I’m always a little over-ambitious when I buy cherry tomatoes. I just love adding them to things—salads, sheet pan meals, savory french toast, bruschetta, even sliced up on a piece of toast. But I never seem to finish up a pint in a week, and find myself with a plethora of tomatoes and no way to use them. So with the motivation to not waste food, I decided to invent a simple pasta recipe that can be whipped up in a time of cherry tomato abundance.
I admit, this recipe is motivated by a cherry tomato burst pasta I saw on Epicurious. I did a little digging around and was pleased to realize that I’m not the only one looking to use up the cherry tomatoes in their fridge. But looking to take it up a notch (and add some protein), I decided to give it my own personal spin.
This cherry tomato pasta recipe is simple. You’ll need cherry tomatoes (duh), minced garlic, olive oil, onion, Italian seasoning, pasta, and chicken sausage. Oh, and some salt and pepper, of course. Bada bing, bada boom.
Now the sauce the cherry tomatoes make is light—and more tan than red. Do not fret, it’s supposed to be this way. The sauce adds everything together and gives the pasta that saucy flavor, but it doesn’t seem like there’s any sauce at all. Trust me—it’s there, and it’s delicious.
I also like to use tubular pasta when I throw protein into a dish like this one—I just think it’s easier to eat. While long pasta (like spaghetti) sure is fun in the case of having meatballs or even this lemon garlic linguini, when it comes to adding in more protein and veggies, I enjoy a tubular pasta like penne, ziti, or rigatoni.
When it comes to buying chicken sausage, I would suggest finding something that is Italian-style. Target has a great one, but you don’t have to be beholden to it. Any type of chicken sausage that has an Italian flair will work (like Gilbert’s Caprese, or Applegate Sweet Italian), so buy what you can find. No stress—we hate stress.
However, I must note that the chicken sausage is optional. If you are vegetarian and you prefer to not add the sausage, by all means, skip it! The chicken sausage simply adds some protein and taste to the dish if you’re looking for something quick to throw together for dinner. But this burst cherry tomato pasta recipe will still work without it.
You’ll be able to throw together this burst cherry tomato pasta in just 20 minutes’ time. While I would love to say it’s a one-pot recipe, it, unfortunately, requires two. You’ll have to boil your pasta in one, but everything else is made in another. Still a small number of dishes, though! You know how much I hate doing the dishes.
Alright, enough babbling. Let’s make pasta.
Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta with Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 4 oz tubular pasta (penne, ziti, or rigatoni) about 1 dry cup
- 4 tsp olive oil divided
- 2 Italian-style chicken sausage links chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Shredded or grated parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Fill up a medium-sized pot halfway with water. Bring water to a boil and sprinkle in some salt. Add the pasta and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.
- While the pot is coming to a boil, in another pot (or dutch oven) heat up one teaspoon of olive oil on medium heat. Toss in the chicken sausage and cook until warmed through—about 3-5 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the other tablespoon (3 tsp) of olive oil as well as the cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, and Italian seasoning. Cook on medium-low for 8-10 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes are peeling and ready to burst.
- With the back of a wooden spoon, gently burst the tomatoes open to release the juices. Sprinkle in the sugar, then mix together to combine.
- Toss in the chicken sausage and cook pasta. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Dish out servings and top with parmesan, if you prefer!
Notes
More weeknight pasta recipes
Because a busy weeknight should include pasta, yes?
- Baked Feta Pasta Skillet for One
- Our Favorite Sausage Pepper Pasta
- Lemon Pasta Primavera
- Supreme Pasta Bake
- Chicken Tortellini Bake
- Creamy Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
Pin this for later!
Leave a Reply