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Pasta alla Checca is a super-easy, refreshing recipe with a no-cook tomato and basil sauce combined with extra-virgin olive oil, creamy ricotta and sharp Pecorino cheese. It has clean, simple flavors that anyone can master with great ingredients and a little bit of time. Read on for more!
What is Checca Sauce?
Pasta alla Checca (pronouced cake-ah) is the dish to make when you don’t really feel like cooking but want something very special and delicious and/or you want to impress someone. Because, this dish is very impressive.
I get it–it’s basically tomatoes, basil, olive oil and cheese–like many other recipes. So, you may be thinking–what’s so special about this dish?
Well, it’s in the way that these ingredients are combined. Ripe tomatoes are basically macerated with a little salt–meaning, the salt draws out their juices over time and forms the most sensationally-flavored natural sauce that you’ve ever tasted. And, the fact that the tomatoes remain raw in this recipe maintains their natural sweetness in, well, the sweetest way possible. (This is very similar to the process in my Tuscan-inspired Caprese Panzanella bread salad.) Add to this extra-virgin olive oil and ricotta cheese with a little sharpness thrown in from briny olives and Pecorino cheese, and you have your new favorite pasta dish.
Rooted in a traditional recipe from Rome where it’s often made with spaghetti and either served without cheese or with fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano, my version is a bit different. I fold in creamy ricotta cheese at the end, creating a velvety, rich sauce. And, I pair this sauce with medium pasta shells so that the various tomato and olive bits can nestle joyfully in this shape’s crevices.
This dish is almost identical to another Italian recipe, Pasta alla Crudaiola, which is also made with an uncooked tomato sauce.
Once the hot pasta is combined with the tomatoes and cheeses, it basically becomes more of a room temperature pasta dish. You can even refrigerate it and serve it as a chilled pasta dish for something different.
There are different theories as to what “alla checca” means. Some say it was the name of a restaurant in the 60s, La Sora Checca. Others say it refers to a woman named Francesca that created the dish (checca being a diminutive form of the name).
But, all we really need to know is that it is the inspiration for this delicious recipe that is perfect anytime–weekday or weekend.
What Inspired This Recipe
Similar to my Zucchini alla Scapece recipe, I actually learned this recipe from a fantastic, British chef and cookbook author, Alastair Little, during a hands-on cooking holiday that I took in Umbria, a land-locked region in central Italy. Alastair’s technique was a bit more “classic” than my rustic version. He quickly blanched plum tomatoes and removed their skins before proceeding with the recipe. (I leave the skins on in my version–no blanching required.) He also did not include olives in his recipe. Over the years of making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve tried different ingredients and techniques and oil-cured black olives is the only extra that I kept as I feel it really enhances the sauce’s flavor.
This dish immediately left an impression on me. And, I believe that it will leave one on you, too. It is a perfect example of the “less is more” ideology of cooking and my personal culinary philosophy of–find the best possible ingredients that you can and do very little to them. In fact, do very little to this recipe. It is basically perfect as is. I don’t say that all the time, but it really applies here.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No. Cooking. Required. (well, other than the pasta!): I am confident in saying that anyone can successfully make this dish. No cooking skill required. Your knife skills don’t even need to be good. It’s all about the fresh flavor of the ingredients and a little time to bring out their essence.
- No-Fuss: Prep this raw tomato sauce early in the day and hold it at room temperature, then just toss it with hot pasta and ricotta when you are ready to eat. Easy peasy!
- Incredible, Fresh Flavor! Seriously, though–once you taste the amazing flavor in this dish, I would bet money that you will put this recipe on repeat in your cucina.
- Screams summer, but perfect all year-round: I made this dish with homegrown “sauce” tomatoes (See Ingredient section below.), but have made it dozens of times with grape, cherry and pear tomatoes which are generally sweet all-year round. In fact, because of the preparation technique, even average plum or roma tomatoes will be outstanding in this dish.
Pasta alla Checca will wow both you and your guests with its unbelievable flavor, colors and texture. I hope you give it a try!
Ingredients for Pasta alla Checca
To make this no-cook checca recipe properly, use the best quality ingredients that you can, as they will truly make a difference. The ingredients are few, but significant.
