This easy meatless dish is ready in under 30 minutes. It’s perfect for busy weeknights!
It’s also one of my favorite warm weather pasta dishes.
Fresh basil, tomatoes, and garlic give this dish so much flavor. Adding the ricotta at the end gives it another level of creamy deliciousness.
What you need to make Tomato Basil Pasta with Ricotta:
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
- Fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Cavatappi pasta
- Part-skim ricotta
- Salt and black pepper
It’s amazing that a dish with so few ingredients can be so full of flavor.
How I kept it light:
The first thing I did was limited the amount of olive oil. Since I wasn’t using a lot of oil I made sure to cook it in a nonstick pan.
Instead of using whole milk ricotta, I used part-skim ricotta.
The rest of the points come from the pasta. I used a food scale to make sure the points for the pasta were accurate.
Click here to track the points on your WW app.
How to make Tomato Basil Pasta with Ricotta:
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water when the pasta is done cooking.
Cut all of the grape tomatoes in half.
Heat the oil in a nonstick pan and add the tomatoes. Mince two cloves of garlic and add it to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper.
Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. There should be juice from the tomatoes at the end of the cook time.
Add the cooked pasta and basil to the pan. If it seems dry add in some of the reserved pasta water.
Top with small spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese.
I like to serve this pasta with a side salad or fresh vegetables.
Since it’s a pasta dish, I prefer to serve it with something low in points.
Yield: 4 servings
Click here to track the points on your WW app.
- 8 oz. cavatappi pasta (reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining pasta)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 10 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
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Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
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Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat and add the tomatoes. Stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
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Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. There should be juice from the tomatoes at the end of the cooking time.
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Add the cooked pasta and basil to he pan. If it seems dry add in some of the reserved pasta water.
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Top with small spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese.
Here are some more WW friendly recipes:
Angel Hair Pasta with Bacon and Garlic
If you’re looking for some zero point recipes, check out my post 20 Zero Point Recipes or my post 20 (More) Zero Point Recipes. Both are filled with delicious recipes that won’t cost you a single point! They’re perfect for days when you’re running low on points, or trying to save up points for a night out.
If you’re looking for dessert recipes you can visit 50 Weight Watchers Freestyle Desserts. It’s filled with delicious desserts perfect for Weight Watchers!
Are you looking for a meal plan that’s Weight Watchers friendly? I have over 100 meal plans that you can choose from and I post a new one each week. Click here to check them out!
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