Roasted Tomato Pasta
by Sommer Collier — on Oct 23, 2026 
I’m always looking for easy but not boring ways to use up all those summer cherry tomatoes. And this roasted tomato pasta recipe is a keeper! I roast 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and thyme to make a light, savory, tomato-y sauce. Then I toss everything with spaghetti and finish it off with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan cheese. And here’s the best part… This Italian-inspired pasta is just as delicious served cold as it is hot!
I’ll be honest, Italian dishes with layers upon layers of carb-y noodles, cheese, and meat are their own food group in my mind. But even I need a little break from heavier Italian recipes with rich tomato and Alfredo sauces. However, that does not mean I’m giving up my pasta! Today I’m sharing one of my top cherry tomato recipes for summer weeknight dinners, which is my favorite time of year to lighten things up and I always wind up with way too many cherry tomatoes. I use that abundance to make a fabulous yet simple roasted tomato pasta with a thin oil and balsamic vinegar-based sauce, plus herbs and parmesan cheese, all tossed with perfect al dente spaghetti… So still a satisfying amount of carbs and cheese but with a more light and fresh flavor.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Elegant but Effortless – That just sounds elegant, doesn’t it? This deeply flavorful balsamic herb sauce tossed with blistered tomatoes tastes and looks like a restaurant-quality dish, but requires very little effort. Unlike a tomato sauce that simmers for hours on the stovetop and has to be babysat, the oven does the heavy lifting here.
Balance of Flavors – Like any great Italian dish, here is a recipe that includes the perfect balance of comforting and fresh elements, like pasta and herbs. The sour-leaning balsamic vinegar has a punchy umami taste, and I bring that back with a bit of sugar and lots of garlic. The combination of the sauce and roasted cherry tomatoes hits all the right savory, sweet, earthy and vibrant notes… And yay for pasta!
Warm or Cold – Another reason to love my roasted cherry tomato pasta recipe is that you can serve it immediately for dinner while it’s warm, or let it come to room temperature. Or let it come to room temp and refrigerate for an hour or so before serving cold. If it’s a really hot day I highly recommend chilling the pasta first. It’s so refreshing and delicious!
Check out my tomato jam and pickled tomatoes recipes if you’re looking for other not-hot way to enjoy summer tomatoes!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes are my favorite, but honestly grape tomatoes also work fine. Either way, I cut them in half so they sit better on the baking sheet and are easy to eat with pasta. In a pinch, you can even use larger vine-ripened tomatoes cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Sauce – I make the light oil-based sauce with a combination of olive oil (don’t try to sub!), balsamic vinegar, fresh minced garlic, and sugar, plus fresh thyme leaves.
- Pasta – I use spaghetti noodles, which are perfect for poking a few tomatoes and twirling. But feel free to use other noodles you want! Penne, rotini, or bowtie pasta are also great. I especially like to use bowtie when I want the cherry tomato pasta to be more like a cold pasta salad.
- Parmesan – No canned shaky cheese here, people! For a true rustic restaurant-style pasta dish you must use Parmesan that is fresh shaved or grated from the wedge.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep the Tomatoes – I start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F and lining a deep baking sheet with parchment paper. Then I mince the garlic and chop the fresh thyme. Next, I wash, dry and halve the cherry tomatoes, and spread them out on the baking sheet. I drizzle the balsamic and olive oil over the tomatoes, then sprinkle on the remaining ingredients… Minced garlic, thyme, and sugar. I use my hands to toss the tomatoes etc on the sheet and spread them out so they’re evenly coated in the saucy stuff. While you can technically use spoons or spatulas, I prefer to use my hands so I really know every bit of tomato is getting covered.
Roast, Flip, Roast – I sprinkle on salt and pepper for a final touch, and pop the pan into the oven. Roast them for 25 minutes, and carefully use a spatula to flip them over. Then I spread the tomatoes back out and roast them for another 20 minutes. I know they’re done when the outsides of the roasted cherry tomatoes are slightly blistered and wilted. Although this is a thin light sauce the juices should be slightly thickened up.
Cook Pasta – I start to make the pasta about midway through the second roasting time. I use spaghetti, which needs to be cooked in a large pot of salted water on high heat, per the box’s instructions. Ideally, the tomatoes will be done just before the pasta is ready to drain. Then they can sit on the pan for a couple of minutes and continue to thicken up a bit.
Be sure to reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before you drain it! You can use this to loosen up the sauce later if it thickens up too much. But don’t add too much!
Serving Suggestions
Now I transfer the drained pasta into a large bowl and pour the roasted cherry tomatoes and juices over the entire bowl. Then use tongs or two forks to gently toss the spaghetti with the tomatoes and sauce.
There isn’t a lot of protein going on in here, which is fine to me for a light summertime dish. If you’d like more protein bulk in your dinner consider adding another element to the pasta and tomatoes, like…
- Chicken roulade
- Italian sausage
- Grilled or sautéed shrimp
- Buffalo mozzarella or burrata cheese
Here is where you can serve the dish right away or set aside to chill… Whatever the case, add the fresh basil leaves and shaved Parmesan right when you’re ready to serve.
Do all of those plump little tomatoes make you want even more veggies? Me too! For a bigger meal consider also serving grilled fresh summer produce like zucchini or yellow squash. Or keep things more light and fresh with a caprese salad or heartier caesar salad.
And I’ve got to tell you, my crusty garlic bread is incredible to dip in the balsamic oil sauce!
Storage Notes
This simple recipe is excellent for meal prepping! The cooled leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days in an airtight container. But check that if you have meat, then it’ll keep well for up to 2-3 days.
As I mentioned the cold noodles and tomatoes are a fabulous pasta salad! They’re also delicious reheated. I microwave leftovers in short 20-second bursts at 50% powder, gently tossing the pasta between each burst. If it seems a bit dry I add a tiny splash of water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Obviously the tomatoes are going to be wet when they are cooked down in oil and vinegar, but with a caramelized almost charred black bit on some edges.. That said, they should not be “soupy” and look waterlogged. The best way to avoid soggy roasted tomatoes is make sure they are spread out into one even layer on the baking sheet and roasted at the proper high heat for long enough.
Nope, definitely don’t rinse the cooked pasta. That releases the starches which is another way to say it makes the noodle sticky.
Help Me Spread the Word about this Fabulous Free Recipe! Sharing this recipe link on Pinterest and Facebook is super impactful, and I greatly appreciate it! Find the share buttons below the recipe form.
More Pasta Recipes
Roasted Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cherry tomatoes halved (or grape tomatoes)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp dried thyme)
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 pound spaghetti (or fettuccini)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set out a large rimmed baking sheet. Rinse and dry the cherry tomatoes. Cut in halves. Then place on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, and sugar over the tomatoes. Gently toss to coat. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Gently flip them over, then continue roasting another 20+ minutes until the tomatoes are very wilted, and the pan juices have started to thicken.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Once the roasted cherry tomatoes come out of the oven, place the cooked pasta in a large bowl. Pour the cherry tomatoes and juices over the top.
- Add the fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. If needed, toss in 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup pasta water to loosen up the sauce. (Being careful not to add too much additional liquid.) Serve warm.
