12 Top-Rated Pastas that Showcase Summer Tomatoes

a gray bowl of Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce with a fork in the foreground, a block of Parmesan on the side and fresh tomatoes in a wooden bowl in the background
Photo:

Buckwheat Queen

There's something truly special about tomatoes at their summer peak. These simple pasta recipes let the tangy flavors of fresh tomatoes shine, whether you're serving something chilled and refreshing or a dish that's hot and saucy.

01 of 13

Summer Pasta with Basil, Tomatoes and Cheese

top-down view of a plate of Summer Pasta with Basil, Tomatoes and Cheese with grilled Italian sausage and garlic bread on the side

travlin'granny

A little cream sherry enriches a tasty mix of fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, mint, olive oil and chile pepper flakes. Toss everything together with hot pasta and Asiago and fontina cheeses. "At the peak of summer tomato harvest, it doesn't get any better than this!" says Gayle Wagner.

02 of 13

Caprese Pasta Salad

closeup of Pesto Pasta Caprese Salad garnished with a fresh basil sprig on a blue glass plate

Molly

"The dynamic trio of fresh basil pesto, mozzarella cheese, and juicy tomato are reunited once again in an American favorite—pasta salad," says Pepi-Rainbow. "This light and fresh salad is great for a lunch, a side dish, or even a snack."

03 of 13

Chicken Caesar Pasta

closeup of Chicken Caesar Pasta tossed with romaine and garnished with Parmesan

Molly

Penne pasta mixes it up with cooked cubes of chicken, chopped fresh tomatoes, shredded romaine lettuce, Caesar salad dressing, and red wine vinegar. Garnish with croutons and Parmesan curls, if you like. "This was so delicious!" says Lindy505. "Easy to put together, and if you enjoy Caesar salad, you're sure to love this recipe."

04 of 13

Tomato and Garlic Pasta

top-down view of a bowl of Tomato and Garlic Pasta on a lavender placemat

Allrecipes Magazine

"We love this dish. I do adjust the recipe a bit: I add fresh parsley, fresh basil, fresh oregano and red pepper flakes when browning the garlic," says reviewer Beth Anne. "Adding fresh shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil when plated really completes the dish."

05 of 13

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

a gray bowl of Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce with a fork in the foreground, a block of Parmesan on the side and fresh tomatoes in a wooden bowl in the background

Buckwheat Queen

Here's a very quick pasta dish with fresh tomatoes and basil tossed with Italian salad dressing and Parmesan cheese. "This pasta dish is wonderful served with a green salad," says kelcampbell. "The best thing about it is that you can put this meal together in just a few minutes."

06 of 13

Summer Fresh Pasta with Tomatoes and Prosciutto

closeup of Summer Fresh Pasta with Tomatoes and Prosciutto garnished with slivered basil and grated Parmesan

mommyluvs2cook

This quick, easy, and flavorful pasta dish showcases summer's garden bounty. "This recipe came about in an effort to use up a few more of those wonderful home-grown tomatoes and fresh basil," says Wyattdogster. "Everything was on hand and was easy to throw together. For garlic lovers, the second time I made this dish, I used a garlic-infused olive oil; amazing! A crisp green salad is the perfect accompaniment. Enjoy!"

07 of 13

Tuscan Pasta Salad

closeup of a colorful Tuscan Pasta Salad in a white bowl garnished with a sprig of parsley

Kim's Cooking Now

"A flavorful diversion from the run-of-the-mill Italian pasta salad," says A. Piatt. "I like to serve this with grilled, fried, or barbecued chicken, and a crusty artisan bread. I would double the portions if you want to have leftovers when serving 4 or more; this goes fast in my home! Enjoy!"

08 of 13

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Corn

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes-and-corn-photo-by-sleepeng-resize

sleepeng

"This is a great end of summer pasta," says SimmiG. "It is a a great way to use all those garden tomatoes and fresh corn. It takes almost no time to prepare and tastes delicious! Feel free to use your favorite pasta. I use thin spaghetti."

09 of 13

Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

closeup of spaghetti topped with a fresh tomato sauce and basil sprig

Buckwheat Queen

This simple spaghetti sauce is made with fresh tomatoes. "Wonderful taste," says Susan Bryan Willingham. "Serve over spaghetti noodles and add grated Parmesan cheese as desired."

10 of 13

Chef John's BLT Pasta

close up view of Chef John's BLT Pasta with wilted arugula and chopped tomatoes on a white plate with a fork

Life Tastes Good

It's like your favorite sandwich but in pasta form. "Delicious! Didn’t find creme fraiche so subbed low fat sour cream. [I] used a spiral pasta with Campari tomatoes which are always the tastiest toms I can get. Turned out great!" – LindaLovesCastIron

11 of 13

Fresh Tomato Shrimp Pasta

closeup of Fresh Tomato Shrimp Pasta made with linguine served on a white plate

COOKIN4MYFAMILY

"Fresh tomatoes and spinach, fresh herbs, and fresh mozzarella combine with shrimp and fettuccine for an easy summer dinner," says Lisa Nichols.

12 of 13

Spaghetti alla Nerano

close up view of Zucchini Spaghetti garnished with fresh basil and grated cheese in a white bowl

Chef John

There are no tomatoes in this dish, but no roundup of summer pasta recipes would be complete without it! Start off your meal with tomato bruschetta or serve a plate of sliced salted tomatoes alongside. "After listening to Stanley Tucci lose his mind about this pasta and calling it life-changing and one of the best things he's ever eaten, I decided I'd give it a try. The results were amazing," says Chef John. The key to getting the toasted sweet taste is to deep-fry the zucchini. It's worth the extra step.

Was this page helpful?