Best Summer Fresh Tomato Pasta

Let’s talk about favorite low-effort summer meals … because nobody wants to be in the kitchen working over a hot stove. We’d all rather be outside on the shaded patio, glass of perfectly chilled rose or iced tea in hand. So we’re skipping the lengthy dinner prep and wordy blog posts and just getting to the good stuff!

My go-to easy summer meal is this fresh tomato pasta, ready in just  20 minutes. It’s all sauced up with coarsely-chopped fresh tomatoes, herbs, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. This just goes to show that simple, fresh ingredients are best!

This recipe was originally published in Gourmet Magazine in 1999, and I revisit it every summer, so you know it’s a winner.

I love using protein-packed Banza chickpea pasta as a healthy, gluten-free substitute for regular pasta.

Ingredients:

1 package of Banza Rotini

3 small tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves  (or substitute whatever herbs you have … basil is great too!)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata or feta

Directions:

Coarsely chop tomatoes and mince garlic. In a large bowl toss together tomatoes, garlic, thyme, vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Marinate tomatoes for 20 minutes. 

Cook rotini in boiling water until al dente and drain well in a colander. Add pasta to tomatoes and toss. Serve pasta sprinkled with ricotta salata or feta.