Summer’s Sweetest Tomato Sauce
When the weather warms up, the last thing we want to do is spend hours slaving away in the kitchen. That’s why this no-cook tomato sauce recipe is a game-changer. With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you can create a creamy, tangy sauce that’s perfect for hot summer days.
The Magic of Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh cherry tomatoes are the star of this show. Sweet and bursting with flavor, they’re the perfect base for our no-cook sauce. By marinating them in olive oil, garlic, and herbs, we bring out their natural sweetness and add a depth of flavor that’s hard to resist.
A Flavorful Marinade
To create our marinade, we combine the halved tomatoes with olive oil, minced garlic, chopped parsley and oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. This mixture is left to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together in perfect harmony.
Pasta Perfection
While our marinade is working its magic, we cook our pasta according to the package directions. We’re using a short, dried pasta like penne or gemelli, which holds onto the sauce beautifully. Once cooked, we reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
The Final Touches
Now it’s time to bring everything together. We add the hot pasta to the bowl with the tomatoes, along with the reserved pasta water, crumbled goat cheese, and grated Parmesan. A quick toss and our sauce is ready to serve. The result is a creamy, tangy sauce that’s light and refreshing – perfect for hot summer days.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this no-cook tomato sauce with a crisp salad on the side and a sprinkle of extra Parmesan cheese. You can also customize it to your taste by adding some diced veggies or grilled chicken.
Recipe Details
Yield: 4-6 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound dried short pasta, such as penne, gemelli, or fusilli
- 5 ounces chèvre (fresh goat cheese; about 3/4 cup), at room temperature
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce), plus more for serving
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