By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 2
364 cal · 13 min
Capellini with Tomatoes, Ham, Basil and Garlic Sauce
Recipe GLPR2424b1c7300f3b
A light and vibrant pasta dish featuring delicate capellini tossed with a fresh basil and garlic sauce, topped with juicy tomato wedges and optional sliced ham. The sauce is made by blending fresh basil, roasted garlic, and fiery bird's eye chili with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lime juice for a bright, herbaceous finish.
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Ingredients
1½ cup fresh basil leaves
1 bird's eye chili, finely chopped
8 oz capellini pasta, cooked al dente
extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, roasted in a dry pan
1 lime juice, freshly squeezed
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
2½ whole ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
thinly sliced ham, optional
Directions
Toast the garlic cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the roasted garlic cloves, fresh basil leaves, finely chopped bird's eye chili, salt, and black pepper.
With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, starting with 2 tablespoons and adding more gradually until the mixture reaches a paste-like consistency. The sauce should be thick and emulsified.
Transfer the basil-garlic sauce to a large serving bowl.
Squeeze the lime juice into the sauce and stir well. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed.
Add the cooked al dente capellini to the bowl with the sauce and toss gently but thoroughly, ensuring all pasta is coated.
Add the tomato wedges and sliced ham (if using) and toss gently 2-3 more times to combine, being careful not to break the pasta or crush the tomatoes.
Serve immediately while the pasta is still warm, adjusting seasonings to taste as desired.
Comments
This is a genuinely quick weeknight pasta that hits all the practical marks for Charlotte shoppers: capellini, tomatoes, ham, garlic, and basil are stocked everywhere from Harris Teeter to ALDI, and the stated 13 minutes is honest since there's no sauce to simmer—just chop and toss. The real cost driver is ham quality, which at most local chains runs $8–12 per pound for decent stuff, pushing the per-serving cost to around $4–5 depending on your ham choice, plus another $2–3 for pasta and tomatoes. Bird's eye chilies aren't standard at Food Lion or ALDI but show up reliably at Harris Teeter and Kroger, so no second trip required for most readers. The dish reheats adequately but loses its fresh herb snap, making it best eaten the same night; it's also fussy only to the extent that timing matters when you're tossing pasta with room-temperature sauce, so a family with kids might find it slightly finicky. This recipe works best as a light summer supper when local tomatoes and basil are in season, though it's forgivable year-round—a solid, no-fuss option that earns its place without being remarkable.
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