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This no cook tomato sauce is made with just four ingredients and is full of flavour. One of the easiest and most delicious pastas you can make during summer, and it’s ready by the time your pasta is finished cooking!
This pasta is essentially summer in a bowl. It’s your go-to when it’s too hot to cook and in the height of the summer when tomatoes are at their very best.
The sauce is so refreshing and delicious and made with just four simple ingredients: cherry tomatoes (find good quality ripe ones), garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil.
You can eat this warm with freshly cooked pasta, or cool your pasta down and enjoy it cold (perfect for taking on a picnic or to the beach).
I love how simple this sauce is and will be making this all summer long. See the recipe below, including some delicious variations to try. Enjoy!
Ingredient notes
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It- Cherry tomatoes – the quality of the tomatoes is key, so make sure to get good quality, ripe tomatoes, preferably still on the vine. I like to use cherry tomatoes for their sweetness. If you use large tomatoes, such as plum or San Marzano style, the sauce will have a different flavour.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – you can use Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano if you don’t have Parmigiano.
- Pasta – I highly recommend using a short pasta shape and one that will catch the sauce. We used casarecce, but fusilli would be another great option.
Recipe tips
- Don’t grate your cheese – make sure to buy your cheese in a block and break it into chunks. This creates a really nice texture in the food processor, which we love.
- Sauce consistency – it should have a saucy consistency with fine pieces of cheese, tomato and herbs (see photo 2).
- Taste for seasoning – once you’ve blitzed your sauce, add a pinch of salt (I use sea salt flakes), taste it and add more if needed.
- Eat hot or cold – you can serve the pasta warm by transferring your cooked pasta straight to the sauce, or cool down your pasta first and enjoy it cold. This is a great option if you’re prepping it ahead of time.
Variations
Make it spicy – for a spicy kick, add a pinch of dried chilli flakes to taste.
Herbs – swap the basil for fresh parsley or add in some dried oregano.
Nuts – add some pine nuts, almonds or walnuts for added texture.
Pasta salad style – add in some cooked shrimp/prawns, marinated or jarred veggies such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers. Grilled or roasted veg (like zucchini and bell peppers), or more cheese, such as fresh mozzarella.
More summer dinner ideas
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Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
No Cook Tomato Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ lb (225g) short pasta , (we used casarecce)
- 14 oz (400g) cherry tomatoes, washed and dried
- 2 oz (50g) Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into large chunks
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 large handful fresh basil, (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Add your pasta and cook until al dente.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh basil and peeled garlic clove to a food processor and blitz until well combined. You’ll have pause half way through and scrape down the sides. The end texture should be saucy with fine pieces of cheese, tomato and basil throughout.
- Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and add a sprinkling of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir to combine. Once cooked, add the drained pasta and stir into the sauce then serve.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
