This Roasted Sungold Tomato Pasta captures the vibrant flavors and color of summertime, and comes together in under an hour! Made with simple seasonal ingredients, this elegant dish is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or for serving guests. The natural sweetness of Sungold cherry tomatoes gets intensified by roasting alongside aromatics, finishing with Parmesan cheese, and serving the silky sauce with your favorite pasta and garlicky breadcrumbs!
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Summertime dishes are often the simplest, but most satisfying. This yellow pomodoro sauce is no exception; we could eat it on repeat! The cheerful Sungolds in this recipe really live up to the "sun" in their name, and we love to highlight them in all of their sweet, juicy glory.
Looking for more simple yet decadent pasta dishes? You may also enjoy this luscious leek pasta, or this creamy pesto pasta!
If you're teetering on the edge of summer and fall, you may also enjoy this autumnal pumpkin pasta sauce!
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🍝Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information on substitutions below.
Sauce
- Cherry tomatoes. Sungold tomatoes are a deliciously sweet and juicy variety of cherry tomatoes that ripen to a bright orange color. They aren't sold commercially, so we grow them in our garden. Check your local farmers' market for them, or just use any cherry or grape tomato instead.
- Shallots. A medium-sized shallot is all you'll need. You can also use onion instead.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is a must for the best flavor.
- Red pepper flakes or chilis. We had some hot chili peppers ready in the garden, so we added a few of those in with our tomatoes and other aromatics. You can use red pepper flakes instead!
- Basil. We will add a few stems of basil with leaves to the tomato mixture. We add fresh basil again near the end of cooking.
- Oil. Any oil you want works fine here. We used olive oil to roast the tomatoes in.
- Butter. Kept cold, and cut into chunks, added right at the end of cooking, will create an absolutely rich and luscious sauce!
- Parmesan. Freshly grated. This will ensure the cheese melts perfectly into the sauce and doesn't clump up, as pre-shredded cheeses often have anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting properly.
- Pasta. You can use your favorite pasta! We love bucatini, or any spaghetti-like or long-noodle shape. The silky sauce clings to the noodles beautifully.
- Pasta water. The key to a great pasta dish! It helps the sauce cling to the noodles and gives the sauce a luscious texture. Make sure to set aside 1-2 cups of pasta sauce. You'll need between ½ - 1 cup for the dish, and we like to keep extra pasta water around for reheating pasta later.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
Garlicky breadcrumbs (optional)
- Breadcrumbs. Any unseasoned breadcrumb works great here. If you're using seasoned breadcrumbs, just dial back on the added salt, or these breadcrumbs may end up a little too salty.
- Oil. Any oil you like works great. We used olive oil.
- Garlic. Freshly grated garlic gives these breadcrumbs so much flavor. Garlic powder would also work.
- Salt and pepper. To taste, and as needed, depending on the breadcrumbs you're using.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & Variations
- Swap Sungold tomatoes. Sungolds can be a bit elusive if you're not growing them yourself, but you can just as easily use any cherry or grape tomato!
- Gluten-free. To make this recipe gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pasta and optional breadcrumbs.
- Brown butter. For extra depth of flavor, brown the butter in advance, then place it back in the fridge to cool until solid before adding it to the pasta sauce. This would add a ton of flavor!
- Tomato butter. For even more flavor, use this delicious tomato butter in place of the regular butter for even more tomato flavor.
- Herbed. Like in our delicious roasted red pepper and tomato soup, additional fresh or dried herbs would complement this soup wonderfully. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, or savory added to the tomatoes alongside the basil when they roast would be delicious! Use whatever herbs you have available!
- Add wine. For even more flavor, add a splash of white wine with the tomatoes to roast to help deepen the flavor.
- Lemony. Add a bit of lemon zest and some lemon juice for some bright acidity.
- Protein-packed. Add any protein like this lemon-herbed chicken or some shrimp to make this dish an entire dinner! We love adding creamy burrata cheese and crispy prosciutto as well.
This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!
🔪Prep Work
- Peel the garlic and shallots. Cut the shallots in half, lengthwise.
- Wash the tomatoes and remove any stems.
- Wash basil. Divide it in half. Leave some on the stems, and remove the remaining basil leaves from the stems. Tear if desired.
- Grate parmesan cheese.
- Cut the butter into chunks and place it in the fridge to keep it cold.
How To Make Roasted Sungold Pasta
Season the breadcrumbs
If making the breadcrumb topping, preheat the oven to 375°F. On a prepared baking sheet, mix the breadcrumbs, oil, salt, pepper, and grated garlic together and spread into a single layer.
Toast the breadcrumbs
Place in the oven for 3-6 minutes, stopping to mix 1-2 times to ensure even browning. Watch very closely to ensure the breadcrumbs don't burn. Set aside.
