Toasted Garlic Tomato Sauce

If you somehow find yourself with extra tomatoes, or just want a sweet tomato sauce that comes together in minutes, then I’m excited for you to try this recipe. The toasted garlic elevates the sauce to something slightly savory, a perfect complement to summer’s juicy tomatoes. An ideal showcase of the season’s bounty, this sauce brings the warmth of a true tomato sauce to the simplicity of tossing together cut tomatoes with fresh basil and olive oil.

This recipe comes from a feature by Ellie Krieger in the July/August issue of Fitness Magazine. I used extra tomatoes and spaghetti because I was feeding a hungry crowd; scale down to the magazine’s recommended ¾ pound of pasta if you want to keep this lower calorie. Fresh basil is an essential ingredient; consider buying one at your farmer’s market and keeping it next to the kitchen sink. You’ll have basil at your fingertips all summer long and no one need know about your black thumb.

Gluten-free update: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta in this recipe. If you haven’t had luck with gluten-free pasta, see this post at Gluten-Free Girl for making a perfect pot of gluten-free pasta.

Toasted Garlic Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 cups cherry, grape or heirloom tomatoes, halved or chopped into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup fresh basil, cut into ribbons (use kitchen shears or a sharp knife for this)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1. Prepare a pound of gluten-free spaghetti according to package directions, drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat; when the olive moves as quickly as water, add the garlic and sauté until brown, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, stir and cover, cooking over medium-high heat until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices, about 8-10 minutes; don’t cook too long or they’ll turn to mush or lose their shape.
4. In a large bowl, add the pasta, then the sauce, then the basil and cheese, stirring to combine. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Adapted from a recipe by Ellie Krieger, featured in Fitness Magazine.