Sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, soft garlic, butter, and fresh basil turn into a silky sauce that clings to every strand of pasta. The tomatoes bring brightness, the butter smooths everything out, and a small splash of balsamic gives the whole dish a deeper, richer finish. It feels a little luxurious, but the ingredient list stays simple.

This is the kind of pasta that works when you want something comforting without making a heavy cream sauce. The tomatoes do most of the work here. Once roasted, they become jammy and concentrated, and when blended with butter and garlic, they turn into a smooth, glossy tomato butter that coats hot pasta beautifully.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes

• 1 whole garlic bulb

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (vegan butter, optional)

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1 to 2 tsp balsamic glaze

• 12 oz pasta, such as spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

• Extra basil, for serving

Instructions

1. Roast the tomatoes and garlic

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Add the cherry tomatoes to a baking dish or sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss well so the tomatoes are evenly coated.

Slice the top off the garlic bulb just enough to expose the cloves. Set it on a piece of foil, drizzle with a little olive oil, then wrap it loosely in the foil.

Place the tomatoes and garlic in the oven. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst and look soft and slightly caramelized. The garlic should be very soft when pressed.

2. Cook the pasta

While the tomatoes roast, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.

Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Set it aside.

3. Make the tomato butter sauce

Transfer the roasted tomatoes to a blender or food processor. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and add them in. Add the softened butter, basil, and balsamic glaze.

Blend until mostly smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust if needed. Add a pinch more salt, more chili flakes, or another small drizzle of balsamic if you want a slightly deeper flavor.

4. Toss everything together

Pour the warm sauce into a large skillet or pot over low heat. Add the drained pasta and toss well.

Pour in a little reserved pasta water at a time until the sauce loosens and turns glossy. You want it silky enough to coat the pasta without becoming watery.

5. Serve

Divide the pasta into bowls and finish with grated Parmesan and extra basil. Serve right away while the sauce is warm and smooth.

Made this pasta once and already thinking about it again? Save the image below to your Pinterest board so it’s there the next time you want something rich, cozy, and easy to make.

Tips and Tricks

• Use ripe cherry tomatoes for the best flavor. The sweeter they are, the richer and rounder the sauce will taste after roasting.

• Roast the tomatoes until they look collapsed and a little jammy, not just softened. That deeper roast gives the sauce much more flavor.

• Let the garlic cook until fully soft all the way through. If it is still firm in the middle, the sauce can taste harsher than it should.

• Don’t forget to save some pasta water before draining. A few spoonfuls help loosen the sauce and make it coat the pasta better.

• Add the balsamic glaze slowly. A little goes a long way, and you want it to deepen the sauce, not take over.

• Blend the sauce while the tomatoes are warm, not scorching hot. It will come together more smoothly and be easier to handle.

• If the sauce feels too thick, loosen it with a splash of hot pasta water or a drizzle of olive oil.

• If the sauce feels too loose, let it sit over low heat for a minute before tossing with the pasta.

• Finish with freshly grated Parmesan just before serving. It adds saltiness and helps round out the flavor.

• Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water so the sauce turns silky again instead of drying out.

Some recipes are good because they’re complicated. These smashed potatoes are good for the opposite reason. You boil them, smash them, roast them until the edges get crisp, then finish them with roasted garlic herb butter. That’s it. The inside stays soft, the outside gets golden and crunchy, and the garlic butter takes them from basic to the kind of side dish people keep picking at straight from the pan.

Ingredients

For the potatoes

• 1 1/2 to 2 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes, or baby yellow potatoes

• Flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)

• Chopped fresh chives, for finishing (optional)

For the seasoned oil

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

For the roasted garlic herb butter

• 1 whole garlic bulb

• 1 to 2 tsp olive oil, for roasting the garlic

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped, or 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Roast the garlic

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Slice the top off the garlic bulb so the cloves are exposed. Set it on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, then wrap it loosely. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until the garlic is soft and lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and let it cool enough to handle.

2. Boil the potatoes

While the garlic roasts, add the baby potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Drain well and let them sit for 5 minutes so the excess moisture can evaporate. This helps them crisp better in the oven.

3. Preheat the baking sheet

Place a large sheet pan in the oven for a few minutes while the potatoes steam dry. A hot pan helps the bottoms crisp up faster.

4. Make the seasoned oil

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.

5. Smash the potatoes

Carefully remove the hot sheet pan and lightly grease it if needed. Place the potatoes on the pan with a little space between each one.

Use the bottom of a glass, jar, or measuring cup to gently press each potato until it flattens to about 1/2 inch thick. Don’t press too hard—you want them flattened and craggy, not completely broken apart.

6. Season and bake

Brush the tops of the potatoes with the seasoned oil.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are deeply golden and crisp. For extra crispiness on both sides, carefully flip them and bake another 8 to 12 minutes.

