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This Spicy Tomato Pasta tosses al dente pasta in a pantry-friendly homemade tomato and basil sauce. A quick and easy 20-minute meal that’s perfect for dinners and date nights! Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
This Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta is the perfect quick and easy dinner for those days when you don’t feel like cooking but are still craving something super flavorful and satisfying. Starring a pasta sauce made from fresh tomatoes, red pepper flakes, Italian seasonings, and basil leaves, its pantry-friendly and spicy flavors are proof that simple food doesn’t have to be boring. Best of all, it comes together on the stove in just 20 minutes!
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A Simple and Spicy Pasta Dinner
One of my greatest joys in life is strolling through my garden, harvesting a bounty of fresh seasonal veggies, and making them the stars of my latest and greatest recipes. This Spicy Tomato Basil Pasta is exactly that—a celebration of garden-fresh and herbaceous flavors in a just plain addictive yet simple meal.
Even if you don’t have a vegetable garden, you’ll still love this recipe! To make this spicy, herb-filled pasta, all you need is a pot for boiling your noodles and a pan to make the homemade tomato and basil sauce. Just toss the noodles in the sautéed sauce, and you have the best basil pasta with plenty of umami and just the right amount of spice.
Ingredients for Tomato Basil Pasta
This recipe relies mostly on pantry staples, but tastes like it’s fresh from your garden! The 7-ingredient homemade tomato basil sauce comes together quickly before it’s tossed with the pasta of your choice. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner to make year-round, regardless of the season.
- Pasta: any type of pasta you like or have in your pantry goes here. I find that long pasta, like spaghetti, angel hair, or linguine, clings better to the light tomato sauce.
- Olive Oil: be sure to use a high-quality olive oil to ensure your pasta has the best possible flavor.
- Italian Seasonings: a combination of dried Italian seasonings and red pepper flakes makes this basil pasta feel like it came straight from your favorite Italian restaurant.
- Tomato Paste: it gives the sauce a more concentrated tomato flavor and lots of umami. Try to use a quality tomato paste from a tube—the canned stuff sometimes comes with a tinny, metallic flavor.
- Fresh Tomatoes: when you’re making tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, you’re going to want to use a super flavorful variety. I like using cherry or grape tomatoes, but Roma, San Marzano, or heirloom tomatoes are also good options.
- Basil: fresh basil leaves are a must because dried basil just doesn’t have the same vibrant, peppery pop of flavor.
How to Make Spicy Tomato Basil Pasta
- Boil the pasta until al dente.
- Meanwhile, sauté the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning in a skillet until the garlic is golden. Mash the tomato paste into the garlic and cook until it takes on a dark red color.
- Add the tomatoes and fresh basil to the pan. Sauté until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices, then reduce the heat.
- Add the cooked noodles to the pan with the tomatoes and toss until the sauce and oil coat every noodle. Add salt to taste.
- Serve the warm pasta in bowls and garnish with more fresh basil. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Take the time to caramelize the tomato paste: You must sauté the tomato paste in the hot pan until it takes on a darker, rust-like color. This process deepens the tomato flavors, caramelizes the natural sugars, and reduces the metallic flavor. In other words, don’t skip this part!
- To make this with canned tomatoes instead of fresh, replace the fresh tomatoes with one 15-ounce can of diced or crushed tomatoes. If there is a lot of juice in the can, try draining some before adding the tomatoes to the pan. Canned San Marzano tomatoes would be perfect for this recipe.
- Don’t rinse the cooked pasta: The cooked and drained al dente pasta will be covered in the starchy pasta cooking water, which helps the tomato sauce cling to the noodles. Don’t rinse this away! If you rinse the pasta, the sauce will pool at the bottom of the skillet, and you’ll miss out on the amazing flavors and textures.
Serving Suggestions
With all of the gorgeous summer produce and a quick 20-minute cook time, this spicy basil pasta is a perfect dinner for lazy summer evenings. Just garnish each serving with fresh basil, a pinch of salt, cracked black pepper, shredded vegan parmesan, and/or toasted pine nuts to make it look as fancy as it tastes.
Want to impress your date? Make this fresh tomato pasta right before they come over! A plate of pasta, plus crusty vegan garlic bread and a simple kale salad on the side, will have them head over heels.
If you’re looking for more easy vegan pasta recipes that make seasonal produce the star, you’ll also love this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, this Seared Corn & Basil Pasta, and this Beet Pasta with Walnuts!
How to Store Leftover Tomato Basil Pasta
Once the leftover pasta is cool to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
The best way to reheat the leftovers is in a skillet on the stovetop. Add a splash of water to the pan to revive the sauce and heat over low to medium heat until the sauce is warmed through and the pasta is well-coated.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Use the gluten-free pasta of your choice if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
- Milder Option: Simply reduce the red pepper flakes to 1/4 teaspoon or omit them altogether.
- Add Plant Protein: Plate the pasta with store-bought or homemade vegan meatballs or rehydrated soy curls to make it extra satisfying.
- Add Leafy Greens: Stir in 1 cup of finely chopped leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard greens, etc.) after the sautéed tomatoes have released their juices.
- Make it Creamy: Stir in a dollop of my Vegan Ricotta at the end for a rich creaminess.
Recipe FAQs
It’s not a necessary step, but the heat from the oven can deepen the tomato flavors. Simply follow the roasting instructions from my Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe, then combine the roasted tomatoes (and their juices) in the pan with the garlic and tomato paste before tossing everything with the pasta.
Yes, you can make the sauce on its own and store it in a glass container in the fridge for up to 1 week. It should also freeze well for about 1 month. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
No, they aren’t the same. Marinara sauce is made with lots of Italian herbs, like basil, oregano, and parsley, as well as onions and white wine. This tomato basil sauce makes fresh basil and garlic the stars to keep the flavors simple and fresh.
Spicy Tomato Basil Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces 225 g pasta of choice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup 5 g fresh basil leaves finely chopped; divided
- 12 ounces 340 g fresh tomatoes (optional) cut in half
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente according to the package directions.
- Aromatics: In the meantime, warm the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is golden. Add the tomato paste and use the back of a wooden spoon to “mash” it into the garlic and spread it out; it may look slightly lumpy, but will continue to thin out as it cooks! Sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the tomato paste starts to darken in color.
- Sauté the Tomatoes: Add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of fresh basil to the pan; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices. Turn the heat to medium-low.
- Combine: Drain the cooked pasta, but do not rinse. Add the cooked noodles to the pan with the tomatoes and use tongs or a spoon to mix well, until the sauce and oil coats every noodle. Add additional salt to taste, if necessary.
- Serve: Serve warm, topped with the remaining fresh basil or as desired. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and are best reheated on the stovetop with a splash of water, or in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
I make many of the recipes from your site and love them but I would love to see more potato recipes. All or most of them are noodles
noted!
I’ve made this twice now and so good! Thanks for sharing. I love how quick, easy, and flavorful it is. So much better than a storebought tomato sauce. I added some collard greens when adding in the tomato and topped with some crunchy chili oil and vegan parm. Very yummy.
Great additions, Avery! Thank you for sharing, I’m glad you enjoyed!
LOVE this recipe! Not only was this pasta super easy to make, but it was so delicious. I think the fresh basil is essential and absolutely makes the recipe. I appreciate the simplicity of the ingredients too. Thank you!
You’re so welcome and we’re glad you love the recipe, Christin!
This was amazing! I love spicy food and this was perfect for me.
A super easy and delicious recipe. The only change I made was in step 3 by adding some salt and fresh cracked pepper to the tomatoes. We also topped ours with Parmesan cheese. Definitely hit the spot 🙂