Turmeric-Butter Pasta With Tomatoes
Published Aug. 22, 2025
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt and black pepper
- 8ounces fettuccine or linguine
- 10ounces small tomatoes, such as cherry or Sungold
- 4garlic cloves
- 5tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2teaspoons ground turmeric
- Crumbled feta, optional, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
836 calories; 35 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 113 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 743 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes into halves or quarters and finely chop or grate the garlic.
- Step 3
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium. Once bubbling, stir in the garlic and turmeric, letting them sizzle and bloom until fragrant, 10 to 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are warmed through and just starting to cave in and become part of the butter sauce, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 4
When the pasta is done cooking, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet, letting it melt almost completely before adding the pasta and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything very well, adding more pasta water as the sauce thickens and the pasta soaks it up, then turn off heat. Transfer to serving plates. Top with more black pepper and feta, if using.
Private Notes
Comments
Wow, this was incredible!! I added zucchini, corn, and basil because I had them, but the turmeric-tomato-butter is amazing.
As a tomato hater, this was…delicious! Subtle, yet rich flavor and the sauce came out nice and creamy. I’d consider adding chickpeas or chicken next time for some protein, but the pasta was nice and light on its own.
Instead of feta - which personally strikes me as an odd thing to add - ricotta salata or pecorino would give the salty lift at the end.
It was a great base. I ended up adding a lot of pepper. Didn’t totally love the feta with the sauce though. The sauce was great and the sauce with the pasta is very warm and comforting. Next time I’m going to make this with more veggies, like some other commenters suggested.
Not a fan ... not for me, nor for my husand ... just ok. I try to be careful about my butter intake (but, I love it so!) and this recipe will not be in my "butter budget" moving forward. (Also, now my lower lip has a turmeric shadow edging it). Used a freshly opened jar of premium turmeric (not Penzey's but something like). Used Bulgarian feta (a creamier feta).
The feta is not optional, no matter how wierd you think it sounds. Use a high quality one. As one reviewer said, it's subtle, but resist the urge to put in additional strong flavors and see if the earthy, rich sauce grows on you. I also planned ahead enough to soak and cook some black garbanzos, which added protein and a sensational contrasting color to the dish. Sublime.