- Fresh Tomatoes: As this recipe is basically a raw/no-cook tomato sauce, the choice of tomatoes is very important. Traditionally, this dish is made in the summer when tomatoes are in their prime form. I love making this dish with my own homegrown “sauce” tomatoes, like San Marzano, plum and roma tomatoes. (“Sauce” or “paste” tomatoes tend to be more oval, oblong or pear-shaped and are more meaty than “slicing” tomatoes for sandwiches and salads.) Ripe, sweet tomatoes are essential for this dish. Having said this, this recipe can and should be made all year. In the off-season, I will make Pasta alla Checca with grape, pear or cherry tomatoes that tend to be reliably sweet year-round. Do not attempt to make this dish with canned or jarred tomatoes.
- Salt: Salt is not just seasoning in this dish, but also the tool to draw out the juices of the tomatoes, creating a super-flavorful sauce in the process (i.e., maceration). Any type of salt will do. I prefer either a light, flaky salt or fine sea salt.
- Fresh Basil: Lots of it. Be sure that it is fragrant and fresh and not limp or wilty. Buy it the day you are making this dish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use the really great olive oil in this recipe–you will taste the nuances of it in the final dish. Choose a first, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil that has not been on your shelf for years. Fresher (younger) is better when it comes to olive oil.
- Ricotta Cheese: If you can find “fresh” ricotta cheese, which generally refers to ricotta that has been made homemade at an Italian specialty store, by all means use that! Otherwise, use the best quality/brand that you can find at your local supermarket.
- Pecorino Cheese: While Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is actually used in many classic versions of this recipe, the sharpness of Pecorino Romano cheese really complements the fruity tomatoes much better.
- Black, Oil-Cured Olives: These are an optional ingredient that you can totally omit. But I do like the extra briny, salty tang that they add to the dish’s overall flavor. They add a pleasant contrast to the sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Pasta: I love this dish with medium pasta shells, a.k.a., conchiglie. The little pieces of tomato and olive get nestled in the crevices of the shells and are so fun to eat! Having said this, this dish would work really well with any type of short pasta that, ideally, has ridges to adhere to the sauce and crevices of some sort, like mezze rigatoni, penne rigate or lumache. Traditionally, this dish is made with spaghetti, which is almost always a great idea.
Believe it or not, there is no garlic in this recipe. It’s one of the few pasta recipes that I make without it! As this is a raw sauce, the sharp flavor of garlic would likely overtake the delicate flavors in this dish. However, if you would like to add some garlic, I suggest using a softer Garlic Confit and not raw.
Find a complete and detailed list of ingredients with amounts and instructions in the recipe below.
Pasta alla Checca Step-by-Step, Pro-Tips included!
Anybody can make this quick and easy pasta with raw tomato sauce and ricotta and be successful! It really could not be any simpler–it just takes great ingredients and a little bit of resting time. Here are the main steps:
- Gather and prep all ingredients. Then, prepare the tomatoes. If using plum or roma tomatoes, remove the core, then chop the whole tomato (including the pulp and seeds) into a small dice and scrape the tomato pieces and their juices into a large bowl. If using grape, cherry or pear tomatoes, slice them in ¼ lengthwise and place in a large bowl.
- PRO-TIP: As this recipe is basically a raw/no-cook tomato sauce, the choice of tomatoes is very important. Traditionally, this dish is made in the summer when tomatoes are in their prime form. I love making this dish with my own homegrown “sauce” tomatoes, like San Marzano, plum and roma tomatoes. Ripe, sweet tomatoes are essential for this dish. Having said this, this recipe can and should be made year-round. In the off-season, I will make Pasta alla Checca with cherry, grape or pear tomatoes that tend to be reliably sweet year-round.
- Add the olives, olive oil, salt and black pepper to the tomatoes and stir well. Leave this bowl covered in a cool place until needed, for a minimum of one hour and up to 6 hours. The salt will draw out the juices from the tomatoes and form a sauce. Give this tomato mixture a stir every 30 minutes or so.
- PRO-TIP: Pull the ricotta out of the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature about 45 minutes before serving.
- Cook pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente and reserve some of the starchy pasta water.
- PRO-TIP: For most of my pasta dishes, I recommend cooking the pasta until about 2 minutes before it is al dente so that it can finish cooking in the sauce. This is not the case with this recipe as the sauce is raw. So, when the pasta and sauce are mixed together, the relatively large amount of cold ingredients lowers the temperature of the pasta and immediately stops its cooking. So, pull the pasta out of the boiling water when it is exactly ready (al dente), and then mix it with the sauce.
