Easy Pasta Caprese Recipe (Summertime Favorite!)
This recipe for Pasta Caprese is like the classic caprese salad but in pasta dish form. You’ll love it on a hot summer day when garden tomatoes and fresh summer basil are abundant. Learn how easy it is to prepare this pasta with tomatoes and mozzarella, tips for preparing this recipe, and what to serve with this caprese pasta for a fun, summer dinner party.
Making this Easy Pasta Caprese Recipe
Can you guess what I love best about summer? I’ll give you a hint. It’s NOT the heat.
I love all the fresh, delicious produce that is available and how easy it is to showcase those flavors. You don’t need a complicated recipe to show off ripe, red tomatoes and sweet garden basil.
My summer recipes tend to be simple without many complicated steps or ingredients. Summer is a busy time for our family and with two little busybodies at home cooking dinner isn’t something I want to spend a lot of time on.
I make this Caprese Pasta – Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Mozzarella repeatedly during peak tomato and basil season. My husband and I find Caprese Pasta to be a sort of Summer comfort food for us.
Plus, it is a delicious dinner I don’t have to think hard about. And so year after year this Easy Caprese Pasta Dinner finds itself on the summertime menu at least a couple times a month.
What could be simpler than Caprese Pasta with just six ingredients? Six ingredients most any home cook will have on hand at any time during the summer months.
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Ingredients in Pasta Caprese
This pasta with tomatoes and mozzarella is full of fresh ingredients and summer flavors. You’ll need just a handful of ingredients to prepare it:
- Pasta
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Tomatoes
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
What is the Best Pasta to Use?
Because this recipe relies on so few ingredients, using good quality pasta is what’s most important.
We’ve used a variety of short pasta shapes, like cavatappi (pictured here), farfalle, penne, or cellantani. But we’ve also used linguine and angel hair.
On a gluten-free diet? Make this dish gluten-free by substituting your favorite gluten free pasta.
What are the Best Tomatoes to Use?
What’s most important when making this pasta caprese is that you use fresh, ripe tomatoes.
The best time of year to prepare this dish is during the summer when you have access to fresh garden tomatoes or farmer’s market tomatoes. Summer’s tomatoes really are the tastiest!
Other than that, I say use what you like! We’ve made this with a variety of different tomatoes: grape tomatoes, sweet cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or Roma tomatoes. A mix of different colors and varieties makes a very pretty presentation.
How to Make Pasta Caprese
Here’s a quick overview of the steps to make this tomato mozzarella pasta recipe. It couldn’t be easier, which makes it perfect for weeknight meals!
- First, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Then, cook the pasta according to package directions. When finished, drain and set the cooked pasta aside.
- While the pasta cooks, sauté onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add the garlic and sauté a few more minutes.
- After that, stir the tomatoes in and cook until they start to pop (if using cherry or grape tomatoes) or when they are juicy and tender.
- Next, stir in the balsamic vinegar and the cooked pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove from eat and stir in the cheese and basil. Let the cheese heat through and melt just a tad. Serve with an extra drizzle of balsamic vinegar if desired.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making the Best Pasta Caprese
Cook the pasta al dente – You’ll be adding the pasta to the pan with the tomatoes and basil, so you want to make sure you don’t end up with overcooked pasta.
Chiffonade that basil – This recipe uses a lot of fresh basil, so check out this kitchen tip for How to Quickly Chiffonade Fresh Herbs.
For the mozzarella – We’ve used mozzarella pearls, larger mozzarella balls, and even just cubed up a larger ball of fresh mozzarella cheese. Use what works for you!
Serve it right away – This dish is best served immediately after preparing it.
How to Store Leftover Pasta Caprese
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and used within 5 days of the date you prepared it. You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat on the stove. Add a splash of olive oil and water if you need to loosen up the sauce.
Recipe Adaptations
I think this easy caprese pasta recipe is pretty perfect as it is, so I don’t have a lot of recipe adaptations to share. I think its beauty is in the minimal ingredients that provide a ton of flavor. But, here are a few ideas:
- Like meat? Add some balsamic marinated grilled chicken strips or some sliced, cooked Italian sausage.
- Want it more saucy? Stir in some basil pesto with a little leftover pasta water if you prefer more of a sauce.
What to Serve with this Pasta Caprese Recipe
This pasta caprese is perfect for a simple summer dinner party. Want to build a full dinner menu around this recipe? Here are my recommendations for wine, appetizers, salads, and even a tasty Italian dessert!
Wine Suggestions for this Caprese Pasta Recipe
Normally you might think to pair a red with this recipe, but for this light pasta recipe a red wine would overwhelm the fresh flavor of summer tomatoes and basil.
So, I would definitely recommend avoiding full-bodied or tannic wines and instead opt for something that’s acidic, light, and crisp. Though, I’m no sommelier. Crisp whites and rosé wines are good choices.
