Oven Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta is a simple and flavor packed dish. The sweet, small tomatoes are tossed with olive oil, white wine, garlic and roasted until caramelized. Then they're tossed with pasta and Parmesan cheese to make this easy pasta dish perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining.

I just love making homemade tomato recipes. Not only are they easy to make, but they're so flavorful. My homemade marinara with fresh basil is one I make on repeat at home.

This simple recipe for roasted cherry tomatoes and pasta was inspired by my shrimp with roasted tomato sauce. It's delicious tossed with these amazing noodles with Parmesan and garlic too.

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Ingredients & substitutions

Fresh and pantry ingredients combine for the garlic and wine roasted tomato sauce. With the bumper crop of cherry tomatoes during the summer months, this versatile sauce is absolutely delicious. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.

cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, fresh basil, salted butter, olive oil.

Fresh cherry tomatoes ~ These mini tomatoes are sweet and perfect for roasting. Substitute chopped Roma tomatoes or tomatoes on the vine.
Yellow onion ~ Vidalia onions are an alternative.
Fresh garlic cloves ~ Fresh is best!
White wine ~ Try Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
Salted butter ~ Adds rich flavor to the sauce.
Olive oil ~ The oil promotes browning of the tomatoes and adds toasty flavor.
Kosher salt ~ The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
Fresh ground black pepper ~ More flavorful than already ground pepper. And so easy with a pepper mill.
Fresh basil ~ A sweet and peppery punch of flavor from one of my favorite fresh herbs.
Cooked al dente pasta or zucchini noodles ~ Perfect for tossing with the chunky homemade tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese ~ Fresh tomato sauce and this nutty sharp cheese are a classic combination.

How to make cherry tomato pasta

Just gather a few ingredients and follow some simple recipe steps for a batch of garlicky cherry tomatoes and pasta. This is just a brief overview of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete instructions.

cherry tomatoes, onion and garlic on a baking sheet.

Step 1: Put cherry tomatoes, chopped onion and chopped garlic in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.

adding salted butter to baking sheet with cherry tomatoes.

Step 2: Add white wine, cubes of salted butter, olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss the ingredients.

roasted cherry tomatoes with fresh basil.

Step 3: Roast for 45 to 55 minutes or until the some tomatoes burst and are brown in spots.

Step 4: Smash some of the tomatoes with a large spoon to release their juices. Sprinkle with fresh basil.

Hint: Try spaghetti, linguine or rotini. Pick a cup-shaped pasta like orecchiette or shells to catch the intense tomato juices. The roasted cherry tomatoes are about enough for about ½ pound of cooked pasta.

Variations

Try some of these variations of this chunky roasted tomato pasta. They're all delicious.

Add spice - Add red pepper flakes while roasting the vegetables to add a kick of spiciness.
Add protein - Along with the roasted tomatoes toss in shrimp scallops or chunks of cooked chicken, salmon, swordfish, grilled steak or cubed tofu.
Try it as a gluten free dish - Toss the sauce with zucchini or yellow squash spiralized noodles. They're so easy to make with a veggie noodle spiralizer. Roasted spaghetti squash is also delicious tossed with the roasted cherry tomato sauce.
Make it saucy - To make the chunky roasted tomatoes into smooth and luscious sauce, puree with a blender or an immersion blender. Add some heavy cream, stock or pasta water to thin it as desired.
Skip the pasta and make it an appetizer - Serve the chunky smashed tomatoes over crostini (get my easy crostini recipe here) or crackers.

oven roasted cherry tomato sauce with zucchini noodles.

Storage & reheating instructions

Refrigerate: Completely cool the roasted tomatoes before storing. Refrigerate is for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. I love these meal prep containers for storing.
Freeze: Put the cherry tomatoes in resealable plastic freezer bags. Flatten and seal the bags. They stack neatly in the freezer. The roasted cherry tomatoes will stay fresh up to 3 to 4 months.

oven roasted cherry tomato sauce in a bowl.

top tip

For the most rich and intensely flavored roasted cherry tomatoes, choose the ripest tomatoes available. If the tomatoes are hard and green and white in spots, let them sit on the counter for a few days to fully ripen.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have to peel cherry tomatoes?

No you don't. The tomato skins add texture and flavor to the recipe. And leaving the tomatoes unpeeled also speeds up making the recipe.

Can you use canned cherry tomatoes in the recipe?

Fresh tomatoes are my first choice for this recipe. But in a pinch, canned cherry tomatoes can be used. Since the canned version is already cooked, reduce the roasting time to about 30 minutes.