Once cooked, drain and transfer the pasta to the tomato mixture along with the ricotta cheese, basil leaves and Pecorino cheese. Mix well.
- PRO-TIP: If the dish needs more moisture, add a little pasta water, a couple of tablespoons at a time. It the mixture seems a bit juicy, let it sit for a couple minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the tomato sauce. Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve. That’s it!
More Fresh Veggie Pasta Recipes
If you love pasta dishes with fresh vegetables as much as me, give these other favorites a try!
- Linguine with Fresh Basil Pesto–a no-cook sauce bursting with flavor!
- Bucatini with Ricotta, Slow–Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes–hearty and delicious!
- Pasta with Quick Grape Tomato Sauce–the lovely flavor of fresh tomatoes
- Pasta with Sicilian Trapanese Pesto–a raw tomato and toasted almond pesto
Frequently Asked Questions about Pasta alla Checca
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about this quick and easy no-cook checca sauce:
As this recipe is basically a raw/no-cook tomato sauce, the choice of tomatoes is very important.
Traditionally, this dish is made in the summer when tomatoes are in their prime form. I love making this dish with my own homegrown “sauce” tomatoes, like San Marzano, plum and roma tomatoes. (“Sauce” or “paste” tomatoes tend to be more oval, oblong or pear-shaped and are more meaty than “slicing” tomatoes for sandwiches and salads.)
Ripe, sweet tomatoes are essential for this dish. Having said this, this recipe can and should be made year-round. In the off-season, I will make Pasta alla Checca with cherry, grape or pear tomatoes that tend to be reliably sweet year-round.
Do not attempt to make this dish with canned or jarred tomatoes.
For sure! If you would like to make this as a plant-based dish, simply omit the cheese and be more generous with the olive oil and it will be beautiful, delicious and 100% vegan.
As far as using a different cheese, many versions of Pasta alla Checca are actually made with fresh mozzarella and/or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. So, these are other cheese options.
If you like this recipe, check out Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic and Homemade Vodka Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil!
Recipe Variations for Pasta alla Checca
There is one variation that I will suggest for this dish, and that is to omit the cheese and be more generous with the olive oil to make it a beautiful and delicious, 100% plant-based dish. Then, it will basically be a simple pasta with raw tomato sauce (sugo crudo). Otherwise, as my cooking instructor, Alastair, said, “don’t muck about with this recipe at all; it’s perfect as is.”
Serving Suggestions and Storage for Checca Sauce
This Pasta in a No-Cook Tomato Sauce with Ricotta is definitely a hearty main dish. Or, pair it with a few other dishes in a smaller portion. Here are a few suggestions for what to serve with this delicious recipe:
- Light Green Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette
- Fried Peppers, Sweet or Hot
- Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
- Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
- Meatballs with Pesto
- And, be sure to top it off with some homemade Italian chili oil and enjoy a nice glass of Pinot Grigio with it!
While I love to serve and eat this dish immediately once ready, you can actually allow it to cool completely, chill it, and serve it fredda style (i.e., as a cold pasta salad).
And, even if you decide that you are not in the mood for pasta, you can easily turn the tomato mixture (without the ricotta) into a quick Tuscan bread salad, like this Panzanella Toscana, by combining the juicy, tomato sauce with cubed toasted bread and adding in lots of fresh basil.
As for storage, I doubt this will be a problem, as you will likely not have any leftovers. But, if you do, you can hold them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Either bring the leftovers to room temperature before eating or heat them up in a small pan over medium low heat. The tomato sauce will no longer be raw at that point, but it will still be very tasty.
Freezing is not recommended.
Kitchen Tools & Cookware Needed
To make this easy Italian pasta dish, you’ll need the following:
- Cutting board with non-slip mat underneath (I use shelf liner)
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Tomato corer (optional)
- Cheese grater (optional)
- Multiple bowls to hold prep
- Wooden or silicon spoons, tongs
- Large pot for cooking pasta
- Colander, large mesh strainer or spider for scooping out or draining pasta
- Large serving bowl or platter and serving utensils
More Great Pasta Recipes to Try
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog Mangia With Michele and all of my Italian recipes!
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Pasta alla Checca ~ No Cook Tomato Sauce with Ricotta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ripe plum or other tomatoes (See NOTE below.)
