Tomato And Garlic Ricotta Pasta

Fresh basil and ricotta cheese blend with roasted tomatoes and garlic to create a fragrant and amazing sauce for this Roasted Tomato And Garlic Ricotta Pasta.

Mix Italian sausage or shrimp into the creamy spaghetti sauce and finish with Parmesan cheese on sprinkled on top for a complete family meal that’s so delicious!

Roasted Tomato and Garlic Ricotta Pasta Recipe

The depth of flavor from fresh herbs mixed with oven roasted veggies and ricotta is so delightful coating spaghetti!

This pasta recipe is inspired by trending recipes on TikTok but has a twist of rich ricotta cheese flavors that our equally enjoyable Cajun Sausage Pasta and Pasta with Alfredo and Marinara don’t have.

As meat lovers, adding slices of mild or sweet Italian sausage is our favorite way to enhance this pasta dish. During lent we like the lighter option of adding shrimp.

Shaving some fresh parmesan cheese on top is a must. Garnish with a couple leaves of basil and the spaghetti with ricotta cheese sauce will look as wonderful as it tastes.

The sauce begins by roasting cherry tomatoes, onion and bulbs of garlic similar to our Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup. Ricotta cheese is the special ingredient to add richness to the more concentrated flavors that blend together to create a creamy pasta sauce.

Why This Ricotta With Spaghetti Works

• Common, affordable ingredients create a restaurant quality meal that’s easy to make at home.
• Tomatoes and garlic caramelize during the roasting process to enhance the natural sweetness and flavors in the produce.
• Fresh basil blends beautifully with ricotta, parmesan, garlic and tomatoes to create this sauce.
• Recipe is easy to double or triple for big meals or meal prep and the leftovers reheat well.
• This is a family meal that we all enjoy eating and it adds variety to our menu.

Ingredients Needed For Tomato Garlic Ricotta Pasta

• Cherry Tomatoes – Grape tomatoes also work fine. Make sure the tomatoes are ripe and flavorful before roasting and making this recipe!
• Sweet Onion – Cut into coarse chunks, just a bit smaller than quartering the onion. Yellow or white onion works fine too.
• Garlic – Use two fresh bulbs of garlic and roast the whole thing in the pan with the tomatoes.
• Olive Oil – Drizzle over the veggies before roasting.
• Salt and Pepper – Season tomatoes before or after roasting.
• Basil – Fresh basil is a must. Add the stems to the pan of tomatoes for extra flavor.
• Pasta – Spaghetti is our favorite to twirl in this rich and creamy sauce.
• Parmesan Cheese – A fresh wedge or shredded parmesan adds a savory, salty flavor just before serving.
• Italian Sausage or Shrimp – Sausage comes generously seasoned, be sure to add plenty of seasoned salt or cajun seasoning to shrimp while cooking for maximum flavor.

Step By Step Instructions

Rinse tomatoes and basil. Remove leaves from basil and set aside to dry.

Cut tomatoes in half and arrange cut side up in a 9 x 13″ pan or on a foil lined baking sheet.

Remove the core and cut onion into chunks that are about 1 to 2″ wide in the center. Arrange chunks throughout the tomatoes.

Carefully cut the tops off of the bulbs of garlic exposing the top of each of the cloves.

Add the bulbs of garlic to the tomatoes in separate locations.

Arrange stems from basil plant around the dish if desired, this step is optional. We do it because we love the flavor of basil.

Roast in an oven preheated to 400℉ for about 30 to 40 minutes. The size of pan relative to the quantity of ingredients will affect roasting time.

Check on 10 minute intervals. Tomatoes and garlic are done roasting when they are lightly brown on top and look tender.

Cook the spaghetti while the dish is roasting. Drain and return to the pot and toss with a teaspoon or two of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Blending the Sauce

Use a silicone or other non-slip, heat resistant mitt to squeeze the tender bulbs of garlic out of the casing.

I like to squeeze the fragrant garlic into the baking dish so that pieces of skin are easier to pick off if necessary. Add the roasted garlic to the blender and discard pieces of peel or casing.

Spoon the roasted tomatoes, onions wedges and basil stems into a blender.

Add ricotta cheese and a handful that ranges from 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup fresh leaves of basil.

Blend until smooth.

Using a clean dish or small crock pot pour some of the sauce in the bottom. Then add cooked pasta and pour remaining ricotta cheese pasta sauce on top of the cooked spaghetti.

Use tongs to mix everything together.

Add cooked sausage or shrimp for even more flavor if desired. Then grate, shred or sprinkle thin strips of Parmesan cheese over the spaghetti.

Serve tomato ricotta pasta right away and enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Recipe is easy to cut in half using a square pan to roast veggies or double and use a large baking sheet.
• I use a nice, Cutco serrated knife to cut the ripe tomatoes in half. Using the wrong knife will make the preparation process more difficult.
• Starting with delicious, ripe tomatoes will make or break this recipe. If the tomatoes are green or lacking flavor wait to make this sauce until you have wonderful tomatoes.

More Easy Family Meals

SPAM Fried Rice mixes savory pork into a bed of rice, veggies and egg for a delicious skillet meal.

Baked Parmesan Chicken Strips creates tender chicken at home that is great on a salad or with pasta.

Velveeta Shells and Cheese is an easy way to make the popular box at home.