This no-cook tomato sauce uses just four simple ingredients and bursts with fresh summer flavour. It’s one of the quickest and most satisfying pasta dishes to make when it’s warm outside — the sauce is ready by the time the pasta finishes cooking.
This pasta feels like summer in a bowl. It’s perfect for hot days when you don’t want to turn on the oven and when tomatoes are at their peak.
The sauce is bright and delicious, made from cherry tomatoes (choose ripe ones), garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil. You can toss it with hot pasta straight away or chill the pasta and serve it cold for lunches, picnics or a beach meal.
It’s an incredibly simple sauce I’ll be making all season. Below are the recipe details plus a few easy variations to try. Enjoy!
Ingredient notes
- Cherry tomatoes – quality matters. Use ripe, flavourful tomatoes, ideally still on the vine. Cherry tomatoes bring sweetness; large plum or San Marzano-style tomatoes will change the sauce’s texture and taste.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – if you don’t have Parmigiano, Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are good substitutes.
- Pasta – choose a short shape that holds sauce well. Casarecce works beautifully; fusilli or similar shapes are great alternatives.
Recipe tips
- Don’t pre-grate the cheese – buy Parmigiano in a block and cut it into large chunks. The food processor creates a pleasant texture with small chunks of cheese throughout the sauce.
- Sauce texture – aim for a saucy consistency with finely broken pieces of tomato, cheese and basil mixed in.
- Season to taste – after blending, add a pinch of salt (sea salt flakes recommended), taste and adjust if necessary.
- Serve hot or cold – toss the cooked, drained pasta straight into the sauce to serve warm, or cool the pasta and mix for a refreshing cold pasta salad. Both work well.
Variations
Make it spicy – add a pinch of dried chilli flakes to taste for heat.
Different herbs – swap basil for fresh parsley or add a little dried oregano.
Add nuts – toasted pine nuts, almonds or walnuts add crunch and depth.
Pasta salad style – include cooked shrimp, marinated vegetables like sun-dried tomatoes, olives or capers, or add grilled vegetables (zucchini, peppers) and fresh mozzarella for a heartier salad.
More summer dinner ideas
Pasta
Summer Tuna Pasta Sauce
Pasta
Creamy Zucchini and Stracchino Pasta
Pasta
Paccheri alla Vittorio (Tomato Butter Sauce)
Pasta
Orecchiette alla Positanese (Sausage, Tomato and Burrata)
If you try this No Cook Tomato Pasta Sauce or any other recipe from the blog, please rate it and leave a comment to share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos, tips and sometimes video to help you get it right the first time.
No Cook Tomato Pasta Sauce
By Emily
Ingredients
- ½ lb (225g) short pasta, (we used casarecce)
- 14 oz (400g) cherry tomatoes, washed and dried
- 2 oz (50g) Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into large chunks
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 large handful fresh basil, (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta until al dente.
- In a food processor, combine cherry tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano chunks, fresh basil and the peeled garlic clove. Blitz until well combined, pausing partway to scrape down the sides. The final texture should be saucy with small pieces of cheese, tomato and herb throughout.
- Transfer the sauce to a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and stir to combine. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, toss to coat, and serve warm, or allow the pasta to cool and serve cold.
Video
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in my recipes unless noted otherwise.
- When using canned or jarred tomatoes, I prefer Cirio or Mutti for best flavour.
- All vegetables are listed as medium unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven unless noted.
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 47g
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Protein: 8g
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Fat: 15g
Nutrition information is an approximation.