Tomato Garlic Butter Pasta Recipe
A rich and flavorful Tomato Garlic Butter Pasta featuring a luscious sauce made from butter, garlic, chilli flakes, cherry tomatoes, soy and oyster sauces, tossed with your choice of dried or fresh pasta and topped with parmesan and spring onions for a savory finish.
- Author: Maya
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 75g (2.5 oz) unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes, plus extra to serve
- 200g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
Pasta
- 200g (7 oz) dried fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti or 400g (14 oz) fresh pasta
Toppings
- Finely grated parmesan cheese, to serve
- 1 tbsp finely sliced spring onions (scallions), to serve
- Prepare the Sauce: Heat a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, butter, chopped garlic, and chilli flakes. Cook while stirring for about a minute until fragrant. Add the quartered cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the butter melts and the tomatoes soften but garlic remains pale. Then, stir in the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Let it simmer for a minute to blend the flavors, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente—follow package instructions for dried pasta or cook fresh pasta for 2-3 minutes. Avoid overcooking to maintain firm texture.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: When pasta is ready, reserve one cup of the cooking liquid. Return the butter and tomato sauce mixture to the heat, add the drained pasta directly into the pan, and pour in a couple of tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is glossy, thick, and clings beautifully to the pasta.
- Serve: Divide the pasta onto plates. Generously sprinkle finely grated parmesan cheese on top, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with finely sliced spring onions and extra chilli flakes for an added kick. Serve immediately for best taste.
Notes
- You can substitute cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes or finely chopped fresh tomatoes.
- Adjust chilli flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Using reserved pasta water helps create a silky sauce that adheres well to the pasta.
- Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried, so monitor cooking time closely to avoid overcooking.
- For a vegan alternative, omit the butter and parmesan and substitute with plant-based butter and cheese.
Keywords: tomato garlic butter pasta, easy pasta recipe, quick dinner, cherry tomato pasta, garlic butter sauce, stovetop pasta, weeknight meal