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a bowl of spaghetti tossed with burst cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves, shown in a wide horizontal shot on a rustic table with a linen napkin nearby, natural light, shallow depth of field, landscape orientation

Tomato Basil Pasta

This quick three ingredient tomato-basil sauce is perfect to toss with fresh, bright pasta.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz spaghetti
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil torn

Method
 

  1. Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente, then reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain.
  2. While the pasta cooks, simmer the tomatoes in a little olive oil over medium heat until they burst and soften, about 8 minutes.
  3. Add the drained pasta to the tomatoes along with a splash of reserved pasta water.
  4. Toss until the sauce clings to the noodles.
  5. Stir in the torn basil right before serving and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

A handful of grated parmesan makes a lovely fourth-ingredient upgrade.