Name: No-Cook Tomato Basil Pasta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes (4 to 5 medium tomatoes), halved at the equator; 1 clove garlic, grated; 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (3 ounces), plus more for garnish; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling; 1 lemon, zested and juiced; 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon honey; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste; 1 pound long pasta, like spaghetti, linguini, or fettuccine; 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn

No-Cook Tomato Basil Pasta

This quick and easy summer pasta is a great way to use up overripe tomatoes of all shapes, colors, and sizes. You don't even need to cook the sauce!

30 min total 20 min prep 10 min cook 6 337 cal

Instructions

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1 Gently squeeze each tomato half to release any watery guts and seeds into a bowl and discard. Chop the tomato flesh into 1-inch pieces and add them into a large bowl. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher, or use your hands to break down the tomatoes. Everything should be smaller than a nickel.
2 Add the garlic, Parmesan, butter, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, balsamic vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
3 Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Use tongs or a spider to transfer the cooked pasta directly into the bowl with tomatoes and toss. It’s okay if some of the pasta water is added—this will help melt the butter and cheese. Taste the pasta and season with more salt and black pepper, if needed. Gently mix in the basil.
4 Transfer the pasta into bowls, spooning any residual sauce over it. Garnish with more Parmesan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately. The tomato sauce can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until 1 hour before you plan to serve it. Did you love the recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!