Roasted Tomato Garlic and Basil Pasta

Forty minutes in the oven and this Roasted Tomato Garlic and Basil Pasta tastes like it took way longer than that. The tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and a whole head of garlic go in together, get roasted until they’re soft and a little caramelized, and then everything gets blended with cottage cheese and fresh basil into this incredibly creamy, deeply flavored sauce. This is definitely the kind of dinner that makes people ask what’s in it because it doesn’t taste like anything from a jar.

A Quick Look At This Recipe

• Recipe Name: Roasted Tomato, Garlic & Basil Pasta
• Serves: 4
• Calories: 453 cal
• Main Ingredients: pasta, Roma or any other ripe tomatoes of choice, bell pepper, onion, garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning, kosher salt
• Why You'll Love It: This roasted tomato garlic and basil pasta blends oven-roasted tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic with cottage cheese and fresh basil into a creamy sauce tossed with pasta and Parmesan. Ready in 50 minutes.

SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON

ChatGPT Gemini ✓ Copied — paste in Gemini Claude

Add me as a trusted Google source

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The sauce is made from vegetables, and they’re roasted all in one pan.

Blending the roasted garlic in with everything else gives the sauce this mellow, slightly sweet garlic flavor that raw garlic just can’t produce.

Cottage cheese sounds strange in a pasta sauce but I promise it works. It blends completely smooth and makes the sauce incredibly creamy without any heavy cream.

– Lyuda

Ingredients Needed to Make Roasted Tomato Pasta

The Roasted Vegetables

Roma tomatoes are the best choice here because they have less moisture and roast down more intensely than other varieties. Bell pepper adds a slight sweetness. Onion adds depth. A whole head of garlic roasted until soft and spreadable is what gives this sauce its flavor backbone. Olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper coat everything before it goes in.

The Sauce

Cottage cheese blended with the roasted vegetables adds creaminess and protein without any detectable cottage cheese flavor. Fresh basil adds the herby brightness. Freshly grated Parmesan stirred in at the end adds a salty, nutty richness throughout the finished pasta.

The Pasta

Half a pound of any pasta shape you like. Spaghetti, penne, rigatoni, linguine…really you can use whatever you have. The reserved pasta water loosens the sauce and helps it cling to every piece.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

How to Make Roasted Tomato Garlic and Basil Pasta

Step 1: Roast the Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, and garlic head to a large baking dish or sheet pan. Slice just the top off the garlic head so the cloves are exposed and can be squeezed out easily after roasting. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and toss everything to coat. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Pull the foil off and roast for another 10 minutes until the vegetables are very tender and starting to caramelize at the edges.

Step 2: Cook the Pasta

While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before you drain it, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.

Step 3: Blend the Sauce

Let the roasted vegetables cool for a few minutes. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves out of their papery skins and add them to a blender along with the rest of the roasted vegetables, the cottage cheese, and the fresh basil. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Step 4: Combine and Serve

Pour the blended sauce over the pasta in the pot. Add the Parmesan and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until the pasta is fully coated and the sauce is silky and creamy. Add more pasta water a little at a time if you want a looser consistency. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and fresh basil.

Storing and Reheating

Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens as it sits. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating and toss over medium-low heat or microwave on medium power in 60-second intervals, stirring between each.

More Pasta Recipes to Check Out

• Creamy Pesto Chicken Broccoli Pasta
• One-Pan Creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta
• Red Pesto Pasta with Chicken (Ready in 15 Minutes)

More Pasta Recipes

Mexican Corn Avocado Salad

One-Pan Creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta

Pesto Chicken Orzo Bake (One Pan, High Protein)

Red Pesto Pasta with Chicken (Ready in 15 Minutes)

If you make this, I’d love to hear how it turned out – a star rating or a note in the comments helps others find the recipe and helps me know what’s working in your kitchen. Tag me @gracefilledkitchen in your photos on social media so I can see your creations.

Roasted Tomato, Garlic & Basil Pasta

This roasted tomato garlic and basil pasta blends oven-roasted tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic with cottage cheese and fresh basil into a creamy sauce tossed with pasta and Parmesan. Ready in 50 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 453

Step By Step Instructions

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

.5x1x2x3x

• ½ pound pasta such as spaghetti, penne, or your favorite shape
• 4 Roma or any other ripe tomatoes of choice quartered
• 1 bell pepper roughly chopped
• 1 small onion or ½ large onion, roughly chopped, optional
• 1 head garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• A handful of fresh basil leaves plus more for serving
• ½ cup cottage cheese
• 1/2-3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup reserved pasta water as needed

Method

 

Roast the Vegetables

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Add the cut up tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic (slightly cut the top of the garlic head to be able to then squeeze it out after cooking) to a large baking dish or sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the vegetables.
3. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue roasting for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender and lightly caramelized.

Make the Roasted Tomato Sauce

1. Carefully remove the roasted garlic from its papery skin. Transfer the roasted vegetables and garlic to a blender along with the cottage cheese and fresh basil.
2. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Cook the Pasta

1. While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
2. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Combine and Serve

1. Pour the roasted tomato sauce over the cooked pasta. Add the Parmesan cheese and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce is creamy.
If this makes too much sauce for one dinner, use half of it and then freeze the rest in a silicone mold 
2. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
3. Serve immediately with extra freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

Notes

• Use freshly grated Parmesan: It melts more smoothly and adds the best flavor.
• Adjust the sauce consistency: The reserved pasta water helps loosen the sauce and helps it cling to the pasta.
• Use full-fat cottage cheese: It will create the creamiest sauce, but low-fat cottage cheese also works.
• Blend carefully: If using a standard blender, allow the roasted vegetables to cool slightly before blending and avoid sealing very hot ingredients tightly in the blender.
• Add protein: Serve with grilled chicken, shrimp, or white beans for an even more filling meal.
• Freeze: If this makes too much sauce for one dinner, use half of it and then freeze the rest in a silicone mold 

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 781mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.