Description
A comforting creamy pasta dish made with sweet cherry tomatoes and rich ricotta cheese, perfect for a quick dinner or an impressive meal for guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk)
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente, reserving ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, sauté garlic for 30 seconds, then add cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until tomatoes soften.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in ricotta cheese and reserved pasta water until creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, and toss to coat in the sauce. Stir in Parmesan cheese and basil.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and basil, drizzled with olive oil.
Notes
Feel free to add shrimp, zucchini, or broccoli for variations. Adjust the amount of pasta water for sauce thickness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg