Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- Kosher salt
- 2pounds very ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1teaspoon fresh thyme or oregano leaves
- ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
- 2ounces Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated, plus more as needed
- 1pound fusilli or another spiral pasta
- 1(4-ounce) log goat cheese, crumbled
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
592 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 94 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 891 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, thyme, red-pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon salt. Mash with a fork or potato masher until tomatoes are juicy. Stir in the Parmesan. Set aside while the pasta cooks, or up to 2 hours at room temperature.
- Step 3
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Step 4
To the bowl of tomatoes, add the goat cheese and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir until the cheese is mostly melted. Add the pasta and stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the noodles. Season to taste with additional Parmesan and red-pepper flakes.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Mike P
Another good version of this is with Brie and Basil.
Chris C
Really good summertime pasta option. Only change I made was to add 1/3 lb diced fried pancetta sprinkled on top before serving. With the pancetta it is was a tasty BLT pasta treat!
Sue
I do a version of this every summer. You can use any soft cheese - I use Boursin a lot, but brie works too. Basil, olive oil, garlic, garden fresh tomatoes. Nothing is better for summer.
Judy
without garlic, it can't be legal
Sarina
We've had this recipe in our family archives for years, except with basil and mint instead of oregano/thyme. You don't need to mash the tomatoes if you have sufficient time to marinate for the 2 hours - they get nice and soft and juicy on their own.
Kate
We added some sausage and ground pepper. Excellent choice.
Gerry
Superb! I'm in Co Kerry and used a local full cream goat cheese and and aged Gouda made in Killorglin down the road. I have to say a brilliant combo and then with perfectly ripened vine tomatoes, basil ,plenty of ground black pepper - fine dining! Thank you for the inspiration.
Tessa
This was super delicious, followed directions. I think that what tomatoes are purchased is at the root of people's different results with this recipe. You must get very ripe tomatoes, I followed the descriptor of "juices barely contained by their thin skins," and selected 4 heirloom tomatoes, a little less than 2 pounds. I coarsely chopped them and let them sit in the bowl with the salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes for about a half hour before I got the water boiling; did not need to mash.
Duxnpux
Agree with many who feel less is more on the pasta equation. I think it depends a lot on the type and freshness of the pasta, but would say perhaps half the pasta suggested is about right. I used a Gigli pasta which was good for holding the sauce but my tomatoes were not overripe so the sauce didn’t have the bright rich tang it deserves. A squeeze of lemon and some Kalamatas might have remedied this but I prepared it as written for a fair review.
marina
This truly wasn’t very good. A pink watery mess. Not often do I have bad results with NYT recipes, but this one was a stinker.
MEgan
Guess my tomatos were not ripe enough because this tasted terrible! I love tomatoes but this was just raw tomatoes in a super watery sauce. yuck.
hotsummercook
Delicious! I was tempted to add garlic but I’m glad I didn’t. The delicate thyme shines through and its taste would have been overshadowed. Perhaps if using fresh oregano…
Nori
Delicious and honestly one of the best pasta recipes in our summertime collection. I don't understand how this couldn't be good so don't really understand the negative reviews. Definitely salt more bit the bones of this recipe are great. We added parm on top with some basil springs and a drizzle of fancy olive oil but you don't have to do all of that and it's still good. **third time around making it, we used vegan cashew goat cheese and it was still delicious! Quick way to use fresh tomatoes!
Christa
Wonderfully simple pasta; absolutely essential to use peak summer tomatoes and the best possible cheese you can find.
Carlymarie
This is lovely and simple to make. I actually changed the recipe a bit… instead of leaving the tomatoes raw, I cooked them down on medium with 2 cloves of garlic. Did this to make them a little softer as they weren’t totally ripe, but also to evaporate some of their water. I also added a pound of ground pork as someone else commented they did and it made such a difference! Lastly—used both oregano and thyme. Really delicious! interested in using sundried tomatoes next time..
Richard
This is a recipe for fresh tomatoes. By "cooking them down" you have made a different recipe. Of course a pound of ground pork made a difference. A pound of tofu would make a difference. The tofu would atleast have the added bonus of keeping the dish vegetarian.
Great for the weeknight
Only have a half hour to make a filling, yummy, and decently nutritious meal? This is a great one. Can sub oregano for thyme. Really recommend getting good tomatoes, but even out of season tomatoes work!
Ann
Feeds 4? I’m sorry, but I ate almost all of it myself. delicious when tomatoes are falling off the vine.
Ruth D
Often make this with a round of basil or herb and garlic boursin - delicious!
Josie M
This recipe was bland and it made me sad. Adding balsamic helped a lot, though.
MP
Very watery. I would not mash the tomatoes; just rough chop them.
Theresa
Scrumptious. We made half the recipe, but with 6 oz fusilli, finely grated pecorino Romano & fresh basil. I drained the tomato mixture after marinating, reserving the juice. I added it after combining everything else, instead of additional pasta water beyond the initial tablespoon. The farmers market tomatoes, lightly mashed with a pastry cutter, were juicy, but not overly so. The sauce was silky, vibrant, and delicious, not watery. Prettier than the picture. (More pasta would’ve been too much.)
et
Agree with Marina — very watery. The pasta did not absorb the tomato liquid. Why does the recipe call for mashing the tomatoes, especially when the point of the recipe seems to be to use ripe juicy tomatoes? I wouldn’t make again.
amy f
Used tomatoes from my farm share. Very fresh but results were Watery Too much pasta Added extra red pepper for flavor and corn for texture. Would not make agai.
Erin N
Didn’t have Parmesan so I used pecorino and it was wonderful. Such a flavorful dish!
ME
Made as directed but also added fresh basil along with fresh oregano, and added pan fried bacon, delicious.
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