This bruschetta pasta combines everything you love about traditional bruschetta with a simple, fresh pasta dinner. Made with juicy cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, and parmesan cheese, it’s a light yet satisfying meal that comes together quickly with minimal cooking. Perfect for warm weather, busy nights, or anytime you want an easy, flavorful pasta recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh, vibrant flavor with juicy cherry tomatoes and fresh basil
- A simple pasta dish made with minimal ingredients
- Comes together quickly for an easy weeknight dinner
- Light but satisfying with plenty of fresh flavor
- Uses fresh ingredients you can find at any grocery store
- Delicious served warm or chilled the next day
- Easy to customize with protein or different pasta shapes. We love serving with our easy grilled balsamic chicken.
Ingredient Notes
This bruschetta pasta uses simple ingredients, but a few tips help create the best flavor and texture. If you love bruschetta, try our pesto bruschetta chicken recipe.
- Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes both work well. If needed, you can also use diced roma tomatoes. Using ripe, fresh tomatoes will give the best flavor and release delicious tomato juices as they sit.
- Olive oil - Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor since it forms the base of the sauce.
- Basil - Fresh basil is essential here and adds that classic bruschetta flavor.
- Pasta - Thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta work best, but other short pastas like bowtie pasta can also work.
- Parmesan cheese - Freshly grated parmesan melts more smoothly into the warm pasta.
- Red pepper flakes - Add a subtle heat, but can easily be adjusted or omitted.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Salt the pasta water well - Cooking pasta in heavily salted water helps build flavor from the start.
- Let the tomatoes sit - Allowing the bruschetta mixture to rest helps release flavorful tomato juices that coat the pasta.
- Cook pasta just right - Cook until al dente for the best texture.
- Add protein - Turn this into chicken bruschetta pasta by adding grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken. Try it with our easy grilled balsamic chicken!
- Add extra flavor - Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- Serve chilled - This also works well as one of those fresh cold pasta salads for summer meals.
- Use different noodles - Try thin spaghetti, linguine, or your favorite pasta shape.
How to Make Bruschetta Pasta
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
While the water heats, make the bruschetta mixture. In a large bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, quartered cherry tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Step 2: Stir gently and let sit while the pasta cooks.
Step 3: Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, following the package instructions.
Step 4: Drain the cooked pasta and immediately add it to the bowl with the bruschetta mixture.
Step 5: Toss gently until the warm pasta is coated in the tomato mixture and the tomato juices begin creating a light sauce.
Step 6: Add the parmesan cheese and toss again until well combined.
Step 7: Serve immediately with extra basil, parmesan cheese, or balsamic glaze if desired.
Bruschetta Pasta FAQs
Bruschetta pasta is inspired by traditional bruschetta, combining fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese with pasta for a simple, flavorful meal.
Yes! Thin spaghetti pairs well with the light bruschetta sauce, but you can also use angel hair pasta, linguine, or even short pastas like bowtie pasta or penne. Just be sure to cook the pasta until al dente for the best texture.
This pasta is best served fresh, but you can prep the bruschetta mixture several hours ahead of time. The tomatoes will release flavorful tomato juices as they sit, creating an even more flavorful pasta dish.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This pasta can be enjoyed cold or reheated gently on the stove or in the microwave. If reheating, add a small drizzle of olive oil to refresh the texture.
This bruschetta pasta can be gluten free with the use of gluten free noodles. It can be dairy free and vegan with the omission of parmesan cheese or with swapping the cheese for nutritional yeast. It is vegetarian.
Other Recipes With Tomato and Basil
If you make this bruschetta pasta recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Simple Bruschetta Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic (highly recommend fresh garlic)
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ¼ cup lightly packed basil leaves, julienned
- ¼ teaspoon or pinch of red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 ounces thin spaghetti pasta
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the water heats, make the bruschetta mixture. In a large bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, quartered cherry tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir gently and let sit while the pasta cooks.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, following the package instructions.
- Drain the cooked pasta and immediately add it to the bowl with the bruschetta mixture.
- Toss gently until the warm pasta is coated in the tomato mixture and the tomato juices begin creating a light sauce.
- Add the parmesan cheese and toss again until well combined.
- Serve immediately with extra basil, parmesan cheese, or balsamic glaze if desired.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- Prep the bruschetta early - The tomato mixture can be made several hours ahead to deepen the flavor.
- Use pre-grated parmesan if needed - Freshly grated is best, but pre-grated works in a pinch.
- Add protein for meal prep - Chicken makes this more filling for lunches throughout the week. We love serving it with our easy grilled balsamic chicken.
- Enjoy leftovers cold - This recipe doubles as a light pasta salad the next day.
- Great for busy nights - Since the sauce comes together while the pasta cooks, this recipe saves a lot of time in the kitchen.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Bruschetta Pasta." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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