Cherry tomatoes are a great shortcut to a delicious sauce for pasta, especially in the summer when they’re abundant. Naturally sweet, they don’t take long to blister and burst, and their juices create a luscious sauce when mixed with a little bit of garlicky butter and pasta water. Use multi-colored tomatoes for the prettiest presentation and don’t forget to serve with cheese, basil, and a good crush of coarse black pepper for an indulgent yet fresh summer dish.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
Butter has a low smoke point, which means it can’t handle high temperatures without burning. Be sure to watch the garlic as it infuses into the butter – it will become bitter if it gets too dark and browned. The slow “roasting” of the tomatoes in a skillet allows you to use butter and get those browned butter notes that you couldn’t achieve in the oven.
Make ahead
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat.
Ingredients
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1 pound uncooked spaghetti
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6 tablespoons salted butter
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6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
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2 pounds mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes (about 6 cups)
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1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, if needed
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Kosher salt, to taste
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1 cup chopped fresh basil
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Grated Parmesan cheese
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Crushed red pepper
Directions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high; add spaghetti, and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water; set aside.
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While spaghetti cooks, melt butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a small bowl. Add tomatoes to skillet; reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened and beginning to burst, about 20 minutes. (Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet if mixture begins to look dry.) Stir reserved browned garlic slices into tomatoes; season with salt to taste. Remove from heat.
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Transfer cooked spaghetti to skillet; toss to coat with sauce, adding reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to create a silky sauce. Sprinkle with basil, and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper.
![One-Pot Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes Melted in Garlic Butter](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/QHe0ZA4AAvvHGM0DyEPFRFyxbbU=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/One-Pot-Spaghetti-with-Cherry-Tomatoes-Melted-in-Garlic-Butter-FT-RECIPE0624-2685f97bc97d4cab94962111dd5f670c.jpeg)
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley