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Burst Tomato PastaBurst Tomato and Basil Pasta with Salami
August 16, 2021 | Updated May 15, 2023 | Laura
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This burst tomato pasta is so simple and easy! The fresh basil, salami, feta, red onion, and kalamata olives combined together is so delicious and makes this pasta perfect for any night of the week.
Quick, Simple, & Delicious Pasta
Do you have a large quanity of small tomatoes taking over your kitchen counters? Or maybe your just a big fan of those cute little red guys? Either way, you're in the right place because this burst tomato sauce pasta is amazing!
Oh, and another great thing is that it's so simple and quick to make. The extra toppings pair so well with the sauce. It's quick enough to prepare for a weeknight, and it's also fancy enough to make it a weekend dinner.
If you've never made burst tomato sauce before, you have to try it! It's really as simple as throwing a bunch of cherry tomatoes into a pot and letting the heat work its magic. The tomatoes will first begin to sweat, and then some of them will start to burst (hence, the name).
This pasta is so versatile. I've eaten with just the noodles and the sauce and also with alll the toppings! You just really can't go wrong.
Burst Tomato Pasta Ingredients
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✽ Olive Oil: Olive oil adds great flavor and helps improve the texture of tomato sauces.
✽ Garlic: We're making pasta so we gotta throw in some fresh garlic cloves.
✽ Cherry Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are the perfect size for this pasta. They burst when heated which creates sauce. They basically do all the work for you!
✽ Red Crushed Pepper: Red crushed pepper tastes great in tomato sauce and adds in some spice.
✽ Sugar: A very small sprinkle of sugar in the tomato sauce will cut the acidity of the tomatoes creating more balanced flavors.
✽ Pasta: You can use pretty much any type of of pasta here, but my favorite is garden rotini- the twirly colorful pasta. Penne pasta works great too!
✽ Toppings: There are so many options of toppings for this pasta. My favorite are feta, fresh basil leaves, salami, red onion, and kalamata olives.
How to Make Burst Tomato Pasta with Salami
➊ In a large pot, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 minced cloves of garlic are cooked together on medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. I like to put the oil and garlic into the unheated pot and allow the oil and garlic to heat up together. This prevents the garlic from burning.
➋ 2 pints (22 oz) cherry tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper are then added into the hot oil. Allow the tomatoes to cook for about 5 minutes. During this time, the tomatoes' skin will begin to wrinkle, peel, and may begin to pop.
➌ Add in 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes and pinch of sugar. Turn the heat down to low and let the tomatoes cook for about 15 minutes more. During this time, I like to take the back of a wooden spoon, and pop the tomatoes that haven't popped yet.
Have you ever bitten into an un-pop cherry tomato while eating dinner. It's fun, but it's messy. If you want to prevent tomato juice from getting all over your dining room, make sure all of the tomatoes have bursted. Ensuring all of the tomatoes have bursted will also make it more saucy.
➍ Meanwhile, cook 8 ounces dried rotini pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until desired tenderness, and drain. Keep about 1/4 cup of pasta water in case you want to thin out the tomato sauce.
➎ Adjust the seasonings of the sauce to your taste. If desired, add a bit of reserved pasta water to the sauce by the tablespoon until you have reached your desired consistency.
➏ Scoop some pasta noodles onto the plates and spoon some tomato sauce over the noodles. Top the hot pasta with your desired toppings. I like fresh basil, salami, red onion, feta, and kalamata olives. Enjoy!
Burst Tomato Salami Pasta Recipe: Questions
✽ Can I use grape tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes in this recipe?
Yep, you can! But keep reading.. Cherry tomatoes are named because they are round like a cherry. They have thin skins and lots of water inside of them. This makes them great for this recipe because the thin skins allow them to burst easily and the high water content makes it saucy. Cherry tomatoes are really juicy and sweet.
Grape tomatoes are named because they are oblong like a grape. They, on the other hand, have thicker skins and less water. In this recipe, you may have to force more to burst and add in a little pasta water to get the correct consistency. Grape tomatoes are also not as sweet as cherry tomatoes.
✽ Why do you add sugar to tomato sauce?
With cherry tomato sauce, you may not even need the sugar because they are sweeter than a typical tomato. I still prefer to add just a pinch of sugar to cut down on the acidity of the tomatoes. This gives a great sweet acidic balance.
After cooking the tomatoes down, taste the sauce and see if you think it needs some sweetness! I will note here though that the sugar doesn't actually decrease the acidity since the acids in tomatoes actually do not have a reaction with sugar. The sugar simply just covers it up.
✽ Why do you cook the burst tomato sauce for about twenty minutes?
I felt like the twenty minute cook time gave me the best tasting sauce with the best consistency. Twenty minutes gives the tomatoes enough time for most of them to burst on their own. The sauce simmers for a good amount of time so the flavors blend, some of the liquid evaporates leaving a great consistency, and you still can taste the freshness.
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Burst Tomato & Basil Pasta with Salami
By Laura | Laura the Gastronaut
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 3-4 servings
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This burst tomato pasta is so simple and easy! The fresh basil, salami, feta, red onion, and kalamata olives combined together is so delicious and makes this pasta perfect for any night of the week.
*Some of these ingredient links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pints (22 oz) cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red crushed pepper
• Pinch of sugar
• 8 oz dried garden rotini pasta
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 oz dried hard salami, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 20 kalamata olives
• 10 fresh basil leaves, torn
Instructions
➊ Heat olive oil and garlic in large pot over medium heat until garlic is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
➋ Add the whole cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the pot with the oil and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this time, the tomatoes' skin will begin to wrinkle, peel, and some tomatoes may begin to burst.
➌ Turn the heat down to low and add in red crushed pepper and sugar. Continue to simmer the tomatoes for 15 more minutes. During this time, use the back of your spoon to pop all of the tomatoes that haven't bursted yet.
➍ Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a pot of salted water according to package directions until desired tenderness. *Reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water in case you want to thin out your pasta sauce.* Drain pasta.
➎ Adjust seasoning of the tomato sauce. Optional- add enough pasta water to the tomato sauce by the tablespoon to achieve desired consistency.
➏ When ready to serve, split cooked pasta between plates and evenly spoon tomato sauce over. Top with crumbled feta cheese, chopped dried salami, diced red onion, kalamata olives, and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
✽ Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are preferred for this recipe, but you can also use other small tomatoes such as grape tomatoes.
✽ Toppings: I have my favorite toppings for this pasta listed, but you can add any type of cheese, vegetable, and meat to this pasta! I also really love goat cheese and/or parmesan cheese as a topping. Other great options include artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, and a sprinkle of parsley.
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Category: Lunch and Dinner Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Keywords: burst tomato pasta, easy pasta recipes, basil pasta recipe, simple pasta recipes, burst tomato recipe, italian pasta salad
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Bon appétit!
August 16, 2021 by Laura Ehlers
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