Angel hair pasta with tomatoes (is a really easy and quick Italian pasta recipe that you can have on the table in under 30 minutes and it tastes so delicious. The herbs in this pasta with fresh tomatoes recipe are all dried making this an easy recipe almost anyone can make in a pinch.
This angel hair pasta with fresh tomatoes is made with many things that you probably already have on hand in your kitchen. In our house this is our version of fast food because in the time it takes to boil the pasta, the tomatoes will be perfectly cooked and ready to add to the pasta once it is drained.
I love to serve this as a stand alone pasta dish or as a side to Italian baked sausage , Lemon garlic shrimp, Italian fried eggplant or garlic ciabatta bread for a complete Italian feast.
If you have 20 minutes, you can make this dish. This pasta recipe and our pasta piselli e pancetta (pasta with peas and pancetta) are our quick go to meals for those busy evenings.
This is also one of our got to meals in the summer when tomatoes are in season. We grow lots of tomatoes in our garden so this fresh tomato sauce recipe and our Italian chickpea salad are on constant rotation.
Ingredients you will need to make this angel hair pasta with tomatoes
- Angel hair pasta
- Cherry tomatoes (you can also use fresh baby San Marzano tomatoes like I did here or grape tomatoes)
- Garlic (Fresh)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red pepper flakes
- Dried thyme
- Dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Parmesan for topping (good quality!)
Since you have purchased fresh basil and other fresh herbs for this recipe or grow your own, you will want to check out my freezing basil in olive oil which shows you how to preserve it.
About the ingredients:
You can use any small baby tomatoes you can find. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes or any other small bite sized tomato works great.
For the herbs used in this dish, I used all dried herbs because this is a quick meal and intended to make use of what is already in the pantry. When you cook the dried herbs in the olive oil, the flavors of the herbs will infuse into the oil and give it a wonderful flavor.
If you do not have dried thyme and oregano on hand, you can substitute dried Italian seasoning for the same flavors. The only dried herb I do not recommend is dried basil. This in my opinion is not that tasty.
I really prefer angel hair pasta in this recipe because it has a delicate bite which I think goes really well with the tomatoes and herbs. If you do not have angel hair pasta, you can substitute spaghetti with great results.
Tips:
This recipe is already really easy and really quick to make. If you want to prepare a little more ahead of time with this recipe, you can slice up your tomatoes the day before and store them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.
If you are nervous about cooking angel hair pasta, we have an entire post on how to cook angel hair pasta that will put you at ease 🙂
If you have leftovers, this angel hair pasta recipe really re-heats well. Just place an individual serving in a bowl and place a moist (but not dripping) paper towel over the pasta. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until it is heated all the way through.
Other Italian Recipes You May Like:
- Italian Zucchini Soup
- Creamy Ricotta Pie
- Penne Alla Vodka
- Italian Pork Chops
- Italian Roasted Tomatoes
- Ravioli Sauce
- Creamy Kale Pasta
- Pasta con Salsiccia
Angel Hair Pasta with Tomatoes and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 lb Angel hair pasta
- 16 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in halves. you can also use grape tomatoes or fresh baby tomatoes of any variety.
- ½ cup Freshly Grated Parmesan for serving
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 clove garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt Plus more to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
- In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add your olive oil.
- Now add your red pepper flakes, dried thyme and dried oregano and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium low and add your garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add your tomatoes and stir to coat them in the olive oil and herbs and cook for a few more minutes.
- Once your pasta water is boiling, add your pasta and cook for one minute less than the manufacturers instructions for al dente, about 1-2 minutes.
- When the pasta is ready, scoop out one cup of your pasta water then drain your pasta.
- Add your pasta to the pan with the tomatoes and herbs and toss well.
- Add half of your reserved pasta water and toss well.
- Allow the pasta to soak up the juices for about one minute.
- If the pasta seems dry, add a little more pasta water and toss again.
- Remove the pan from the stove and serve immediately with fresh grated parmesan.
Sarah
Fast, delicious and everyone really enjoyed it!