Appetizers to Serve with this Recipe for Pasta Caprese
Roasted Tomato Crostini with Walnut Almond Pesto and Goat Cheese is a great summer appetizer to serve with a glass of wine before dinner – perfect for a simple summer dinner party.
This easy recipe for Garlic, Thyme, and Rosemary Marinated Olives is another appetizer that is perfect for simple entertaining! It would also pair really well with this pasta caprese recipe.
Salads to Serve with this Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Dish
This recipe for Italian Mixed Greens Salad with Prosciutto features a mix of arugula, radicchio and baby kale is tossed with lemon Dijon vinaigrette and topped with crispy prosciutto and fresh shaved parmesan. Classic Italian flavors that pair wonderfully with this easy caprese pasta dinner!
Do you love Olive Garden’s famous house salad? Learn how simple this Copycat Olive Garden Salad Recipe is to make at home so you can enjoy your favorite flavors with this tomato mozzarella pasta.
Dessert to Go with Pasta Caprese
Round out your meal with this Italian Budino for dessert! Salted Caramel Budino is an easy Italian dessert. This recipe features a cookie crust that’s topped with vanilla pudding and then a layer of homemade caramel sauce.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
Try this Pasta Caprese at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a way to use up summer’s fresh tomatoes and basil, give this recipe for pasta caprese a try! Did the whole family love it? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this quick dinner recipe.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this delicious caprese pasta!
More Italian Recipes to Try
Looking for more easy pasta dishes? Here are a few that are popular with our whole family:
Arrabbiata Sauce is a simple, just-spicy-enough sauce you can make from pantry ingredients and serve with pasta – a great easy recipe when you need to get food on the dinner table fast.
One Skillet Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce is the perfect, easy comforting pasta dish. Baking it in a single skillet makes for quick preparation and very minimal clean up. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
Italian Chicken, Mushroom, and Zucchini Skillet is a super easy dinner recipe for busy school nights. It features pan seared chicken tenderloins, zucchini and sliced mushrooms in garlicky herbed tomato sauce.
Spinach Mushroom Lasagna is an easy but impressive vegetarian dinner recipe that’s perfect for both holiday entertaining and weeknight dinners.
You can’t go wrong with spaghetti and marinara sauce! This is the Best Marinara Sauce! Crushed tomatoes simmer all day with extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, crushed red pepper, plenty of garlic, and a generous helping of Italian red wine.
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Pasta Caprese
This recipe for Pasta Caprese is like the classic caprese salad but in pasta dish form. You'll love it on a hot summer day when garden tomatoes and fresh summer basil are abundant.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta, cooked al dente
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 20 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes,
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- 1 c fresh mozzarella, diced (or here I used little balls of mozzarella)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain after cooked and set aside.
- Meanwhile, saute onions in olive oil until golden and tender, 5-7 minutes, over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes start to pop. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and pasta. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn heat to low. Add the basil. Cook for 1-2 minutes so the juices can coat the pasta.
- Remove the pan from the heat off and stir in the mozzarella and basil. You want to warm the mozzarella, but do not melt it. Serve immediately.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 309Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 553mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 4gSugar: 14gProtein: 13g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
This post was originally sponsored by American Express. To celebrate the launch of the new American Express Blue Cash® Preferred and Everyday cards I partnered with American Express to help consumers realize the potential of meals that can be made with 6 ingredients or less. The recipe contest and associated giveaway are now closed.
Teresa L says
Penne Pesto with Baby Spinach
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 clove)
1/2 cup homemade pesto sauce or store-bought
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp capers, drained
1 package (16 ounces) penne noodles
12-18 ounces prewashed baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste
shredded parmesan cheese to taste
In a large stockpot, boil the water for the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the garlic, pesto, olive oil, and capers. Add the pasta to the boiling waer and cook it according to the package directions until it is about 1 minute short of being done. Add the spinach to the water for the last min. of cooking.
Drain the pasta and spinach immediately, add it to the bowl, and toss it with the pesto mixture. Season it with salt and pepper and top it with parmesan cheese.
Kate says
Farro and Radish Salad
1/2 c Farro
5 Radishes, sliced
1/4 c Balsamic Vinegar
1 T Honey
1/2 c celery, diced
1/4 c Feta or Goat cheese
Salt and Pepper
Cook the Farro until done (about 45 minutes)
In a skillet, braise the radishes in the vinegar and honey for about 10 minutes.
Combine everything and let flavors come together in the fridge.
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean says
Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos
1 large sweet potato, diced (tossed in olive oil and seasoned with curry powder to taste)
1 cup black beans
1/4 c onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
whole wheat tortillas
low fat mexican cheese
Roast the sweet potato at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Saute onion for about 5 minutes and add the black beans until heated through.
Stir in the sweet potato
Spoon into tortillas and top with tomatoes and cheese!
