At a Glance
- Dish: Pasta with fresh tomatoes, goat cheese, pine nuts, and a light sauce
- Flavor Profile: Sweet tomatoes, tangy goat cheese, and toasted pine nuts
- Key Ingredient: Goat cheese creates a light, creamy sauce (no added cream)
- Method: Tomatoes are softened in olive oil with sautéed aromatics, then tossed with pasta and crumbled goat cheese
- Servings: 4
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Effort Level: Simple
Light, Creamy Pasta in a Quick Stovetop Sauce
This goat cheese pasta keeps things light and fresh. Instead of a heavy, baked or cream-based sauce, it relies on sweet tomatoes, fragrant aromatics, and tangy chèvre. Onions and garlic are sautéed in olive oil to build a savory base, cherry tomatoes are softened until they release their juices, and a splash of balsamic brightens and balances the flavors. The goat cheese is added at the end so it softens and clings to the pasta, creating a gentle, creamy coating without adding heavy cream.
Toasted pine nuts bring a buttery crunch and deepen the dish, while chopped parsley adds a fresh, herbal finish. Serve this pasta with roasted summer vegetables or a crisp green salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette for a simple, balanced meal that highlights bright tomato flavor and tangy goat cheese.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
A few key ingredients make this recipe sing. Quantities appear in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: Choose short, ridged shapes like rotini, penne, or cavatappi so the sauce and crumbled goat cheese cling to the grooves.
- Pine nuts: Toast until just golden in a dry pan for the best flavor. If pine nuts aren’t available, chopped almonds work as a substitute, though the flavor differs slightly.
- Goat cheese (chèvre): Use a fresh, soft chèvre for a smooth texture. Chilling it briefly in the freezer makes it easier to crumble.
- Grape or cherry tomatoes: Halved small tomatoes release their juices quickly while keeping some texture. Diced Roma tomatoes can be used in a pinch but may be less sweet.
- Balsamic vinegar: A small amount adds balance and sweetness. If you don’t have balsamic, red wine vinegar plus a drop of honey is a viable alternative.
A Quick Look at Preparation
Pasta with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes & Pine Nuts
Begin by toasting pine nuts in a large skillet until they turn lightly golden, then remove and set aside. In the same pan, sauté chopped onion in olive oil until softened and starting to color, then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add halved tomatoes and a splash of chicken broth, cooking briefly until the tomatoes soften and release some juice. Finish the tomato mixture with a little balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving a small amount of the cooking water before draining. Toss the drained pasta with the tomato mixture, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening. Stir in chopped parsley and the toasted pine nuts. Let the pasta cool for a minute or two, then fold in crumbled goat cheese so it softens and lightly coats the pasta without fully melting. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.
Tested Tips
- Toast pine nuts carefully — they brown fast and can burn if left unattended.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help it cling to the pasta.
- Add goat cheese at the end so it softens but doesn’t melt completely, keeping the sauce light and creamy.
More Fresh Tomato Pasta Recipes
If you enjoy the bright sweetness of fresh tomatoes in this dish, try other simple pasta combinations that highlight tomatoes with complementary proteins and cheeses. Lighter sauces and brief cooking preserve tomato flavor and freshness, making these kinds of pasta dishes ideal for weeknight meals.
Pasta with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup pine (pignoli) nuts
- 3/4 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1-1/2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces pasta, rotini, penne, cavatappi
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
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Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
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Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Cook just until the tomatoes begin to soften and release some juices, about 2 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
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Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
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Add the drained pasta to the tomato mixture and toss to combine. If needed, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
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Stir in the parsley and toasted pine nuts. Let the pasta cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the goat cheese and toss gently so it softens slightly without fully melting. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.