This post is featuring my favorite onions, Vidalia onions! This Cherry Tomato Vidalia Onion Pasta is so deliciously saucy featuring summery cherry tomatoes and sweet and delicious Vidalia onions. Best part about this dish: it takes under 30 minutes to make!
About Vidalia Onions
This post is sponsored by Vidalia onions. If you’re unfamiliar with Vidalia onions, let’s get acquainted! They hail from the town of Vidalia, Georgia. These onions are mild, deliciously sweet and perfect for savory meals. They’re only available during the months of April through the end of August or while supplies last; so if you see them at the grocery store this summer, pick up few while you can!
Summer Pasta At Its Finest
When I was developing this recipe, my instinct was to caramelize these onions but I ended up loving them so much when they were melted and super soft. They add the loveliest flavor to this pasta.
This pasta is a breeze! It doesn’t require a ton of ingredients. And doesn’t call for a ton of time. And all of the flavors are balanced and delicious. The cherry tomatoes create a sticky sauce with the onions, butter and pasta water. When tossed with some spaghetti and fresh basil, you’re left a simple summer pasta that is so SO good.
How to Make Cherry Tomato Vidalia Onion Pasta
- Warm up the olive oil. Add the minced Vidalia onions and cook them until they’re super softened and melted. This may seem like TOO much olive oil but this is going to create a base for the sauce.
- Then, add the cherry tomatoes, garlic and crushed red pepper. I like to cook these cherry tomatoes, covered, for 5 minutes. This will soften them and release all of their juices.
- Next, uncover the pot, and cook for another 10 minutes. This will thicken the tomatoes. Give it a taste and add more salt, if you like.
- At this time, I like to turn off the heat for the sauce and cook the pasta.
- Be sure to reserve about 1/3 cup of pasta water. Add it to the sauce and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Add the cooked pasta, butter and fresh basil to the cherry tomatoes. Mix it vigorously for about 2 minutes. This will really make it saucy and combined.
- Plate it up and top it with a bit of Parmesan-Reggiano, crushed red pepper and some fresh basil.
Tips and Tricks
- Fresh cherry tomatoes of the yellow AND red variety are a good combination because the yellow is more tart and bright, while the red tomatoes are more sweet.
- Pasta water is your friend. This starch water is a necessary addition with all pasta dishes, in my opinion. It thickens the sauce in the most perfect way.
If you make this recipe, let me know on Instagram!
Looking for more recipes like this? Here are some favorites:
Cherry Tomato Vidalia Onion Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 small Vidalia onion peeled and finely diced
- Kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 22 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 pound spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 handful of basil leaves roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large pan, set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the olive oil is warm, add the diced Vidalia onions and few generous pinches of salt. Give it a mix and let them cook, covered, for 7 minutes. You really want the diced onions to melt in the pan with the olive oil. I like to make sure the heat is low enough so they slowly cook and don’t brown or burn.
- Next, add the minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and cherry tomatoes. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, covered, until the tomatoes are softened and have released a lot of their juices. Uncover and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, until it thickens. Turn off the heat while we make the pasta.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta until al dente. I usually cook it about 1 minute before al dente because I like to finish cooking the pasta in the pan with the sauce. Reserve about 3/4 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and turn your attention to the pan with the cherry tomatoes.
- To the sauce, add about 1/2 cup of pasta water and bring it to a rapid simmer. Cook for about 2 minutes; give it a taste and adjust the salt to taste. I added a few more pinches of salt. Add the pasta in, along with the butter and toss together for about a minute, until completely combined.
Notes
- Fresh cherry tomatoes of the yellow AND red variety are a good combination because the yellow is more tart and bright, while the red tomatoes are more sweet.
- Pasta water is your friend. This starch water is a necessary addition with all pasta dishes, in my opinion. It thickens the sauce in the most perfect way.
- When buying pasta, look for "bronze-die." While this pasta is always a few dollars more, it means that the pasta is extruded with a bronze extruder. This means that your pasta water will be more starchy and flavorful. And the exterior of the pasta will be ashy and rough - resulting in the pasta sauce adhering to it easier.
Nutrition
(This post has been sponsored by the Vidalia Onion Committee. Links featured within, not inclusive of the official Vidalia Onion Committee website or previously sponsored content, are not sanctioned or endorsed by the Vidalia Onion Committee.)
Favorite vegetarian pasta dish! So so good and rich without any dairy!
This pasta is delicious! So much flavor (even without the fresh basil — I didn’t have any on hand)! My family loved it. Thank you!
Super easy dinner! it’s delicious and refreshing a winning combo ❤️
The Vadalia Onion looks cool! I’ve never really cared about choosing the onion brand as long as they look fresh and good! Thanks for the recipe and recommendation.
I made this tonight and it turned out so tasty! I added double red pepper and it was spicy, but so good. Love a good simple summer pasta!
Do you know if the Vidalia are similar to Walla Walla sweet onions?
I’ve never had a Walla Walla sweet onion. I just googled the difference to see what I can find and people do write that they’re similar!
Made this tonight, I was skeptical with the technique at first but ended up very happy with the result. Thank you for sharing 🙂
I’m all all all about this post/dish right now, especially after the appalling pasta selection in Bard’s dining hall. As a matter of fact, significant library time was devoted to salivating over thoughts of this with a glass of good wine in lieu of studying for French
Pasta, pasta, pasta…all day every day 🙂 This looks great!
This looks really good. I never thought of cooking pasta like risotto. I am definitely going to try this recipe!
Was soo amazing!! Very light yet very satisfying:) Yummy Yummy for the tummy
Rock it out A!!
Mm I think I could eat that everyday too! ;]
I didn’t know you could cook pasta like risotto! Also – I love Mark Bittman!
I think I could literally eat this every day!