Amanda Joy says
Pork Chop Supreme
4 Pork Chops
4 Lg White Onion Slices
4 T Lemon Juice
4 T Ketchup
4 T Brown Sugar
Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Lightly Spray a 9 x13 glass dish. Place the pork chops into the dish and put an onion slice on top of each one. Now place 1 Tablespoon of the other ingredients on top of each cutlet. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove tinfoil and use a turkey baster to place juices back on top of the pork chops. Leave the tinfoil off and bake for another 20 minutes; basting approx. every 7 minutes. Just make sure the meat reaches an internal heat of 165 degrees. Enjoy!
Amanda Joy says
I liked Good Life Eats on facebook
Amanda Joy says
Portobello Mushroom & Asparagus Pasta Salad
1 1/2 packages Portobello Mushrooms, diced
1 bundle Asparagus broken at tender point, then sliced
1 box Mini Bowtie Pasta
2 large cloves Garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons Butter, cubed
2 1/2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1- After slicing, dicing, and mincing the appropriate ingredients, place the cubed butter in a skillet.
2. Melt butter on medium heat then add minced garlic.
3. After sauteing the garlic, add the diced mushrooms, and keep stirring until they are tender and dark.
4. While mushrooms saute, bring water to a boil and cook the pasta.
5. When pasta has around three minutes left to cook, add the sliced asparagus to the pot.
6. Once both the pasta and the asparagus are tender, strain the water out and place in a mixing bowl.
7. Add the mushrooms to the bowl and stir together with the olive oil.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste
9. Eat it up, as this is a fairly healthy pasta salad:)
Possible Add-Ins~ grated Parmasean Cheese, cubed Fresh Mozzerella, diced Cherry Tomatoes
Jill H says
Regina’s Famous Pasta
3oz grilled chicken
2oz whole wheat penne
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup of celery
2 Tablespoons Onion
2 Tablespoons Mayo
1 teaspoon tarragon
Salt, Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. A quick, easy and tasty way to use up some leftovers in the fridge!
Jill H says
Repeat to fix a mistake:
Regina’s Famous Pasta
3oz grilled chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2oz whole wheat penne
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup of celery
2 Tablespoons Onion
2 Tablespoons Mayo
1 teaspoon tarragon
Salt, Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. A quick, easy and tasty way to use up some leftovers in the fridge!
Whitney says
Easy Chicken Skillet Dinner
Chicken Breast
1 Can of Black Beans, Rinsed and Drained
2-3 Cloves Garlic, I prefer to roast it first but raw will work too
Onion, chopped
Bell Peppers, chopped
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
Chicken Broth or Stock
Slice uncooked chicken into thin strips, then into small pieces. Place in large skillet, and cook through. As chicken is cooking, use a utensil to chop or shred the chicken even further. (I have a great wooden utensil that has a thin end to it, that is perfect for this.) Once the chicken is cooked through, add the beans, garlic, peppers, onions, taco seasonings, and 1 Cup (or so) of Chicken broth or stock. If you don’t have that, water wil do well also. Stir all to mix the seasoning well, and let simmer until fully incorporated.
Lauren Buzzelli says
Ziti with Spinach, Sausage and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
olive oil
salt
pepper
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb. of ziti or rigatoni
1 bag of spinach
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 jar of sun-dried tomato pesto
1 package crumbled feta
Heat medium pan with olive oil and garlic. Sauteed spinach until wilted. Set aside.
Heat another frying pan on medium high. Cook sausage (crumbled) until brown. Side aside.
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Mix spinach, sausage and sun-dried tomato pesto with pasta. Top with feta. Serve hot or chill overnight. Serves 4.
*Spinach can be replaced with yellow/red peppers or eggplant!
Jennifer Sikora says
I stumbled the post on StumbleUpon
Jennifer Sikora says
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Jennifer Sikora says
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Jennifer Sikora says
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Jennifer Sikora says
I am following Good Life Eats and American Express on Twitter and I also retweeted the tweet.
@jennifer_sikora
Jennifer Sikora says
Honey Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and basil. Put chicken in a 13X9 baking dish that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray.
Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. If you want you can also grill these.
Jennifer Sikora says
Parmesean Crusted Chicken
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of creamy ranch dressing
1 cup of parmesean cheese
1 cup of shredded provolone cheese
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
Panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
Cook your chicken to your preference (grilled or baked–I baked mine). While the chicken is baking, mix together ranch, parmesean cheese, garlic, and 1/4 cup of provolone cheese, and then set this mixture aside. Also at this time toast your bread crumbs and then set them aside.
After the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the oven and turn your broiler on. Take your creamy cheese mixture and put it on each piece of chicken. Put it on as thick as you like. Sprinkle on each piece of chicken the remaining provolone cheese. Top that with the toasted bread crumbs.
Place chicken under the broiler until the cheese is melted and browned a little on top.