This no-cook tomato sauce uses just four ingredients yet delivers big flavor. It’s one of the easiest and most delicious pasta dishes for hot weather, and the sauce is ready by the time your pasta finishes cooking.
This pasta feels like summer in a bowl — perfect for days when you don’t want to turn on the stove and when tomatoes are at their peak. The sauce is bright, fresh and made from cherry tomatoes, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano and basil.
Serve it warm by tossing the hot, drained pasta straight into the sauce, or chill the pasta first and enjoy it as a cold pasta salad — ideal for picnics or beach days.
I make this throughout summer because it’s so simple and satisfying. Below you’ll find ingredient notes, tips, variations and the full recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredient notes
- Cherry tomatoes – Quality matters. Choose ripe, flavorful tomatoes, ideally still on the vine. Cherry tomatoes add sweetness; large varieties will change the texture and taste.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – If you don’t have Parmigiano, Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are fine alternatives.
- Pasta – Short shapes that hold sauce work best. Casarecce is perfect; fusilli or other ridged, twisted shapes also do well.
Recipe tips
- Use a block of cheese – Break Parmigiano into chunks instead of grating. The food processor will create pleasant, slightly textured pieces of cheese in the sauce.
- Sauce texture – The finished sauce should be saucy but still contain small, fine pieces of cheese, tomato and basil.
- Season to taste – After blending, add a pinch of salt, taste and adjust. Sea salt flakes work well for finishing.
- Serve hot or cold – Toss hot pasta straight into the sauce for a warm meal, or cool the pasta and mix for a refreshing cold pasta salad. Both are delicious.
Variations
Spicy: Add a pinch of dried chili flakes to taste.
Herbs: Swap basil for parsley or add dried oregano.
Nuts: Stir in toasted pine nuts, almonds or walnuts for crunch.
Pasta salad style: Boost it with cooked shrimp, marinated vegetables (sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers), or grilled vegetables like zucchini and peppers. Fresh mozzarella also works nicely.
More summer dinner ideas
Pasta
Summer Tuna Pasta Sauce
Pasta
Creamy Zucchini and Stracchino Pasta
Pasta
Paccheri alla Vittorio (Tomato Butter Sauce)
Pasta
Orecchiette alla Positanese (Sausage, Tomato and Burrata)
If you try this No-cook tomato pasta or any recipe from the blog, please rate it and leave a comment to tell me how it turned out — I love hearing from readers!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos, helpful tips and sometimes video.
No Cook Tomato Pasta Sauce
By Emily
Ingredients
- ½ lb (225g) short pasta (we used casarecce)
- 14 oz (400g) cherry tomatoes, washed and dried
- 2 oz (50g) Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into large chunks
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 large handful fresh basil (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta until al dente.
- In a food processor, combine cherry tomatoes, Parmigiano chunks, fresh basil and the peeled garlic clove. Blitz until well combined, pausing halfway to scrape down the sides. The texture should be saucy with small pieces of cheese, tomato and herbs throughout.
- Transfer the sauce to a large bowl, stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately warm, or cool the pasta and serve chilled.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise stated.
- When using canned or jarred tomatoes I prefer trusted brands for best flavor.
- Vegetable sizes are medium unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven when applicable.
- Nutrition is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate.