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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Pasta Recipes

    No-Cook Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Apr 20, 2017 · Last modified: Sep 14, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print - Pin
    Special diet: gluten-free option, nut-free, soy-free option, vegan
    Bowl of sauce above bowl of pasta

    Fresh Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce with basil and garlic is easy to make in minutes. The summery no-cook vegan pasta sauce is perfect for quick meals. Try it with penne or any of your favorite noodle shapes.

    Bowl of penne topped with cherry tomato sauce and sprig of fresh basil

    One of the best things about pasta is not only is it delicious, it's quick to make. While I often turn to no-cook sauces like Avocado Pesto or Lemon Dairy-Free Pasta Sauce, this garlicky tomato sauce makes dinner even faster because you don't have to clean a blender or food processor when you're done.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Amy's tip
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing
    • FAQ
    • More cherry tomato recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • It's a complete meal ready in only 20 minutes.
    • You'll have dinner on the table in the time it takes to boil water and cook a box of pasta.
    • It's a great way to celebrate the summer flavors of fresh tomatoes and basil.

    Ingredients

    • Cherry tomatoes (or substitute grape tomatoes)
    • Fresh garlic
    • Olive oil
    • Red wine vinegar
    • Salt
    • Fresh basil
    • Pasta (Choose a short pasta such as penne or bowtie.)
    • vegan butter (optional) such as Earth Balance or Miyoko's

    For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Collage of four images showing how to make this recipe
    1. While the pasta is cooking, place the tomatoes in a mixing bowl.
    2. Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt.
    3. Just before the pasta is done, tear or cut the fresh basil and add it to the sauce mixture.
    4. Toss to combine and serve it over the drained pasta.

    Amy's tip

    Wait to tear or cut the fresh basil leaves until the pasta is almost done cooking. This will help prevent the cut edges from turning black due to oxidation.

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    Serving suggestions

    While this pasta recipe is delicious on its own, you can also try it with a salad or side like the following:

    • Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad
    • Dairy-Free Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
    • Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms
    • Mediterranean Cannellini Bean Salad
    Close up of serving bowl of pasta

    Storing

    While I love having leftovers, I recommend enjoying this sauce immediately. For that reason, I wrote it to make 2 servings. However, you can easily halve it or double or triple it.

    But if you do have leftovers that are already combined with the pasta, you can refrigerate them until the next day. Then either enjoy your pasta at room temperature or heat it in the microwave. It won't taste quite the same, but at least your leftovers won't go to waste.

    FAQ

    Can you substitute grape tomatoes for cherry tomatoes?

    Yes, these small tomatoes can be used interchangeably in recipes. Their main difference is that grape tomatoes are oval shaped instead of round.

    What is short pasta?

    Pasta cut in short shapes such as penne, rigatoni, farfalle work well with chunky vegetable sauces since the ridges capture more of the sauce than a long pasta shape like spaghetti or fettuccine does.

    What can I substitute for fresh basil?

    If fresh basil is unavailable, other fresh herbs like oregano, parsley, and tarragon will work well in this recipe.

    What can I use instead of red wine vinegar?

    If you're out of red wine vinegar, you can substitute while wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or balsamic vinegar.

    More cherry tomato recipes

    Looking for more ways to enjoy fresh tomatoes? Try some of these vegan Mediterranean diet favorites:

    • Angel Hair Pomodoro (Vegan Tomato Pasta)
    • Hearts of Palm Salad
    • Mediterranean Tomato and Zucchini Saute
    • Tomato and Red Onion Salad

    And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Bowl of penne topped with cherry tomato sauce

    No-Cook Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

    Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce with basil and garlic is easy to make in minutes. The summery no-cook vegan pasta sauce is perfect for quick meals.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free option, nut-free, soy-free option, vegan
    Course: Pasta
    Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 529kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Equipment

    • 5-blade herb scissors

    Ingredients

    • 1 dry pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or substitute grape tomatoes)
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
    • salt, to taste
    • 10 fresh basil leaves
    • 8 ounces penne pasta, or other short pasta (gluten-free, if desired)
    • 1 Tablespoon vegan butter, (I used Earth Balance) optional
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    Instructions

    • Combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt in a bowl.
    • Set aside the tomato mixture while you prepare the pasta according to the package directions.
    • Just before pasta is done cooking, tear the basil leaves (or cut them with herb scissors) and add them to the tomato mixture. Stir to combine.
    • Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the vegan butter, if using.
    • Add the tomato mixture to the pasta and toss well to coat.
    • Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Notes

    Amy's tip:
    Wait to tear or cut the fresh basil leaves until the pasta is almost done cooking. This will help prevent the cut edges from turning black due to oxidation.
    Storing:
    While I love having leftovers, I recommend enjoying this sauce immediately. For that reason, I wrote it to make 2 servings. However, you can easily halve it or double or triple it.
    But if you do have leftovers that are already combined with the pasta, you can refrigerate them until the next day. Then either enjoy your pasta at room temperature or heat it in the microwave. It won't taste quite the same, but at least your leftovers won't go to waste.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 529kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 376IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

    More Vegan Pasta Recipes

    • Vegan Mac and Cheese Without Cashews
    • Creamy Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
    • 10 Easy Vegan Orzo Recipes
    • 16 Vegan Recipes with Tomato Paste
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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on HuffPost, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, Country Living, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made this
    1. KM

      March 20, 2021 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy and healthy.

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        March 21, 2021 at 10:20 am

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Nehal Preet

      February 28, 2020 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      I loved this recipe so much, I am a huge fan of Penne Pasta. This recipe is really easy peasy! I will try this recipe for sure! Thanks a lot for sharing with all of us. Much love & Regards!!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        February 28, 2020 at 3:53 pm

        Thank you so much, Nehal!

        Reply
    3. Sherri Ellerby

      July 14, 2019 at 8:40 pm

      5 stars
      Loved having an easy and delicious way to make use of our cherry tomato surplus from the garden. I probably put in a little more tomato than the suggested amount. I also used balsamic vinegar instead, since I didn’t have any red wine vinegar on hand. Gave it a nice sweet taste!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        July 15, 2019 at 8:35 am

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Sherri!

        Reply
    4. Uma

      April 20, 2017 at 3:31 pm

      Very simple and sounds flavorful. What can I replace with wine vinegar? Looks very delicious Amy!

      Reply
      • Amy

        April 20, 2017 at 3:53 pm

        Thanks Uma! You can use any vinegar you like, or leave the vinegar out and use a squeeze of lemon juice instead.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Amy! As a Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach, my passion is creating vegan Mediterranean diet recipes to inspire everyone to choose plant-based meals more often. At Veggies Save The Day you'll find simple delicious recipes that are easy to make any night of the week.

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