Garden Tomato Pasta Salad

When you’ve got a pile of ripe Roma tomatoes from the garden, this is the recipe to reach for. Peeled, seeded, and chopped plum tomatoes cook down briefly in olive oil with garlic until just thickened, then a generous amount of fresh basil gets stirred in at the last second before everything gets tossed with wagon wheel pasta.

Peeling and seeding the tomatoes matters. The skins curl into tough little scrolls when cooked, and excess seeds make the sauce watery. A quick blanch and ice bath makes peeling fast.

Eight minutes covered is all the tomatoes need. You’re not making a long-simmered sauce here. You want chunks of soft tomato in a light, olive oil-based coating, not a smooth puree. Overcook and you lose the fresh garden flavor.

Kitchen Tips

• Use Roma tomatoes specifically. They have thicker walls, less juice, and fewer seeds than slicing tomatoes, which means a thicker sauce without reducing.
• Stir the basil in off the heat or just for a few seconds on the burner. Cooking basil longer than that turns it dark and takes away its bright, peppery aroma.
• Wagon wheels, rotini, or farfalle all work well. Any shape with curves or ridges catches the chunky tomato sauce.
• This works equally well served hot right after tossing or chilled in the fridge for a couple hours as a cold pasta salad.

Variations

• Toss in cubed fresh mozzarella right after mixing for a caprese-style pasta salad.
• Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the sauce for a sweet-tangy edge.
• Scatter toasted pine nuts over the top for crunch and richness.