Simple creamy penne pasta made with fresh cherry tomatoes is so good! A 30-minute meal that is absolutely bursting with fresh flavor – it tastes like lasagna to me! We always have this dish on dinner repeat when we’re picking cherry tomatoes in the garden!
Creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta Recipe
Ready to have your cherry tomatoes shine in a recipe? Then you need to try this creamy penne pasta recipe, I think it tastes like homemade lasagna! Made with 3 cups of cherry tomatoes, it’s a must save recipe for Summer!
Pasta is coated in a creamy sauce made with a mix of tomato sauce, tomato paste and whipping cream, and then cherry tomatoes are added in with shredded mozzarella cheese. The freshness of the tomatoes really elevate this tomato pasta, giving it a sweet Summer taste. Even my kids asked for second helpings of this pasta!
Tip: Want to add some greens to this dish? Add a cup of baby spinach or baby kale into the skillet when you add the cherry tomatoes.
Looking for more cherry tomato recipes? Check out my Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce, Pickled Cherry Tomatoes and Cherry Tomato and Chickpea Salad too!
Ingredients
- Penne, you can use another type of noodle if you’d like, such as ziti, bow tie noodles, or a long pasta, like spaghetti or fettuccine.
- Cherry Tomatoes or grape tomatoes work. Make sure to cut them in half. This recipe calls for 1 pound of cherry tomatoes which is usually 2-3 cups.
- Onion and Garlic, to saute for flavor.
- Cream Sauce: tomato sauce, tomato paste, whipping cream and parmesan cheese to make the pasta super creamy! You can also use heavy cream instead of whipping cream.
- Seasonings: oregano, sugar, salt and pepper and fresh basil.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese to make it cheesy! We prefer thick cut shredded cheese as it melts better.
How to Make Cherry Tomato Pasta
Make pasta, careful to not over cook it.
Save 1 cup of the cooked pasta water before draining it. This is going to help us make the cream sauce.
Saute onion and garlic in a large skillet, and then make the cream sauce by mixing together tomato sauce, tomato paste, whipping cream, parmesan cheese, oregano, sugar and salt and pepper.
Add penne pasta and saved pasta water to the skillet.
Add cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil to the skillet, mixing well.
Serve or bake! You can serve as is, or you can bake it. It’s really up to you if you have the extra time (truthfully, I usually never bake it!). To bake, pour mixture into a 11×13 baking dish and bake until bubbly.
Serve and enjoy this delicious cherry tomato pasta!
Can I add meat to this penne pasta recipe?
Absolutely! You can add meat to this recipe, here’s some of our favs:
- Ground Italian Sausage
- Ground beef
- Diced or Shredded Chicken
- Pancetta
If using ground meat you can cook it with the onion and garlic, cooking until the meat is fully cooked. If using chicken, cook it first, and then add in with the cherry tomatoes at the end.
Storing Leftovers and Reheating
Store leftover pasta in a airtight container in the refrigerator, good for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until fully warm.
Pin for later:
So Fresh Creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta
PrintIngredients
- 1 (16 ounce box) penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (15 ounce can) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes halved (this equals about 3 cups)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente, following the time on the box. Drain and set aside, but keep 1 cup of the cooked pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds to lightly brown it.
- Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, oregano, sugar and salt and pepper, bringing to a low boil and cook for 5 minutes as it thickens.
- Add cooked penne pasta and reserved pasta water into the skillet, stirring to combine.
- Add cherry tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese and basil to the skillet, stirring until everything is fully warmed up.
- Serve or bake: You can serve as is, or you can bake it. It’s really up to you if you have the extra time. To bake, pour mixture into a 11×13 baking dish, sprinkle 1/4 cup extra shredded mozzarella cheese on top and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Janna Coats says
My family devoured this recipe!! I mean, all 4 of us are seconds, it was gone! Well done, thanks for sharing. My daughter even asked me to “please make this more often!”
Pamela Reed says
Love when the kids are happy and ask for seconds! Thanks for stopping by Janna!
Jean says
Delicious and easy, thank you. Added some roasted asparagus.