Quick and Easy Caprese Pasta

Quick and Easy Caprese Pasta is light, full of flavor, and comes together in under 30 minutes. I took the traditional Caprese salad and turned it into a hot pasta dish. This is something my whole family enjoys. I love this recipe because it calls for very simple ingredients that are easily found at many local grocery stores. Aside from the mozzarella and basil I usually have everything on hand. This is a dish I usually serve on a hot summer day because the cooking time is so short, but it’s so tasty that it really is perfect any time of year.  

Here’s what you need to make this quick and easy caprese pasta recipe:

Pasta  

You need about 12 ounces uncooked. Any pasta noodle works in this recipe. I like angel hair for a long noodle and for a short pasta I like fusilli or rotini pasta (corkscrew) or farfala pasta (bowtie). If there is a gluten-free pasta that you like feel free to use it in this recipe.  

Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive oil is my personal preference. You need 1/4 cup plus a little extra to drizzle over at the end of cooking. Use a good brand if possible because this is essentially the sauce.  

Fresh Garlic

You will need 6-8 large cloves of garlic, minced. Please use fresh cloves from the bulb and not the pre-peeled kind you find in a jar.  

Dried Herbs

You will need 1/4 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp dried basil, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.  

Salt and Pepper

You will need 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.

Cherry Tomatoes

You will need 1/2- 1 pint of sweet cherry tomatoes, halved. The amount really depends on how many tomatoes you want in your pasta dish. My kids don’t love tomatoes so I only use 1/2 pint. You should definitely use fresh tomatoes, not canned ones. As for tomato variety, you could use grape tomatoes, baby heirloom tomatoes, garden tomatoes, or plum tomatoes. Note, that if you don’t use grape or cherry be sure to cut the tomatoes into small bite-size pieces.  

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

You will need 8 oz of fresh mozzarella balls, cut in half. Fresh mozzarella comes in a container filled with water and it is in the refrigerated section of the market. Usually called mozzarella pearls or “Ciliegine,” they are cherry-sized balls. If you cannot find this size be sure to cut the mozzarella into smaller pieces.  

Fresh Basil

You need about a handful of fresh basil leaves, diced or chiffonade. Using fresh herbs really gives this pasta dish the fresh flavor you want. There is no substitute for this flavor.  

Parmesan Cheese

I like to grate fresh parmesan cheese over each person’s bowl of pasta.  

Balsamic Vinegar Glaze

This is totally optional! But keeping with the classic caprese salad, balsamic vinegar is usually drizzled over the top, but I didn’t want to overpower the dish with all that vinegar so I found a glaze that gives the same flavor but is a bit sweeter. This is not for everyone, so I either ask before drizzling or leave it on the table and let people try for themselves. Balsamic glaze is now readily available at many local grocery stores. Rachel Ray makes a good one that I like, but try whatever looks good to you.  

Here’s how to make this easy caprese pasta recipe:

Cook Pasta

Begin, by cooking the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then add the pasta and cook until al dente. The package instructions will indicate how long to cook for. Before draining the pasta, reserve about one cup of pasta water to use later if necessary.  

Prepare Garlic Olive Oil

While the pasta cooks, heat a large pan over medium heat and warm the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering add the garlic, basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and lower the heat-you do not want the garlic to burn. Stirring occasionally, you are looking for the garlic to soften a bit and become fragrant. This takes about 3 minutes or so.  

Finish & Combine Pasta

Next, add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir again. Cook for about 1-2 minutes just long enough to warm the tomatoes. After that, add the cooked pasta and stir until the pasta is fully coated with olive oil and spices.  If the pasta seems dry add some of the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency. After that, turn off the heat.

Now, add the fresh mozzarella balls and basil. In addition, I like to add a little bit of olive oil over the top for added flavor. Then stir again until everything is evenly distributed. Spoon into pasta bowls and top each bowl with freshly grated parmesan cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar glaze. Serve right away.  

This quick and easy caprese pasta dish is enough on its own, but it can also be a great side dish. For a more complete meal, consider grilling up some chicken or steak and serving it alongside. I can’t wait for you to try this simple Italian dish made with love!

More recipes to try!

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Brown Butter Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Peas

Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans & Greens

Italian Chopped Pasta Salad