Prepare the tomatoes and aromatics
Increase the heat to 425°F, then in a large shallow baking dish, add the tomatoes, basil stems, shallot, garlic, and optional red chilis or red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
Pro Tip
When roasting the tomatoes, add basil that's still on the stems so it's easy to remove later. We want the basil to infuse some flavor, but we don't want it to muddy the color of the sauce when pureeing it.
Roast the tomatoes
Roast the tomatoes until they begin to pop and have softened considerably, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and remove the basil and discard. Set aside some of the tomatoes if desired!
Meanwhile
While the tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of heavily salted water (at least 1 tablespoon per 1 pound of pasta and per 4 cups of water) to a boil, and prepare your noodles of choice. Cook them 1-2 minutes under the package directions for al dente, as they will continue to cook in the sauce.
Make sure to set aside at least 1 cup of pasta water. More is always better than not enough! We like to save some to reheat leftovers as well.
Puree the tomatoes (optional)
After you've removed the basil and set aside a few of the tomatoes, place the remaining roasted tomatoes, shallots, chilis, garlic, and oil in a food processor or blender and process or blend until smooth. If you prefer, you can skip this step.
Assemble the pasta
Add the sauce to a large saucepan on the stove over low heat. Add your hot cooked pasta of choice to the sauce with a splash of pasta water, the parmesan, cold butter chunks, and basil leaves.
Pro tip
Adding cold butter helps it to melt more slowly and emulsify the sauce, giving it a silky texture instead of becoming greasy!
Toss to coat
Toss the pasta, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the noodles, the basil begins to wilt, and all the butter and cheese melt to create a silky smooth sauce.
Assemble & serve
Add the pasta to serving bowls, and garnish with a few burst Sungold tomatoes, more fresh parmesan, crispy breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Enjoy!
We also love making this dish an entire meal by adding creamy burrata cheese and some crumbled crispy prosciutto!
Equipment
- An oven thermometer is an inexpensive, underrated kitchen tool in our opinion! Oven temperatures can vary from oven to oven, and the *beep* sound on your oven is likely going off too early!
- For a super silky smooth sauce, we love our 9-cup food processor or this amazing 6-cup blender! We've also used this cordless food processor for many meals and love it, but you'll need to do multiple batches, and it's not quite as high-powered, so keep this in mind.
Leftover Sungolds? Use them up!
Cherry Tomato Confit
If you have leftover sungolds, add them to this delicious cherry tomato confit!
Storage
Fridge Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with an extra splash of pasta water. We don't recommend freezing.
Make Ahead Tips
Sauce: Make the roasted and pureed tomatoes in advance, and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. When it comes time to serve, gently reheat the sauce on the stove, and simply add hot, freshly cooked pasta, along with the rest of the ingredients as and proceed as usual!
Breadcrumbs can be made up to 7 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dark place.
✨Dinner idea!
Baked Cod in Tomato Sauce
Use Sungold tomatoes in this recipe in place of crushed tomatoes. Cook down the tomatoes until they're nice and jammy, then proceed with the recipe as usual!
Expert Tips
- Prep all of your ingredients. This recipe moves quickly! It's best to have everything prepped and ready to go so everything goes smoothly.
- Don't overcook the tomatoes. Keep a close eye on the tomatoes, cook them until they burst and start to shrivel and maybe even caramelize slightly, then remove them from the oven! This should only take 20-25 minutes.
- Don't overcook the pasta. You'll want to take the pasta out of the boiling water about 1-2 minutes under al dente. The noodles will continue to cook in the sauce, so undercooking them ensures they don't get soggy and break apart later.
- Don't skip the pasta water. Always reserve more than you think you'll need, and don't skip it! The starch in the water helps the sauce come together and become nice and smooth, plus it helps the sauce coat every single strand of the noodles.
- Use cold butter. Using cold butter in sauces ensures it melts slowly into the hot sauce. This helps stabilize and emulsify the sauce, and keeps the sauce smooth and silky instead of greasy!
- Use freshly grated cheese. This will ensure it melts properly, creating a silky smooth sauce.
✨Dinner idea!
Chicken Pomodoro
Use Sungold tomatoes to make a yellow pomodoro sauce for this delicious and easy chicken dinner!
💬Common Questions
Yes, absolutely!
To saute the tomatoes, cut them in half, and heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots with salt, then cook, stirring often, until they soften considerably. Then, add in the chilis/red pepper flakes and garlic, and cook for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and basil, and cook until softened and bursting, about 10-15 minutes. If you need to help them along, simply burst them gently with the back of your spoon. That's it! Proceed with the rest of the recipe as usual.
