Roasted Tomato Pasta

If you’re looking for a light meal that is easy and uses minimal ingredients, then we’ve got one that you’re going to love! This Roasted Tomato pasta recipe uses sweet cherry tomatoes baked in the oven with a light seasoning.

This dish is quite similar to Baked Feta Cheese Pasta. However, the techniques and results are very different. The original recipe is rustic, while this version is more sophisticated.

When cherry tomatoes are baked, they create a sweet medley of flavours. In this recipe, we’re using heavy cream. Feta cheese and heavy cream are interchangeable. However, using heavy cream provides a more luxurious and smoother texture. The best part about this recipe is that it takes twenty minutes to cook and uses minimal ingredients to create a sophisticated bistro dish.

Ingredients to Make Roasted Tomato Pasta

Penne pasta, cherry tomatoes, grated parmesan cheese, heavy cream, garlic, salt, onion and Cajun spice.

What does the Roasted Tomato Pasta taste like?

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering what this dish tastes like. It is a delicious mixture of creamy, cheesy flavours with a subtle sweetness.

On an aesthetic level, it looks like summer on a plate. This dish is special because, once the heavy cream melds with the caramelized onions slathered in butter, it becomes marvelously creamy with a silky texture and a nutty taste. The tanginess and sweetness of the roasted cherry tomatoes intensify when they are cooked or baked.

On the plus side, when the parmesan cheese is grated into the creamy sauce, it massively increases the flavour of this dish. The pasta absorbs the complex yet wonderfully harmonized flavours that make every bite hearty and comforting. The different ingredients used for seasoning, such as the spices, will enhance the depth of its flavour profile.

Instructions

Rinse the cherry tomatoes in running water and slice them in halves. Clean and slice the garlic cloves. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF. Add the prepared ingredients, such as cherry tomatoes, to the casserole and sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Generously add the olive oil to all the ingredients. Gently toss around to coat the cherry tomatoes with the olive oil. 

Place the casserole in the oven and bake for thirty minutes. Add about two liters of water to the pot, add a pinch of salt, and bring the water to a boil to cook the pasta. Follow the instructions on the pasta packet to cook the pasta al dente. Drain the water and reserve some of that starchy pasta water. This incredible pasta water is essential for the silkiness of the sauce.

Add the olive oil and butter to a pan on medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and garlic to the pan and cook for eight minutes. Once browned, add the Cajun spice and mix. Thereafter, add the heavy cream and the parmesan cheese. Mix again. Pour in the sauce with the pasta. Gently toss to coat the pasta with the creamy sauce.

Expert Tips

You can use large tomatoes. However, cherry or grape tomatoes add tanginess and a subtle sweetness to the creamy sauce. Short pasta like penne, rigatoni, or farfalle holds the sauce well and makes every bite incredibly delicious.

How to store and reheat Roasted Tomato Pasta?

Allow the roasted tomato pasta to cool before storing it in the fridge. Store the pasta in an airtight container; it should last three to four days.

To reheat the creamy roasted tomato pasta, use a pan on the stovetop. To loosen the sauce, use two tablespoons of milk. Adjust the heat to medium-low and stir until the pasta is warm. If you are using the microwave to reheat the roasted tomato pasta, use a microwave-safe dish. Add two tablespoons of water to keep the pasta moist.

How do you make the Roasted Tomato Pasta creamier?

Several types of dairy products can be used to make this Roasted tomato pasta creamier. The first option would be heavy cream, otherwise known as cooking cream, and this recipe has shown that method to be a success. It would be tricky to use milk as a substitute; it does not have a consistency thick enough to create a creamy sauce. Adding butter and cheese like ricotta or mascarpone greatly enhances the creaminess of the roasted tomato pasta.