Creamy Basil Tomato Pasta
Cherry tomatoes cooked down until jammy, finished with cream and tossed through pasta shells, then topped with torn bocconcini, fresh basil and a quick homemade pesto. It’s a proper restaurant-style pasta that comes together in 25 minutes.
Letting the tomatoes break down fully, rather than rushing them, is what builds the actual sauce here — skip that step and you’re left with something thin instead of rich and jammy. The bocconcini goes on at the end as a garnish rather than melted through the hot sauce, so it keeps its soft, creamy bite instead of turning rubbery.
It keeps well through the week too — just hold back the fresh bocconcini, basil and pesto and add them once it’s reheated.
Cherry Tomato Basil Pesto Pasta
PASTA · DINNER · EASY
A proper jammy tomato sauce, no shortcuts
Cooking the cherry tomatoes down for the full 8 to 10 minutes is what turns them from simmered tomatoes into an actual sauce — jammy, sweet and thick enough to properly coat the pasta.
Keeping the sauce at a gentle simmer once the cream goes in stops it from splitting, and adding the bocconcini fresh at the end instead of stirring it through the heat keeps it soft rather than rubbery.
The homemade basil pesto takes it up another level, but it's genuinely quick to make while the sauce simmers away — no need to plan ahead for it.
Creamy Basil Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
Tomato Pasta
- 350 g Pasta Shells
- 30 ml Olive Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 Long Red Chilli Sliced or Chopped
- 500 g Cherry Tomatoes Halved
- 20 g Tomato Paste
- 2 tsp Sugar Optional
- 125 ml Thickened Cream
- Fresh Basil Leaves To Serve
- Grated Parmesan Grated
- Bocconcini Cheese Drained & Torn
- Salt & Pepper
Basil Pesto
- 1 bunch Fresh Basil Leaves
- 25 g Parmesan Cheese Grated
- 20 g Pinenuts Toasted
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 125 ml Olive Oil
- ½ Lemon Juiced
- Salt & Pepper
Method
Tomato Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta shells until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Add olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic and chilli for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and get jammy and saucy.
- Stir in the tomato paste and sugar. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in the cream and 1/4 cup pasta water. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Season to taste.
- Add the cooked shells and toss to coat. Add more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Garnish with fresh basil, parmesan, bocconcini, and basil pesto. Serve hot and creamy.
Basil Pesto
- In a dry pan over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant. Let cool.
- Add basil, parmesan, toasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice and a splash of olive oil to a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times to break it down.
- With the motor running, slowly drizzle in more olive oil until the pesto is smooth but still has some texture. You might not need all of the measured olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend again briefly.
Can I use a different pasta shape?⌄
Yes, any short pasta works well here — penne, rigatoni or fusilli will all hold the sauce nicely. Shells are just good at catching the jammy tomato sauce in their curves.
Can I skip the homemade pesto and use store-bought?⌄
Of course — a good jarred basil pesto will still finish the dish nicely if you're short on time. The homemade version just has a fresher, brighter flavour and takes less than 10 minutes to put together.
Why does the bocconcini go on at the end instead of stirred in?⌄
Melting bocconcini directly into the hot sauce turns it rubbery and stringy. Torn on top fresh, it stays soft and creamy and gives you those pockets of melty cheese in every bite.
Can I freeze this?⌄
Yes, the pasta and sauce freeze well for up to 3 months. Since it's a cream-based sauce, it can look slightly split after thawing — a good stir and a splash of milk while reheating will bring it back together. Add the bocconcini, basil and pesto fresh once it's hot.