- ½ cup pitted and rough chopped black, oil-cured olives (optional)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound medium pasta shells + salt for pasta water
- 1 pound ricotta cheese at room temperature (can use a 15-ounce container)
- 1 cup firmly-packed basil leaves, hand-torn or lightly chopped, plus more for garnish
- ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Gather and prep all ingredients according to specifications above. Then, prepare the tomatoes. If using plum or roma tomatoes, remove the core, then chop the whole tomato (including the pulp and seeds) into a small dice and scrape the tomato pieces and their juices into a large bowl. If using grape, cherry or pear tomatoes, slice them in ¼ lengthwise and place in a large bowl.2 pounds ripe plum or other tomatoes
- Add the olives, olive oil, salt and black pepper to the tomatoes and stir well. Leave this bowl covered in a cool place until needed, for a minimum of one hour and up to 6 hours. The salt will draw out the juices from the tomatoes and form a sauce. Give this tomato mixture a stir every 30 minutes or so.½ cup pitted and rough chopped black, oil-cured olives, ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp salt, Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- Pull the ricotta out of the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature about 45 minutes before serving.1 pound ricotta cheese
- Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt, then the pasta, stirring frequently.1 pound medium pasta shells
- Cook the pasta until al dente and reserve some of the starchy pasta water. (You may or may not need the pasta water.) NOTE: For most of my pasta dishes, I recommend cooking the pasta until about 2 minutes before it is al dente so that it can finish cooking in the sauce. This is not the case with this recipe as the sauce is raw. So, when the pasta and sauce are mixed together, the relatively large amount of cold ingredients lowers the temperature of the pasta and immediately stops its cooking. Consequently, the pasta should be drained/pulled out of the boiling water at the moment when it is exactly ready (al dente), and then mixed with the sauce.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and transfer it to the tomato mixture along with the ricotta cheese, basil leaves and Pecorino cheese. Mix well. If more moisture is needed, add a little pasta water, a couple of tablespoons at a time. It the mixture seems a bit juicy, let it sit for a couple minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the additional tomato sauce.1 cup firmly-packed basil leaves,, ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Garnish with additional basil leaves and serve. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- As this recipe is basically a raw/no-cook tomato sauce, the choice of tomatoes is very important. Traditionally, this dish is made in the summer when tomatoes are in their prime form. I love making this dish with my own homegrown “sauce” tomatoes, like San Marzano, plum and roma tomatoes. (“Sauce” or “paste” tomatoes tend to be more oval, oblong or pear-shaped and are more meaty than “slicing” tomatoes for sandwiches and salads.) Ripe, sweet tomatoes are essential for this dish. Having said this, this recipe can and should be made year-round. In the off-season, I will make Pasta alla Checca with cherry, grape or pear tomatoes that tend to be reliably sweet year-round.
- If you don’t have medium pasta shells, any short pasta, ideally with ridges or an opening to capture the sauce (such as mezze rigatoni, penne rigate, or lumache, will do. You can also pair this sauce with spaghetti.
This was the perfect recipe for a hot night! And it helped me use the abundance of cherry tomatoes from my garden. I will make this again!
I made this for Sunday dinner this Labor Day weekend for my sister, brother, in-laws and niece, I used San Marzano tomatoes, it was delicious! Everyone loved it and wants the recipe! It’s a perfect summer meal with garden tomatoes and basil, will definitely make this again!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Adina!
I made this for dinner tonight. How did it go over? My wife asked for seconds before she finished her first plate. Simple recipe, ideal for summer. Love the addition of the ricotta! I’ll make this a bunch. (And the pro tip about taking the ricotta out of the refrigerator ahead of time was great – it made it much easier to work with!)
I am SO happy that you and your wife enjoyed the recipe, Tony! Thanks for your comment.
Oh yes, ideal Sunday dinner especially during summertime and tomato season!
Sundays are special and we always enjoy an Italian (Italian-American too) meal for Sunday dinners. I made this Pasta all Checca-No Cook Tomato Sauce with Ricotta yesterday, 13 Aug 2023. I prepped the tomatoes early in the day which left plenty of time for Sunday Funday pool time! As well delicious, it is not complicated or time-consuming as long as you prep early, love this about this recipe too. Grazie Michele ; ))!
I’m SO glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christina! It is truly one of my favorites. Thank you for the comment.
This was so easy to make and the flavor was amazing. I’ll be making this again. Thanks Michele
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Andy! Thanks for the comment.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED this recipe! My whole family enjoyed it. Very easy to follow.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment.