast them in the oven for easy handling.
Anna
Luis An. says
5 stars! Best dish to make with my homegrown cocktail tomatoes.
Annika says
Super quick, and perfect for weekdays. I finished the tomatoes in the pan with loads of fresh basil and added some on top.
Fernando_cookingchef says
I ended up adjusting the recipe slightly: 4 Tbsp olive oil + 6 cloves garlic (I love garlic). The dish is very simply yet so delicous, I barely believed it. this will be one of my quick go-to's in the future.
Marianne says
5 stars. Love how quick this dish comes together. I go heavy on the garlic and parmesan each time I make this burst tomato pasta. It's a keeper. Best, Marianne