Spaghetti with Sun Gold Tomato Sauce

A delicate pasta dish featuring sweet Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes in a fragrant herb-infused sauce. The aromatics of basil, thyme, tarragon, star anise, and clove create a sophisticated twist on classic tomato sauce.

4 servings
37 min

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 sprigs basil
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • ½ sprig tarragon
  • 1 pod star anise
  • 1 whole clove
  • 4 cups Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons Sherry or red wine vinegar
  • to taste Kosher salt and pepper
  • 12 ounces spaghetti

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft but not brown, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, basil, thyme, and tarragon sprigs, star anise, and clove, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes release their juices and a sauce forms, 10-15 minutes. Discard thyme, tarragon, and basil sprigs, star anise, and clove. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

    25 min

  2. 2.

    Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

    10 min

  3. 3.

    Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce in skillet. Cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes.

    2 min

  4. 4.

    DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat before tossing with spaghetti.