When the kitchen heats up and you don’t want to turn on the stove, this No-Cook Tomato Sauce is my go-to. Cherry tomatoes macerate with garlic, good olive oil, and a splash of red wine vinegar to create a bright, flavorful raw sauce that’s effortless to prepare and perfect tossed with pasta.
Lazy Summer Pasta
On warm evenings I favor recipes that need little or no cooking. This no-cook cherry tomato sauce is one of those recipes—simple, fresh, and ready in minutes. The only heat you’ll use is for the pasta; the sauce softens as it sits, releasing sweetness and flavor.
The sauce benefits from time: the longer it macerates, the more cohesive and saucy it becomes. Serve it as a main pasta dish or pair it with grilled or roasted summer proteins for a fuller meal.
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the core ingredients and a few helpful notes to get the best results with this raw tomato sauce.
- Tomatoes. Use cherry or grape tomatoes for the best texture and sweetness.
- Garlic. One sliced clove is strong but bright. Alternatively use three whole cloves and remove them before tossing if you prefer a milder garlic flavor.
- Vinegar. A teaspoon of red wine vinegar adds acidity and helps break down the tomatoes into a saucy consistency.
- Olive oil. Because the sauce is uncooked, choose a good extra virgin olive oil for flavor and mouthfeel.
- Basil. Fresh basil is essential—add it right before serving. If you can’t find basil, fresh parsley is an acceptable substitute; do not use dried basil for this raw sauce.
- Pasta and pasta water. Any pasta works; thin linguine is a favorite. Reserve about 2 cups of pasta water to help bind and loosen the sauce as needed.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full ingredient list.
How to make uncooked tomato sauce
- In a large bowl, combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and five basil leaves. Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Let the mixture sit uncovered for at least 1 hour so the tomatoes macerate. For deeper flavor and a looser sauce, allow the mixture to sit 2–3 hours.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente. Add the drained pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the bowl of marinated tomatoes and toss. Add more pasta water as needed to reach a silky, cohesive sauce. Adjust salt and pepper, stir in the remaining basil leaves, and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano if desired.
Top tips
- Be patient. Waiting makes a big difference. The salt and vinegar pull juices from the tomatoes, creating a sauce-like consistency. If you’re in a hurry, pulse gently with an immersion blender, but many prefer the texture of intact tomatoes.
- Additions. No-cook ingredients such as finely diced zucchini, fresh mushrooms, or jarred roasted red peppers work well if you want to vary the dish.
- Save pasta water. Starchy pasta water is the key to loosening and emulsifying the sauce—keep some reserved and add a splash at a time.
More cherry tomato recipes
If you enjoy cherry tomatoes, try other simple preparations for summer meals.
- Cherry tomato, eggplant, and burrata
- Ricotta roasted cherry tomato crostini
- Roasted cherry tomato pasta
If you liked this No-Cook Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe, consider leaving a rating.
Easy No Cook Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin linguine or any pasta you like
- 2 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 clove garlic sliced (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 20 leaves basil divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups reserved pasta water you will most likely not need it all
Instructions
- Combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and five basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix, season with salt and pepper, and let sit uncovered for at least 1 hour.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente.
- Add the hot pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the bowl of marinated tomatoes. Toss to combine, adding more pasta water until the sauce is silky. Adjust seasoning, stir in remaining basil, and serve with grated Pecorino or Parmesan if desired. Enjoy.
Notes
- Let it sit. The longer the tomatoes macerate, the more flavorful and saucy the mixture becomes. One hour minimum; two to three hours is even better.
- Garlic. Use one sliced clove for a bright bite, or three whole cloves and discard them before mixing if you prefer a subtler garlic presence.
- Optional additions. Finely diced raw zucchini or jarred roasted red peppers make great, no-cook additions.
- Pasta water. Reserve extra to loosen the sauce or rehydrate pasta that dries out.
- Leftovers. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days; it can be served cold or gently reheated.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 96.7 g
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Protein: 17.4 g
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Fat: 30.3 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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