Bucatini in Winter Tomato Sauce with Roasted Garlic & Herbs

This winter burst tomato sauce delivers fresh, bright tomato flavor in the middle of winter. Whole cherry tomatoes are cooked with plenty of garlic until they burst, creating a silky sauce that clings to tender pasta. It’s simple, comforting, and delicious.

This is one of my favorite weeknight dinners lately.

This sauce is rich and layered, yet it doesn’t need hours on the stove. Cherry tomatoes from the grocery store transform into a sauce that tastes garden-fresh, with depth and a silky finish that hugs every strand of pasta.

The recipe is straightforward and fast, and the result is so delicious the pasta doesn’t even require cheese—though I usually add it.

Lacy made this for us all winter and insisted I try it. I was hesitant—tomatoes aren’t always my top pick in winter—but this was different: comforting yet light, and quick enough to make on a busy night. It even reminds me of summer pasta dishes, which is a welcome hint of warmth while it’s still cold outside.

It’s savory, rich, and has a gentle sweetness from the cooked tomatoes.

Here’s how to make it:

Start by sautéing diced onion and plenty of minced garlic in olive oil until the onion softens. Add whole cherry tomatoes, dried basil, and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes simmer, stirring often, until they burst and release their juices.

While the tomatoes cook, boil the pasta in salted water and reserve some of the starchy cooking water. Stir about three-quarters of a cup of that water into the tomatoes along with a teaspoon of sugar to balance acidity, then simmer until the sauce comes together. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Transfer the cooked pasta directly to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the sauce. Serve immediately with crushed red pepper, fresh basil, and optional parmesan.

This dish works any time of year, but in winter it’s especially satisfying: grocery-store cherry tomatoes cook down into a summer-like sauce even when it’s snowing outside.

P.S. I usually add cheese—parmesan is perfect—though the pasta is excellent even without it.

Bucatini with Winter Burst Tomato Sauce

Bucatini with Winter Burst Tomato Sauce

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

This winter burst tomato sauce is the perfect way to get fresh tasting tomato sauce in the dead of winter! Cherry tomatoes burst with tons of garlic to make a delicious sauce that coats the tender pasta like a dream.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ sweet onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ pound bucatini pasta
• ¾ cup reserved starchy pasta water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Crushed red pepper, for serving
• Fresh basil, for serving
• Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the cherry tomatoes, dried basil, and dried oregano. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes burst and become saucy.
3. While the tomatoes cook, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bucatini according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
4. Once the tomatoes are saucy, stir in ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water, the sugar, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Add the cooked bucatini directly to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
6. Serve immediately with crushed red pepper, fresh basil, and parmesan if desired.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

What a dreamy bowl!