Simple Sungold Tomato Pasta with Fresh Basil and Garlic

This Easy Sungold Tomato Pasta is a celebration of summer. Fresh Sungold cherry tomatoes are cooked down into a sweet, aromatic tomato sauce, then tossed with pasta and white beans. Simple pasta dinners don’t get much fresher and more flavorful than this! Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 405kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

8 ounces ditalini pasta (or your favorite shape!)
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot minced (or sub 1/2 small red onion)
3-5 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
2 pints sungold tomatoes, cut in half; divided
1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (optional, for a protein & fiber boost!)
Finely grated parmesan for serving; I used dairy-free
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup (230 ml) of the pasta water before draining the pasta and setting aside.
Aromatics: In the meantime, warm the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until beginning to turn golden. Add the garlic, and black pepper and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is golden.
Sauté the Tomatoes: Add about half of the tomatoes to the pan with a generous pinch of salt; sauté for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices. Add 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the reserved pasta water and stir well, using the back of your spatula or spoon to mash and “melt” the tomatoes into the sauce. Return to a simmer, then stir in the remaining half of the tomatoes. Sauté for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until they are only slightly softened, but still hold their shape.
Combine: Turn the heat to medium-low and add the cooked noodles to the pan with the beans (if using) and half of the basil. Use tongs or a spoon to mix well, until the sauce and oil coats every noodle. If the sauce is too thick, add additional reserved pasta water. Add additional salt to taste, if necessary. Remove from the heat once the pasta is warm and sauce has thickened to your liking.
Serve: Serve warm, topped with the remaining fresh basil and parmesan, or as desired. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and are best reheated on the stovetop with a splash of water, or in the microwave.

Notes

Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
Sungold Tomato Substitute: You can replace the sungold tomatoes in this recipe with cherry tomatoes. I find that sungold tomatoes tend to be both sweeter and more acidic than other cherry tomato varieties, so you may want to add a pinch of sugar and 1/2-1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar to the sauce to make up for this
Bean Substitutes: This recipe also works well with other varieties of creamy white beans, such as navy beans or great northern beans. You can also use chickpeas, though I don’t like their firmer texture as much in this recipe.

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