Yes! Just like in this squid ink pasta with calamari, you can toast the breadcrumbs and garlic in olive oil on the stove top for a few minutes over medium heat, stirring often until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Sungold tomatoes are quite special, truth be told. They are often referred to as the sweetest tomatoes you can grow. These small, orange-yellow cherry tomatoes are known for their intensely sweet, nearly fruity flavor, with bright, tangy acidity that balances the sweetness of the fruit.
These tomatoes have tender skin. Their natural sweetness intensifies when they cook, so you can create a delicious sauce without needing to add any sugar or cook the sauce for a long period of time. They're perfect for quick and easy sauce applications, outside of just snacking/salads!
The cheerful "sunshine" like color adds to the appeal, in our opinion.
With that said, of course, you don't need to use Sungolds! Feel free to use any cherry or grape tomato; this recipe will be incredibly delicious either way!
🍅More Tomato Recipes To Try
Love tomatoes? Try these recipes out!
🍴Main Course Pairings
Serve this pasta alongside these delicious main courses for a tasty summer dinner!
🍴Side Dish Pairings
Here are some fresh veggie and salad ideas to help you make the perfect dinner menu!
🌟Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, we'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below with your rating for the recipe. Share with us by tagging us on Instagram! We love seeing your creations! 📸
📖 Recipe
Sungold Tomato Pasta
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
Garlicky breadcrumbs (optional)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs about 3 ounces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic grated or minced
Roasted Sungold Tomatoes
- 5 cups Sungold tomatoes about 750 grams, can substitute cherry tomatoes
- 5 stems basil about 1 ounce
- 6-8 cloves garlic
- 1 medium shallot halved, lengthwise
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste, can use about 2 fresh chilis
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pasta
- 1 pound pasta we used bucatini
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves about 1 ounce
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated (about 2 ounces)
- ½ - 1 cup reserved pasta water as needed to thin
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Garlicky breadcrumbs (optional)
- If making the breadcrumb topping, preheat the oven to 375°F. On a prepared baking sheet, mix the breadcrumbs, oil, salt, pepper, and grated garlic together and spread into a single layer.1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 clove garlic
- Place in the oven for 3-6 minutes, stopping to mix 1-2 times to ensure even browning. Watch very closely to ensure the breadcrumbs don't burn. Set aside.
Roasted Sungold tomatoes
- Increase the heat to 425°F, then in a large shallow baking dish, add the tomatoes, basil stems, shallot, garlic, and optional red chilis or red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.5 cups Sungold tomatoes, 5 stems basil, 6-8 cloves garlic, 1 medium shallot, ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 5 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Roast the tomatoes until they begin to pop and have softened considerably, about 20- 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, and remove the basil and discard. Set aside some of the tomatoes for topping later.
- After you've removed the basil and set aside a few of the tomatoes, place the remaining roasted tomatoes, shallots, chilis, garlic, and oil in a food processor or blender and process or blend until smooth. If you prefer, you can skip this step.
- Meanwhile, While the tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, and prepare your noodles of choice. Cook them 1-2 minutes under the package directions for al dente, as they will continue to cook in the sauce. Make sure to set aside at least 1 cup of pasta water. More is always better than not enough! We like to save some to reheat leftovers as well.
Pasta
- Add the sauce to a large saucepan on the stove over low heat. Add your hot cooked pasta of choice to the sauce with a splash of pasta water, the parmesan, cold butter chunks, and basil leaves.
- Toss the pasta, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the noodles, the basil begins to wilt, and all the butter and cheese melt to create a silky smooth sauce.
- Add the pasta to serving bowls, and garnish with a few burst Sungold tomatoes, more fresh parmesan, crispy breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with reserved pasta water.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- Prep all of your ingredients. This recipe moves quickly! It's best to have everything prepped and ready to go so everything goes smoothly.
- Don't overcook the tomatoes. Keep a close eye on the tomatoes, cook them until they burst and start to shrivel and maybe even caramelize slightly, then remove them from the oven! This should only take 20-25 minutes.
- Don't overcook the pasta. You'll want to take the pasta out of the boiling water about 1-2 minutes under al dente. The noodles will continue to cook in the sauce, so undercooking them ensures they don't get soggy and break apart later.
- Don't skip the pasta water. Always reserve more than you think you'll need, and don't skip it! The starch in the water helps the sauce come together and become nice and smooth, plus it helps the sauce coat every single strand of the noodles.
- Use cold butter. Using cold butter in sauces ensures it melts slowly into the hot sauce. This helps stabilize and emulsify the sauce, and keeps the sauce smooth and silky instead of greasy!
- Use freshly grated cheese. This will ensure it melts properly, creating a silky smooth sauce.
Briana says
This is the ultimate pasta of the summer!! It's so fun to make this vibrant and sweet tomato sauce. The garlicky breadcrumbs really take it over the top, and if you're feeling extra fancy, serve with creamy burrata and crispy prosciutto. SO DELICIOUS!