Cherry Tomato and Calabrian Chili Spaghetti

Slightly spicy, super hands-off and absolutely comforting

Looking for a bowl of warm and comforting carbs or an easy Saturday night dinner worthy of serving to guests? Or maybe a meatless Monday dinner that’s hands-off and delicious? Grab those cherry tomatoes lingering on your countertop (you know not to refrigerate them, right?) and let’s make dinner.

Since there isn’t a long list of ingredients in this, use the best of everything you can find. You can make this with small tomatoes on the vine or cherry tomatoes, but look for tomatoes with a deep red color (not yellow or orange). It’s not tomato season, but I just made this with the best I could find at H-E-B and the results were so delicious that I decided to share the recipe with you guys. Good quality extra virgin olive oil will make a difference. I don’t have a lot of hard and fast rules about cooking, but one is never to buy those brown and depressing jars of minced garlic. They smell terrible and taste no better—fresh garlic for the win. Dried pasta is one of the least expensive things to make at home. Look for bronze cut options to get fancy, but regular Barilla or De Cecco brand spaghetti will still taste good. I have links and suggestions for Calabrian chili sauce below.

Besides this spaghetti sauce, this stuff is delish mixed with mayo for Italian-style meatball subs or Italian hoagies.

I admittedly have a hard time recommending serving sizes for my recipes. If you’re feeding big eaters or football players, double the recipe. If you’re serving two and want leftovers for lunch the next day, then you’re set.

Cherry Tomato and Calabrian Chili Spaghetti

Serves 2–3

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 24 ounces cherry tomatoes, about 4 cups total

• 3–4 garlic cloves, minced or grated on a Microplane, about a heaping tablespoon

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus about a tablespoon for cooking the spaghetti

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons chopped Calabrian chili sauce (notes on what I use below)

• ½ pound spaghetti, linguini or angel hair

• 5–6 basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade

• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving