This creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta is loaded with garlic roasted cherry tomatoes and tossed in a smooth goat cheese and white wine sauce. It looks fancy and tastes like something from a restaurant, but it’s on the table in just 30 minutes!
Not your average cherry tomato pasta! 🍅
Most cherry tomato pasta recipes burst the tomatoes in a pan and toss them with olive oil, but in my opinion, using roasted cherry tomatoes makes a HUGE difference. Twenty minutes in a hot oven with lots of garlic and olive oil concentrates their flavor. They get sweet and jammy with a little caramelization on the edges, which you just can’t get on the stovetop.
Then instead of a plain olive oil sauce, I melt herbed goat cheese into a little garlic and white wine. It creates a thick, creamy, and flavorful sauce that perfectly coats every single noodle.
You roast the tomatoes while the pasta boils and the sauce comes together, so nothing ever feels rushed. It’s easy, quick, and always a hit at my table!
— ♥︎ Jess —
Ingredient Notes
- Tomatoes: You want about 2 pints of bite-size cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. Learn from my mistakes and skip the big beefsteak or Roma tomatoes. They hold too much water and won’t have the same flavor once roasted.
- Herbed Goat Cheese: The pre-seasoned herbed kind does a lot of the flavoring for you. If you can only find plain goat cheese, stir in some dried Italian herbs, a little extra garlic, and a pinch of salt. Not a goat cheese fan? Cream cheese or mascarpone melt into a similar creamy sauce with a milder, less tangy flavor.
- White Wine: A dry white like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc adds brightness that balances the creamy goat cheese. If you’d rather skip the alcohol, chicken broth (or vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian) works just as well.
- Fettuccine: The wide noodles hold this creamy sauce beautifully, but linguine, spaghetti, or even a short shape like penne all work great.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic really is worth it here, jarred garlic is not as zesty. I use 8 cloves in total (4 in the roasted tomatoes and 4 sautéed into the sauce), but you can dial it back if you like things mellow.
- Basil: Fresh basil heavily sprinkled over the top adds a ton of flavor and a bright pop of color. Don’t skip it!
How To Make Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
Visit the recipe card below for the ingredient amounts and full directions.
1
ROAST THE TOMATOES
Halve your cherry tomatoes and toss them with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re soft, blistered, and smell amazing.
2
COOK THE PASTA
While the tomatoes roast, cook your fettuccine in well-salted water until al dente. Save a little pasta water before you drain, just in case you want to thin the sauce later.
3
MAKE THE SAUCE
In a large pan, cook garlic in olive oil for about 30 seconds. Add the goat cheese and white wine (or chicken broth) and stir until the cheese melts into a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer for a minute to thicken.
4
TOSS AND SERVE
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss until every noodle is coated. Pile the hot roasted tomatoes on top, finish with fresh basil, and dig in!
Recipe Help: Frequently Asked Questions
Add a splash of pasta water or a little more white wine or chicken broth, whisking constantly, until you reach the texture you prefer.
A watery sauce usually means the goat cheese didn’t fully melt into the wine, or the pasta was drained with too much water clinging to it. Let the sauce simmer a minute to thicken, and make sure your goat cheese is at room temperature so it melts smoothly.
Yes! Grilled or roasted chicken, sauteed shrimp, or crispy pancetta all turn this into a heartier main. Add cooked shrimp or chicken right at the end so they warm through in the sauce.
Absolutely. This recipe scales up beautifully for a crowd, just use a second sheet pan so the tomatoes have room to roast instead of steam. It also halves nicely for two.
Storing and Reheating
I’ll be honest with you. This roasted cherry tomato pasta is best served fresh. The goat cheese sauce is creamy and silky right after you toss it, but it tends to soak into the pasta as it sits, so leftovers lose their saucy magic.
If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of chicken broth or a little water, stirring until the sauce loosens and turns creamy again. Avoid the microwave if you can, since it can make the goat cheese grainy.
Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Creamy Pasta:
- 16 oz fettuccine, or linguine pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz dry white wine, or chicken broth
- 8 oz herbed goat cheese, crumbled
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh basil, finely sliced
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss together olive oil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft with blackened edges and very fragrant.
- While tomatoes are roasting, bring salted water to boil in a large pot for the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions and drain. Scoop out and set aside a little pasta water to save just in case you want to thin your sauce later.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic, cooking for 30 seconds.
- Add goat cheese and white wine, stirring until goat cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, until it thickens slightly. If your sauce is too thick for your liking, thin it out with a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water.
- Add cooked fettuccine noodles, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately topped with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
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Has anyone added shrimp to the recipe?
Hi Jessica, I have not, but think it would be a delicious addition!
I changed this up a bit. I added pancetta and heavy cream. I pan roasted the tomatoes after i cooked the pancetta, then added the cream at the end after the goat cheese. It was really delicious.
Amazing. Had loads of cherry tomatoes from the garden so gave this a go and it was extremely delicious!!
Hello Jessica,
I believe this was already asked but haven’t been replied yet.
Is there any substitute that I can make to Goat Cheese? . My kids do not like it.
Thanks in advance.
Cream cheese works. That’s how I make it.
There are only two in our “retired people” family. This recipe looks easy to divide into half. Have you done that and must I change the recipe much? Look delicious….Joyce in Sunny Florida….
I made this tonight for me and my husband and it was – WOW! Thank you so much for a fabulous recipe!!!!! I will be making this often!!!!
Not a goat cheese fan, what cheese would you substitute it with
we dont like goat cheese either, but it really works with this recipe. Make sure you get the herbed cheese
I hope this ? gets answered!!!
I keep checking back!
I would try cream cheese or mascarpone in place of the goat cheese. Today I roasted some grape tomatoes plus got herbed goat cheese yesterday, so it’s as if I’m supposed to make this dish!
This looks like an amazing dinner! This is seriously making me hungry!
This pasta sounds amazing! I have to make it with dinner!
This pasta look so inviting! This is what I need for lunch right now!
Mine came out very watery. Followed the recipe exactly. Any suggestions?
Simple pasta dishes are the best! Adding this to our menu for this week!
Roasted those tomatoes brings out the BEST flavor! Can’t wait to dig into this dish!
I’m craving this for dinner now! I know this will quickly become a family favorite!