Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes and Goat Cheese Recipe (2024)

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Mike P

Another good version of this is with Brie and Basil.

Chris C

Really good summertime pasta option. Only change I made was to add 1/3 lb diced fried pancetta sprinkled on top before serving. With the pancetta it is was a tasty BLT pasta treat!

Sue

I do a version of this every summer. You can use any soft cheese - I use Boursin a lot, but brie works too. Basil, olive oil, garlic, garden fresh tomatoes. Nothing is better for summer.

Judy

without garlic, it can't be legal

Sarina

We've had this recipe in our family archives for years, except with basil and mint instead of oregano/thyme. You don't need to mash the tomatoes if you have sufficient time to marinate for the 2 hours - they get nice and soft and juicy on their own.

Kate

We added some sausage and ground pepper. Excellent choice.

Gerry

Superb! I'm in Co Kerry and used a local full cream goat cheese and and aged Gouda made in Killorglin down the road. I have to say a brilliant combo and then with perfectly ripened vine tomatoes, basil ,plenty of ground black pepper - fine dining! Thank you for the inspiration.

Tessa

This was super delicious, followed directions. I think that what tomatoes are purchased is at the root of people's different results with this recipe. You must get very ripe tomatoes, I followed the descriptor of "juices barely contained by their thin skins," and selected 4 heirloom tomatoes, a little less than 2 pounds. I coarsely chopped them and let them sit in the bowl with the salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes for about a half hour before I got the water boiling; did not need to mash.

Duxnpux

Agree with many who feel less is more on the pasta equation. I think it depends a lot on the type and freshness of the pasta, but would say perhaps half the pasta suggested is about right. I used a Gigli pasta which was good for holding the sauce but my tomatoes were not overripe so the sauce didn’t have the bright rich tang it deserves. A squeeze of lemon and some Kalamatas might have remedied this but I prepared it as written for a fair review.

marina

This truly wasn’t very good. A pink watery mess. Not often do I have bad results with NYT recipes, but this one was a stinker.

Carlymarie

This is lovely and simple to make. I actually changed the recipe a bit… instead of leaving the tomatoes raw, I cooked them down on medium with 2 cloves of garlic. Did this to make them a little softer as they weren’t totally ripe, but also to evaporate some of their water. I also added a pound of ground pork as someone else commented they did and it made such a difference! Lastly—used both oregano and thyme. Really delicious! interested in using sundried tomatoes next time..

Richard

This is a recipe for fresh tomatoes. By "cooking them down" you have made a different recipe. Of course a pound of ground pork made a difference. A pound of tofu would make a difference. The tofu would atleast have the added bonus of keeping the dish vegetarian.

Great for the weeknight

Only have a half hour to make a filling, yummy, and decently nutritious meal? This is a great one. Can sub oregano for thyme. Really recommend getting good tomatoes, but even out of season tomatoes work!

Ann

Feeds 4? I’m sorry, but I ate almost all of it myself. delicious when tomatoes are falling off the vine.

Ruth D

Often make this with a round of basil or herb and garlic boursin - delicious!

Josie M

This recipe was bland and it made me sad. Adding balsamic helped a lot, though.

MP

Very watery. I would not mash the tomatoes; just rough chop them.

Theresa

Scrumptious. We made half the recipe, but with 6 oz fusilli, finely grated pecorino Romano & fresh basil. I drained the tomato mixture after marinating, reserving the juice. I added it after combining everything else, instead of additional pasta water beyond the initial tablespoon. The farmers market tomatoes, lightly mashed with a pastry cutter, were juicy, but not overly so. The sauce was silky, vibrant, and delicious, not watery. Prettier than the picture. (More pasta would’ve been too much.)

et

Agree with Marina — very watery. The pasta did not absorb the tomato liquid. Why does the recipe call for mashing the tomatoes, especially when the point of the recipe seems to be to use ripe juicy tomatoes? I wouldn’t make again.

amy f

Used tomatoes from my farm share. Very fresh but results were Watery Too much pasta Added extra red pepper for flavor and corn for texture. Would not make agai.

Erin N

Didn’t have Parmesan so I used pecorino and it was wonderful. Such a flavorful dish!

ME

Made as directed but also added fresh basil along with fresh oregano, and added pan fried bacon, delicious.

therese koturbash

My tomatoes weren’t from the garden so I added some tomato paste from the tube. Delicious pasta dish

Susan from Luxembourg

Fabulous. Had fresh picked tomatoes and made exactly according to recipe. Great. Had basil so did sprinkle some chiffonade over the top- But otherwise exactly as above. Wow.

