Roasted Tomato and Garlic Ricotta Pasta Recipe
This Roasted Tomato and Garlic Ricotta Pasta is a creamy and flavorful vegetarian dish that combines the rich sweetness of oven-roasted tomatoes and garlic with smooth ricotta cheese. Tossed with al dente pasta and fresh basil, it makes for a comforting and elegant meal perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce
- 450 g (1 pound) ripe medium vine tomatoes, halved
- 1 small whole garlic head (or 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled)
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 120 g (1/2 cup) ricotta cheese
- Handful fresh basil leaves
Pasta
- 225 g (8 oz) pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or other type)
- Pasta cooking water (reserved, adjust to desired consistency)
- Grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200°C (400°F) to prepare for roasting the tomatoes and garlic.
- Prepare tomatoes and garlic: Halve the vine tomatoes and place them in a baking dish. Cut the top off the whole garlic head to expose the cloves, then place it alongside the tomatoes.
- Drizzle and season: Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes and garlic, and season generously with salt and pepper to enhance their flavors.
- Roast in oven: Roast the tomatoes and garlic in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, cover the baking dish with kitchen foil and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes until the tomatoes are blistered and caramelized, and the garlic is soft and sweet.
- Cook pasta: While roasting, cook the pasta in heavily salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 240ml (1 cup) of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Make the sauce: Squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of their skins and transfer to a blender along with the roasted tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, optional chilli flakes, ricotta cheese, and 60ml (1/4 cup) of reserved pasta water. Blend until smooth.
- Combine sauce and pasta: In a large skillet or pan over medium heat, combine the blended tomato ricotta sauce with the drained pasta. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. Add more reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Season to taste: Taste the pasta and sauce mixture and adjust salt and pepper as needed to balance the flavors.
- Serve: Serve the pasta hot, garnished with extra fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese for an added burst of flavor. Enjoy your delicious roasted tomato and garlic ricotta pasta!
Notes
- Use ripe, medium vine tomatoes for the best natural sweetness and flavor.
- Roasting the garlic whole mellows its flavor and creates a creamy texture perfect for blending.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce’s consistency without watering down the flavor.
- Optional chilli flakes add a subtle heat, but can be omitted for a milder dish.
- This dish is vegetarian and can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.
- For extra richness, sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top when serving.
