Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

Packed with basil and garlic, this simple fresh cherry tomato sauce is the PERFECT summer recipe. Super easy to make, toss it with pasta for a flavorful weeknight meal! Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.

A black skillet filled with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce with a wooden spoon in the pan.

Cherry tomato sauce = a fantastic way to put all those tomatoes from your garden to good use!

Not that I have a garden with tomatoes. Or anything for that matter. So maybe I should say that this sauce is perfect for putting all the produce you buy from the store or farmer’s market to good use.

You know, just because you want to make it.

And make it you should. Super simple. Under 30 minutes. And with some angel hair pasta? Perfection.

Added bonus? You don’t even have to slice the tomatoes. They just get dumped whole into the skillet. 

Anywho, I’ve actually been making this sauce for about two years now (or something similar … I’ve always employed that whole ehhh let’s add a pinch of this, a dash of that – very a la my grandma if you will). But I finally wrote it down.

Because it’s a sort of lazy sauce. And doesn’t really take much effort. And during the summer heat, I think we can all use more lazy recipe ideas. Yes? Yes.

A black skillet filled with Cherry Tomato Sauce mixed with pasta.

Tips & Tricks For This Cherry Tomato Sauce

  1. Please don’t be scared of the wine in the recipe. The sauce doesn’t taste at all wine-y once cooked. It just adds awesome flavor. But, you can always use extra broth in its place. But then you don’t get to drink the wine too – and that’s no fun!
  2. Please also be careful when you smash the tomatoes with a fork or wooden spoon. Depending on how firm the tomatoes were to begin with, the juices can definitely “explode” when smashing. So be prepared.
  3. For our taste, we think this amount of sauce works perfectly when tossed with 8 ounces of pasta. I like to add the drained pasta right into the skillet and then toss to combine. Sometimes I’ll add in a touch of reserved pasta water, but usually not.
  4. Not in the mood for pasta? The sauce is also excellent spooned over grilled chicken.

A black skillet filled with Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce with a wooden spoon in the pan.

Additional Cherry Tomato Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Packed with fresh basil, this simple fresh cherry tomato sauce is a perfect summer recipe! Toss with pasta for a flavorful weeknight meal!

Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

Yield: about 4 servings
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes

Packed with basil and garlic, this simple fresh cherry tomato sauce is the PERFECT summer recipe. Super easy to make, toss it with pasta for a flavorful weeknight meal! Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium shallots, minced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ cup dry white wine*
  • ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • pinch of sugar
  • ⅓ cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

Instructions

  1. Set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in the olive oil. When hot, add in the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute, until the shallots have started to soften.
  2. Add in the tomatoes. Continue to cook for about 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to char and burst.
  3. Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add in the broth, salt, red pepper flakes and sugar. Use the back of a wooden spoon (or a large fork) to smash the tomatoes (be careful! the juices explode a bit!), then continue to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until reduced to your liking.
  5. Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh basil. Season with additional salt and red pepper flakes to taste.
  6. Serve with pasta or however you would like.

Notes

*To keep this dairy free / vegan - be sure to use a vegan friendly wine (or just use additional broth instead).

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 106Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 162mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.