Tomato and Fresh Herb Rigatoni

Quick, easy, and delicious describes this Tomato and Fresh Herb Rigatoni! Use fresh cherry tomatoes, thyme and oregano leaves with fresh parsley to make this pasta extra special. The sauce is prepared by blistering the tomatoes in garlic and oil before tossing it with pesto. Perfect for a weeknight family dinner, this dish takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and you get to dig in and enjoy!

📝 Ingredients

• 450 grams rigatoni pasta, (cooked and drained (reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water))
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomato pesto ((homemade or store-bought))
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan, (plus more for garnish)
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, (plus more for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain well, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
2. 2While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, salt, and ground black pepper. (Add the dried red chilies now too if you wish.) Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the tomatoes pop open just slightly.
3. 3Immediately stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto. Add some reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
4. 4Next, add the cooked, drained pasta to the skillet, along with the fresh herbs and the parmesan. Toss well with tongs to coat and cook just long enough to reheat the pasta – 2-3 minutes will do just fine.
5. 5Plate and garnish with more parsley, grated parmesan, and chilies. Serve immediately.