The Ina Garten Pasta Recipe You Should Have Memorized
If there's one thing we've come to expect from Ina Garten, it's her effortless pasta recipes that all but make themselves. The most recent example from the Barefoot Contessa is her tutorial for Summer Garden Pasta over on Instagram.
"Another fabulous, surprisingly simple summer recipe that I love comes from my late friend Jean Halberstam," Ina said in the caption. "Jean's husband used to call this Summer Garden Pasta a three-bowler. ?? Would you agree?"
Well by the looks of it, yes, obviously. Who doesn't love an angel hair pasta moment in the middle of summer? And considering the ready-to-be-used bowl of tomatoes I immediately spied on my countertop, I knew I had to give it a try.
Get the recipe: Ina Garten's Summer Garden Pasta
Kelli Acciardo
What You Need To Make Ina's Summer Garden Pasta
If you love Ina and tomatoes you probably have most of the ingredients you need for this super simple dish. Start with cherry tomatoes. They're the heart of the dish, so get the best ones you can find, though, as Ina always reminds us, "storebought is fine." Grab some good olive oil, garlic, a bunch of fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, angel hair pasta and some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
In classic Ina fashion, this recipe is customizable. Don't have angel hair pasta? Just use spaghetti. I imagine it would even taste delish with a short-cut shape like cavatappi or the summer pasta salad champion: farfalle.
Related: 19 Classic Ina Garten Recipes That Prove She's the GOAT
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How to Make Ina's Summer Garden Pasta
Start by halving the tomatoes (you can use grape tomatoes if you don't have cherry tomatoes), mincing the garlic, chopping the basil (we prefer the chiffonade technique Ina uses TBH) and organizing the rest of your ingredients.
Add the tomatoes to a big bowl with about 1/2 cup of olive oil, the basil and the red pepper flakes. Add a teaspoon each of salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Kelli Acciardo
Once that's all tossed together, you're going to cover the bowl and let the tomatoes hang out for about four hours. This will help infuse the tomatoes with the garlicky basily flavor, so don't skip this key step.
Kelli Acciardo
Once the tomatoes are ready (they smell SO GOOD when you uncover the bowl), boil your pasta until it's al dente. Angel hair cooks very quickly so check it after 2-3 minutes. Soggy noodles have no place in this recipe. Toss the pasta with the juicy tomatoes and add in some extra fresh basil. Make a few giant cosmos and call a few friends over for an Ina-worthy Summer Garden Pasta party.
Related: 'I Tried Ina Garten's French Potato Salad and It's Practically Perfect'
Kelli Acciardo
Related: 5 Best Ina Garten Desserts, Ranked
How To Serve Ina's Summer Garden Pasta
Pro tip: Give each person a big bowl (no bigger). That will save you from having to reach for seconds (and thirds) from the main bowl. You'll also want a sizeable dusting of grated Parmesan on top and an extra dish of it on the side, in case you need a refresher. Eat the pasta solo or pair it with a crusty baguette and a Florentine-style steak, and you'll be well on your way to living your best tomato girl summer life.
What I Thought of Ina's Summer Garden Pasta
When I say you're going to be making this one on repeat, I mean it. There's just something about the trifecta of tomatoes, basil and cheese that just slaps. Toss all of that with warm pasta and watch out! The pinch of red pepper flakes gives it a nice kick as well, but if you like your heat level dialed all the way up then you could always drizzle a little Calabrian chili oil on top. It doesn't need it though. Simplicity is what Ina does best and this recipe proves it.