Roasted green tomato and avocado pasta full of fresh Southwestern flavors. This is a simple dish that packs a punch, and it’s the perfect way to turn a batch of green cherry tomatoes into a tasty and unique meal!
Wondering what to do with green cherry tomatoes?
THIS. This is what to do.
Following on from my Green Cherry Tomato & Avocado Salsa recipe, I wanted to throw another idea out into the world for green tomatoes, and this time I felt like a pasta sauce was the way to go. It was hard to get away from my love of green tomatoes in a Southwestern context so I just… brought those flavors in. And it was unexpected and delightful and I highly recommend it!
We roast the tomatoes in cumin and garlic, then combine them with cilantro, onion, avocado, lime and a couple of different cheeses before tossing them into pasta. It’s filling and substantial but also light and fresh and summery. You will love it!
To be clear, I am working with naturally green cherry tomatoes that are ripe – not under-ripe tomatoes. The taste is tangier than red tomatoes but still fairly sweet.
You are always welcome to make an Italian style sauce with this type of green tomato (Cherry Tomato Spaghetti Sauce or Butter Heirloom Tomato Sauce will work out fine with all greens), but if I do that I can’t stop the feeling that the look and the taste don’t quite synch up. In this recipe, the flavor profile and the visuals are a little more aligned.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Green cherry plum tomatoes: You are also welcome to mix in some pale white / yellow cherry tomatoes if they are available but I would avoid red or orange for this recipe – I think the visuals would be too messy if we introduced those colors.
- Linguine or another long pasta shape: My preference for this recipe but go ahead with a short pasta shape if that is all you have.
- Parmesan or Italian hard cheese: This is mixed in with the tomatoes and lime to form a thick creamy sauce.
- Feta, cotija or another crumbly cheese: Whatever is available to you – in the UK feta is much more widely available than cotija so that is what I go with. It is mixed in at the end to add some texture and pops of flavor.
- Avocado: I love the extra creaminess and color that chunks of avocado bring to the plate. If you need to leave it out, feel free, but use more feta.
- Lime: Or you can swap in lemon if you need to.
- Dried cumin: To roast the tomatoes in.
- Cilantro (fresh coriander) is the ideal herb here but if you need to swap in something like basil, chives or parsley it should turn out OK.
- Red onion: or a sweet white onion, but I do enjoy the pops of color from the red onion.
- Garlic: and a lot of it! Feel free to use fresh or the frozen / jarred stuff.
Variations and Other Additions
- Some green chili would be tasty here, cooked in the pan after softening the onion.
- White beans would be a good add-in for additional protein but reduce the pasta a little so that the sauce isn’t stretched too thin.
- Crumbled tortilla chips would make a fun crunchy topping.
- Pepitas (toasted sunflower seeds) would be another way to add some crunchy texture.
Pasta with Roasted Green Tomato Sauce & Avocado
Ingredients
- olive oil, for cooking
- 1 lb green cherry tomatoes , halved
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed, divided
- 2 tsp dried cumin
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 large avocado, cubed
- ½ bunch cilantro (fresh coriander)
- 3.5 oz (100 g) feta, cotija or another crumbly cheese, crumbled
- ¾ cup (75 g) parmesan, grated
- 11 oz (300 g) linguine, or another long pasta shape
- ½ lime, for juicing and zesting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 360F.
- Prepare your tomatoes. Slice them in half, then toss with HALF of the crushed garlic (from three cloves), cumin and enough olive oil to lightly coat each tomato. Scatter them in a baking dish and place in the oven on a middle shelf for 20 minutes.olive oil, 1 lb green cherry tomatoes, 2 tsp dried cumin, 6 cloves garlic
- Meanwhile, in a large deep saute or frying pan, saute your onions in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for another moment until fragrant and softening.1/2 medium red onion, 6 cloves garlic
- Remove from the heat and add the avocado to the pan. Gently mix with the oil and onion/garlic mixture, then set aside.1 large avocado
- Keep an eye on the tomatoes. Once they are burst and starting to brown, turn off the oven temperature but let them sit at the bottom of the oven while you get the pasta boiling.
- Set the pasta boiling according to package instructions.11 oz linguine
- Once the pasta has reached a simmer, remove the tomatoes from the oven and add the lime juice and zest. Mix through.1/2 lime
- Pour the roasted tomatoes into the pan with the onions, garlic and avocado. Use a spatula to get as much of the juices out of the roasting dish as possible. Add the parmesan cheese to the pan and very gently mix through. You shouldn't need any heat – the residual heat from the tomatoes and on the pan should be enough for the cheese to start melting in.3/4 cup parmesan
- Once the pasta is boiled, drain and add to the pan. Add the cilantro and feta cheese at the same time Toss through very gently, being mindful not to break up the avocado chunks or feta crumbles any more than necessary.1/2 bunch cilantro (fresh coriander), 3.5 oz feta, cotija or another crumbly cheese
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
