I spend a good amount of time in everybody’s way in the produce section at the grocery store. I’m known to stand and stare for a few too many minutes at the piles of gorgeous fresh tomatoes and heaps of garlic heads. I can feel everyone buzzing around me, mostly annoyed, reaching across me for a ripe avocado or an extra full basket of cherry tomatoes. It’s ok and… I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m waiting for the tomatoes to tell me what to do with them. the answer is usually (and most successfully) ROAST! Even in summer. Tomatoes are bossy and they know what they (and I) like. 
Thank you summer time vines! These tomatoes are gorgeous. Tremendous, really. I slice most in half, large and small, and place them cut side up on a rimmed roasting pan. Cut side up ensures that all the juicy tomato goodness stays in the tomato and doesn’t completely bleed onto the pan. Salt and pepper, generously. Olive oil, generously. Heat, high.
While the oven is ablaze, I wrap whole cloves of garlic, drizzled in olive oil, in parchment paper and roast until butter-soft and spreadable.
Now it’s just time to boil the pasta, pick the fresh basil, and grate the salty cheese!
The making of a good bowl of pasta is mostly instinct. The measurements need not be exact. Add olive oil, roasted tomatoes, even a squeeze of lemon as your taste dictates. Don’t let anyone be the boss of your pasta bowl.
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pasta
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
What You’ll Need
- 4 large red tomatoes, halved
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 heads garlic, skin on and tops cut off
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 pound pasta, boiled and drained
- olive oil
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn
- coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place tomatoes, cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle well with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes are browned and wrinkled, about 30 minutes.
- Roast the garlic heads at the same time! Place garlic, cut side up on a a large piece of parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap parchment and tie with kitchen twine. Place in a small round pan and roast with the tomatoes, about 30 minutes or until completely browned and softened.
- Boil the pasta while the tomatoes and garlic roast.
- Assembling the pasta is simple. Toss cooked pasta with tomatoes, soft garlic pressed from the head, olive oil, salt and pepper. Top with fresh basil and cheese. Enjoy!
Cady | wildheartoflife.com
These roasted tomatoes are v summer aesthetic v v make me want to reach from my screen and into your kitchen and eat with a dash of salt. Love.
Kate
how cool is that! nice pic.
italiangirlcooks
Everything good about summer tomatoes and pasta…yum!
Katelyn McPhee
This looks phenomenal!
deegullan
I love the simplicity of this dish, looks amazing too. One of my favorites is roasted garlic with tomato. Yum !
abigail
This pasta looks amazing. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
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http://www.abigailalicex.com
Katie Wright
This looks SO. GOOD.
Ashlyn
I love visiting your site, Joy. It always makes me smile. I love making pasta in the summertime, it feels hearty, but not too rich. The flavors here look perfect! I’m especially excited about the roasted garlic. And these pictures are gorgeous!
Girl Named Allyn
I’m that person who flicks the stem off of every. single. avocado until I find all of the perfectly ripe ones I need. Don’t hate.
Adding this to my pile of “things to inhale as soon as possible.” I do love tomato season.
Karen @ On the Banks of Salt Creek
Pinned. So going to make this as soon as my tomatoes get ripe. Right now the focus is on the tons of plums and pickling cucumbers I need to preserve. Those tomatoes better ripen quickly. I don’t think I can wait too long before making this.
Carol
To girl named allyn —You do NOT have to FLICK the STEMS!!!!! SHAME on YOU!!!!!
joythebaker
Chilllll.
Warm Vanilla Sugar
So fun to see pasta on this blog! And it’s a perfect summer recipe! Yum!
Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
Wow, Joy. There is nothing about this recipe that I don’t absolutely LOVE! Roasted tomatoes? And garlic?! Girl. This is perfect!
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table
I have long found that roasting my tomatoes produces a beautiful, simple pasta sauce that elevates this beautiful fruit to completely new levels. I bet the addition of garlic does it wonders!
Desiree @ whatsinseasonwithdes
I feel you on being “that person” at the grocery store. This dish looks so delicious and summery, and I can almost taste how the smooth garlic and roasted tomato must coat that pasta. Did I mention it’s 7 am and I’m already dreaming of pasta?
Amanda
Joy, I’m around the other side of the world in wintery Melbourne and this is what I cooked last night.
I already had the tomatoes, but I spent a similar amount of time in front of them wondering what to do. When of course it was a no brainer to roast and serve with pasta.
My spin had roasted shallots and a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end because I had run out of cheese. Disaster averted!