An Easy Travel Meal Idea – Summer Tomato Pasta

Fresh Tomatoes!

Need ideas for easy travel meals? Here’s one that you can prepare (and ENJOY!) whether you’re at home, in an RV, on a boat, or even in a hotel kitchenette. Whenever we can get our hands on some fresh & ripe tomatoes, we enjoy this meal at home AND on board our boat. It’s adapted from Ina Garten’s Summer Tomato pasta recipe. If you need an easy and delicious meal, a real homemade dinner that’s bursting with flavor, gives this recipe a try. The best part is you can throw it together in about five minutes or less in the morning and then go off and enjoy your day.  It’ll be nearly ready when you get home. All that’s left to do is cook the pasta and you have a healthy fresh meal — ready in an instant. We’re always experimenting with recipes for easy travel meals, so please check back often to see what we love and want to share!

Fresh Tomato Pasta

 What you will need:

1/2 to 1 lb of your favorite pasta (whatever you have on hand will do)

1-2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped (an exact amount is NOT needed)

1-2 Tbs basil, you can use more or less if you like it (we use this kind since it keeps longer, whether at home or on the go)

2 Tbs or 6 cloves minced garlic (we like more, but adjust to your taste (+ we try to use fresh, but on the boat, we stick with this kind if we can’t find fresh)

1 tsp salt (add more or less if you use more or less tomatoes)

1/4 Tsp ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 Tsp crushed red pepper

parmesan cheese – to taste

Just chop up the tomatoes to a size that you prefer, chunky or finely diced, add the other ingredients, combine in a bowl, cover and let the flavors meld for at least 4 hours. You don’t even need to refrigerate this as it sits. (Go off and enjoy your day!) When you return, you can leave the sauce as is, or process it in a blender or food chopper to make it less chunky. We often leave it just as it is. Then cook your favorite pasta drain it,  and quickly mix the tomato sauce in while the pasta it still really hot. (you can also microwave the tomato sauce if you want it warmer, we don’t). Sprinkle with parmesan, (or as Hal does, more crushed red pepper, to give it a spicy KICK!) We’d love to know what you think!

Here’s our video showing what it looks like when you are finished.

We always try to have garlic bread and a salad with this meal but it’s fine on its own and we know you’ll enjoy it!

Marinating while you’re away!

In case you need it, here’s a link to the original recipe.

Happy Cooking at home, on the go,  & especially on a boat!

As always, we want you to know that some of the links above are affiliate links to products or services that we truly believe in and shared, because they are helpful & useful. So, at no additional cost to you, we’ll earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through those links.