Easiest Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta

This is the Easiest Roasted Tomato Pasta recipe. It’s the perfect meal for people who don’t really like to cook, or who just don’t feel like cooking. Admittedly it is best when you have fresh tomatoes from the garden during the summer months, but it’s still a home run dinner with a carton of cherry tomatoes from Costco.

I sometimes hesitate to post recipes like this one because honestly it’s hardly even a recipe. It’s only five ingredients and takes hardly any kitchen know-how to pull off. But maybe you’re like me, i.e. busy, tired, hungry, and this rather unimaginative yet tasty meal will fix you up some night like it does me.

I should warn you, however, because this recipe is a gateway recipe to kitchen laziness. No joke. Once you realize how easy (and incredibly delicious) it is to dump a pile of tomatoes on a sheet pan and roast them to juicy, flavorful perfection with only the flip of the oven dial, you’ll have a hard time talking yourself into a 10-step lasagna recipe. This is the laziest of lazies, as far as lazy home cooked meals go.

Aren’t those photos rather convincing? Just wait until you taste one of those warm roasty toasty tomatoes – you’ll be right there with me for sure. Here’s to delicious easy dinners – may 2015 bring you many of them!

Yield: 4 to 6

Easiest Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta

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Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (20 oz) container of cherry tomatoes (or more, or less, it's flexible)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (or more, or less), plus more for serving
• salt, pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently toss tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour tomatoes onto a parchment lined baking sheet, spreading them evenly across pan. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until tomatoes are juicy, and shriveled and lightly browned.
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt water generously and pour in pasta. Cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta then return to pan. Toss with remaining olive oil, fresh basil, Parmesan, and roasted tomatoes. If mixture looks dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Season to taste, top with additional Parmesan and enjoy.