12 Top-Rated Pastas that Showcase Summer Tomatoes

Summer Pasta with Basil, Tomatoes and Cheese

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.

Caprese Pasta Salad

"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."

Chicken Caesar Pasta

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."

Tomato and Garlic Pasta

"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."

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

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."

Summer Fresh Pasta with Tomatoes and Prosciutto

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!"

Tuscan Pasta Salad

"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!"

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Corn

"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."

Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

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."

Chef John's BLT Pasta

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

Fresh Tomato Shrimp Pasta

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

Spaghetti alla Nerano

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.

More Like This

• 20 Tomato and Basil Recipes to Use Up Your Late Summer Haul
• Chef John's Best Recipes for Ripe Fresh Tomatoes
• 37 Fresh Tomato Recipes for Peak Tomato Season
• Our complete collection of Tomato Recipes