No-Cook Fresh Sun Gold Tomato Pasta

Name: No Cook Sun Gold Tomato Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 cups sun gold or other sweet cherry tomatoes, sliced in half; 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more as needed; salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; 1/2 lb long pasta like spaghetti or linguine; 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, roughly chopped

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This recipe for No-Cook Sun Gold Tomato Pasta takes just 6 simple ingredients and less than 20 minutes to make!

A bowl of spaghetti with sun gold tomatoes and basil on a blue background.

Even year I count down the days until to tomato season so I can enjoy this pasta again. We grow tomatoes in our garden and I developed this recipe one year when we had a more than we knew what to do with. It works with any type of tomato, but there's something about those sweet sun golds that really makes it sing. If you, too, have a bumper crop of tomatoes, try my Easy Baked Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes, Heirloom Tomato Toasts with Feta + Herbs, or Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese and Fried Shallots!

Why this recipe works

Easy, beginner friendly recipe - anyone can make this!
No cook sauce - just boil the water and toss.
Easily adaptable - use whatever tomatoes, pasta, herbs and cheese you have.

Essential Ingredients

Sun Gold Tomatoes - These tiny orange cherry tomatoes are my favorite tomato of all time. They're incredibly sweet with the perfect amount of acidity and bursting with tomato flavor. Check farmer's markets and specialty produce markets for sun golds when in season, but if you can't get your hands on any just use the best, sweetest cherry tomatoes you can find.
Pecorino Romano Cheese - It's important to use Pecorino Romano, not parmesan, for this recipe because it has a distinctly sharp and salty flavor that makes the pasta sing. I aways use Locatelli - most Italians agree that this is the best Pecorino Romano cheese available.
Pasta - I typically use spaghetti, but you can use any type of long or short pasta that you prefer. For best results, look for a bronze die cut pasta, which is a higher quality and allows the sauce to more easily cling to each noodle.

Close up of a bowl of pasta with yellow tomatoes.

Step by step instructions

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and Pecorino Romano cheese to a large bowl.
Use the back of a spoon to mash the tomatoes and release their juices, then mix everything together until it forms a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Season the boiling water with a heavy pinch of salt, then cook the pasta until al dente (follow package directions - they vary).
Scoop out a few cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to the bowl of tomatoes.
Toss it around vigorously, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water to help loosen it up. If it seems too watery, add a bit more cheese to thicken.
Add the basil and continue tossing for another minute until it smells fragrant, the pasta is well coated and the sauce has a nice consistency.
Serve immediately.

Tips for success

Use room temperature tomatoes. Refrigerating tomatoes affects their texture and flavor, and cold tomatoes will cool the pasta down and prevent it from creating a sauce.
It's important to salt the cooking water for the pasta, but not too much. Since it gets added to the pasta it could cause the sauce to become overly salty. A few big pinches will do.
Because the sauce isn't cooked, it's important to toss and serve the pasta right away while it's still warm.
Set a timer for the pasta 1 minute before the package directions say it will be done to avoid the noodles overcooking. When the timer goes off, test a noodle and drain as soon as it reaches the perfect al dente texture.

Overhead shot of a bowl of pasta with orange tomatoes, basil and a fork.

Faq about Sun Gold Tomato Pasta

What is bronze die cut pasta and why is it better?

Bronze die or bronze cut pasta refers to pasta that has been extruded through a bronze die, as opposed to a teflon coated die that is typically used for mass produced pastas. It's the more traditional way to make pasta in Italy. Teflon coated dies are now more commonly used because they are less expensive. Bronze die cut pasta is considered better because it has a slightly rougher, more porous texture that sauces can more easily cling to.

Can I make this recipe with large tomatoes?

Yes! Simply cut the tomatoes into small pieces (about the same size as a halved cherry tomato) and proceed with the recipe. Large tomatoes will be more watery and less concentrated in flavor than cherry tomatoes, so use the best ones you can find. Your sauce might be a bit more liquidy but still totally delicious.

Did you make this recipe and LOVE it? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and/or comment to help other readers. I absolutely love hearing from you and do my best to answer all questions and comments. I love seeing when you make my recipes, so please tag me @ColeyCooks on Instagram and I will repost!

No Cook Sun Gold Tomato Pasta

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

This recipe for No-Cook Sun Gold Tomato Pasta takes just 6 simple ingredients and less than 20 minutes to make!

Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 servings 1x
Category: pasta
Method: tossed
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

3 cups sun gold or other sweet cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more as needed
salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
½ lb long pasta like spaghetti or linguine
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, roughly chopped

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and Pecorino Romano cheese to a large bowl.
Use the back of a spoon to mash the tomatoes and release their juices, then mix everything together until it forms a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Season the boiling water with a heavy pinch of salt, then cook the pasta until al dente (follow package directions - they vary).
Scoop out a few cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to the bowl of tomatoes.
Toss it around vigorously, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water to help loosen it up. If it seems too watery, add a bit more cheese to thicken.
Add the basil and continue tossing for another minute until it smells fragrant, the pasta is well coated and the sauce has a nice consistency.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Use room temperature tomatoes. Refrigerating tomatoes affects their texture and flavor, and cold tomatoes will cool the pasta down and prevent it from creating a sauce.
It's important to salt the cooking water for the pasta, but not too much or it could cause the sauce to become overly salty since it gets added to the pasta. A few big pinches will do.
Because the sauce isn't cooked, it's important to toss and serve the pasta right away while it's still warm.
Set a timer for your pasta 1 minute before the package directions say it will be done to avoid the noodles overcooking. When the timer goes off, test a noodle and drain as soon as it reaches the perfect al dente texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 1127
Sugar: 9.4 g
Sodium: 1245.5 mg
Fat: 70.5 g
Carbohydrates: 97.6 g
Protein: 31.8 g
Cholesterol: 46.8 mg

Keywords: easy, tomatoes, no cook sauce

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