7. Make the roasted garlic herb butter

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl and mash them with a fork until smooth. Add the softened butter, rosemary, and thyme or parsley. Mix until well combined.

8. Finish with the garlic butter

Brush or spoon the roasted garlic herb butter over the hot potatoes, letting it fall into the cracks and over the edges. Return the pan to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the butter melts in.

If you want even crispier edges, broil for 30 to 60 seconds at the end, but keep a close eye on them.

9. Serve

Let the potatoes sit for a few minutes before serving. Finish with flaky sea salt and chopped chives, if you like.

If you can already hear the crispy edges, save the image below to your Pinterest board and keep this one for later. These smashed potatoes are too good to forget.

Quick Notes

• Baby Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal here because they stay creamy inside and hold together well after boiling.

• If your baby potatoes are on the larger side, they may need a few extra minutes in the water.

• Letting the potatoes steam dry after boiling is one of the easiest ways to get better browning.

• You can use thyme or parsley in the butter depending on the flavor you want. Thyme gives it a slightly deeper savory flavor, while parsley keeps it fresher.

Aglio e olio is usually the “pan + sliced garlic + olive oil” situation—but this roasted version is the one I make when I want the flavor to feel deeper and a little more luxurious. Roasting the garlic in olive oil turns it sweet and mellow, then you blend it with starchy pasta water so it becomes an actual sauce that clings to every strand of spaghetti. It still tastes like classic garlic and olive oil pasta, just smoother, shinier, and way harder to mess up.

Ingredients 

• 12–16 garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 large head)

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (120 ml), plus a splash more if needed

• 1/2–1 tsp chili flakes, to taste

• 12 oz spaghetti (340 g)

• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt for the pasta water (or salt it “like the sea”)

• Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

• Parmesan, finely grated (optional, for serving)

• Black pepper, to finish (optional)

Instructions

1) Roast the garlic in oil

1. Heat oven to 300°F (150°C).

2. Add peeled garlic to a small oven-safe dish (or a small loaf pan). Pour in the olive oil so the cloves are mostly submerged.

3. Roast 35–45 minutes, until the garlic is soft enough to smash with a spoon and lightly golden (not browned and dry).

Important: Don’t add chili flakes yet unless you’re doing the “last 5–10 minutes” method.

2) Cook the pasta + save the water

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2. Salt it well, then add the pasta.

3. Cook until just al dente.

4. Right before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) of pasta water. You’ll use this to make the sauce.

3) Blend the roasted garlic into a sauce

1. Pour the roasted garlic and all the oil into a blender (or use an immersion blender in a tall container).

2. Add 3/4 cup (180 ml) of hot pasta water to start.

3. Blend until smooth and creamy.

What you’re looking for: it should look like a loose, glossy sauce—not watery, not thick like hummus.

4) Finish in a pan (this is where it turns “restaurant”)

1. Set a large pan over medium heat.

2. Pour in the blended garlic sauce.

3. Add chili flakes now and stir for 20–30 seconds (this blooms them without burning).

4. Add the drained pasta straight into the pan.

5. Toss hard for 60–90 seconds, adding extra pasta water a splash at a time, until the sauce clings and looks shiny.

If it looks dry: add pasta water.
If it looks thin: keep tossing—starch + movement thickens it fast.

5) Finish and serve

• Turn off the heat.

• Stir in parsley if using.

• Plate, then top with Parmesan and black pepper.

Parmesan note: Traditionally, aglio e olio doesn’t always use cheese, but it’s your kitchen—Parmesan works great here because the roasted garlic is mellow and sweet.

If this Roasted Garlic Aglio e Olio made you hungry, do me a quick favor—save it for later. Tap the image below and pin it to your Pinterest pasta (or weeknight dinner) board, so it’s right there the next time you’re craving garlicky noodles and don’t feel like thinking.

Tips and Tricks

• Roast until smashable: The garlic should mash easily with a spoon. If it’s still firm, the sauce won’t blend silky.

• Add chili flakes later: For the cleanest flavor, stir chili flakes into the warm sauce in the pan for 20–30 seconds (they can turn bitter if roasted too long).

• Save more pasta water than you think: Grab at least 1 1/2 cups. It’s how you control thickness at the end.

• Blend with less water first: You can always loosen the sauce in the pan, but you can’t “un-water” it.

• Toss in the pan to make it cling: Keep tossing for 60–90 seconds. That movement is what makes it glossy and coats the pasta.

• Thin vs thick fix: Dry? add a splash of pasta water. Too loose? toss a bit longer on medium heat.

• Cheese goes on top: Parmesan is best as a finishing sprinkle (not blended in), so the sauce stays smooth.