Therese Koturbash

really easy to make. The crush pepper flakes add a little wow factor the creamy and salty cheeses. I will make this again.

watery

Drain the tomatoes otherwise it’ll be extra watery. I added 3x the fresh oregano and 2x the red Chile flakes.

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Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes and Goat Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to pasta sauce to make it better? ›

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

How to make basic pasta good? ›

10 Tips to Do Pasta Night Right
  1. Use a big enough pot. ...
  2. Use plenty of water. ...
  3. Season the pasta water — ...
  4. Let the water come to a boil first. ...
  5. Stir right away — and every couple minutes. ...
  6. Don't rely solely on the cooking time on your pasta's package. ...
  7. Cook your pasta to just before al dente. ...
  8. Reserve the pasta water.

What is a substitute for goat cheese in pasta sauce? ›

Instead of soft goat cheese (also known as chevre), you can use the same amount of cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, both of which will give you a similar creamy texture. Neither has the tanginess of goat cheese however, so if you want a little punch, try softening the substitutes with a little plain yogurt.

What is the secret to good tomato sauce? ›

Starting with good quality tomatoes and crushing them by hand offers great flavor and texture later on. The combination of butter and oil releases fat-soluble aromatics and gives the sauce a creamy texture. Slowly cooking the sauce in the oven creates rich caramelization without burning.

What is the secret ingredient in tomato sauce? ›

Approximately three dashes or ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg is plenty for a jar of tomato sauce. If you are making a large batch, add a bit more for good measure. While the flavor should be subtle, you still want it to make the other ingredients shine, so feel free to play around with the quantity until you get it just right.

How do you make pasta sauce taste richer? ›

A generous sprig or two of fresh herbs like basil, parsley, rosemary, or sage can all amp up the flavor of a jarred pasta sauce. Alternatively, some of those herbs, like parsley, sage, and rosemary, can be great minced up and gently fried into fresh olive oil before adding the sauce to the pot.

Can you add fresh tomatoes to jarred spaghetti sauce? ›

I'd cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the inner, seedy portion along with all its liquid. Then, I'd dice the tomato -- large or small dice, as you prefer -- and just add it to the sauce. Depending on how much texture you want, cook it for more or less time.

What is the secret to cooking pasta in sauce? ›

The trick is to cook your noodles directly in your sauce. Sounds a little bizarre, but it totally works! By adding uncooked noodles and a little extra liquid into the sauce, you end up with a simple and delicious meal made in just one pot.

What is the best flour for pasta? ›

Semolina flour is good for pasta because it's a hard variety of wheat and has a high protein content. Both of these properties give more structure to pasta which provides that elusive 'al dente' quality to fresh pastas.

What makes fresh pasta better? ›

Fresh pasta typically has a shorter shelf-life but is almost always richer and more flavorful. It is considered more tender as it takes about half the cooking time than dried pasta.

How many eggs for 1 cup of flour for pasta? ›

One large-size egg weighs about 2 ounces; one cup of flour weighs about 5 ounces. Use one large-size egg for each full serving you want to make, to that add 1 ½ the egg's weight in flour. (You can do this with a simple kitchen scale.) If you don't have a scale, use 2 eggs per 1 cup of flour to make 1 serving.

What makes goat cheese taste better? ›

The longer you take to process the milk, the stronger the “goatyness” will be in the cheese,” said Pete. So, what practices does Lively Run Dairy follow? Pete says that he never uses milk more than four days old. As a result, the milk retains a fresh flavor throughout the cheese-making process.

What gives spaghetti sauce the best flavor? ›

What is in your spaghetti sauce that makes it taste so deliciously authentic? Tomatoes (canned or fresh), garlic, onions, olive oil, herbs (such as basil and oregano), and sometimes red wine. The flavors develop through slow cooking, which allows the ingredients to meld together and create a rich and savory taste.

What is the secret to the best spaghetti? ›

For best flavor, use certified San Marzano tomatoes. Add Parmesan cheese into the sauce while cooking. Use no salt added tomatoes. Use ground beef to cut down on sodium content.

What is the most important ingredient in spaghetti? ›

  • tomatoes. Tomatoes is the most popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce dishes. ...
  • salt. Another popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce is salt. ...
  • olive oil. Olive oil is another common ingredient in spaghetti sauce dishes. ...
  • garlic. Another popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce is garlic. ...
  • pepper. ...
  • spaghetti.

What brings out spaghetti flavor? ›

Red pepper flakes, dehydrated or fresh garlic, dried oregano, parsley, or basil, or an Italian seasoning blend are all good options. Dried herbs and spices should be added at the beginning of the cook time so that they have time to bloom.

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