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.
Maria Malaveci says
My favorite dinner recipe comes from Pioneer Woman — Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta
4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced
1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
1/2 stick Butter
3 whole Lemons, Juiced
3/4 cups Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Half-and-half
1-1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.
In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!
mmalavec@med.umich.edu
niki says
Super easy and can be made from frozen ingredients for quick meal finished in 15 minutes. Light enough to serve in summer, too. Serve with a roll or Italian bread.
Meatball Soup
serves appx 4 to 5
14 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic & onion
14 oz can beef broth
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
12 to 15 frozen SMALL meatballs
1/2 cup small orzo pasta
1/2 to 1 cup vegetables:
fresh sliced zucchini (my 1st choice)
frozen green beans (my second choice)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Bring tomatoes (undrained) thru basil to boil.
Add meatballs and vegetables, return to boil.
Add pasta, boil 10 minutes.
Sprinkle parmesan over each bowl.
mindyh. says
my delicious turkey meatloaf
2lbs. gr. turkey (1lb dark meat 1lb white meat)
1 cup quick-oats
1/4 cup parmesan or parm./reggianno cheese
3tbs. worcestershire sauce
2tbs. soy sauce (I prefer lo-sodium)
1/2 cup ketchup + more for top
seasonings- 2tbs. dried parsley, 3tbs.oregano,2tsp.dried basil, 1 tsp.garlic powder
pre-heat oven to 400
place ground turkey and all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with hands or large fork to combine. place in a baking dish, form into a loaf. top with ketchup (aprox. 1/4 cup)
Bake for 1 hr.
Enjoy!
niki says
We like this dish because I can defrost sausage (in its pkg) submerged in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes. Rice cooks in 20-25 minutes and rest takes only 10, so this is a fast dinner my family loves.
Quick & Easy Cuban Black Beans and Rice
10 oz bag Vigo brand yellow rice
28 oz can black beans
1/2 onion, chopped
1 lb pkg smoked sausage, sliced 3/4″ thick
1 tsp dried parsley
sour cream
Cook rice according to pkg instructions. In pot or tall sided skillet, fry sausage & onions (you may need to add a drop of olive oil if sausage is lean). Partially drain (do not rinse) beans, add to pot. Add parsley, stir to coat.
Cover pot to heat beans thoroughly. Serve beans over rice, top with heaping dollop of sour cream (we like to stir it in as we eat).
Miranda D says
I follow Good Life Eats on Facebook.
Miranda D says
Bacon Caprese Pizza
Thin Pizza Crust, homemade or store-bought
1/2 cup Pizza Sauce
10-12 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, shredded and patted dry with a towel
2 slices Bacon, fried and crumbled
1 small Tomato, diced
Fresh Basil, ribboned or torn, for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pizza crust. Spread evenly with sauce. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Top with bacon and diced tomato. Bake in lower half of oven according to the instructions on the pizza crust package, or start with 10 minutes and bake until the crust is medium golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil. Slice and serve.
Shiloh Kinne says
Grilled Avocados With Shrimp and Mango
Ingredients
4 cups sail-on Jumbo shrimp, thawed,
1 cup garlic olive oil
zest and juice from one large lime or two small
1 teaspoon lemon and pepper seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chopped fresh mango
1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
Mix garlic olive oil, lime juice and zest, lemon pepper and oregano. Brush 1/2 cup garlic oil mixture onto each jumbo avocado halves. Place avocadoes on tray and set aside. Combine jumbo cooked shrimp and ½ cup garlic oil mixture and marinate for 15 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
Heat grill to medium heat (375F). Brush hot grill with olive oil to prevent sticking. Grill marinated avocados on flat side first for 4 minutes and round side for another 4 minutes.
Grill shrimp in a vegetable grilling rack for 2 minutes per side till heated through. Grill the mango and red peppers in a perforated grilling plate until heated. To plate, place grilled avocadoes on a large serving platter and top with shrimp, mango, and red pepper. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Serve warm. Serves 4-8.
Shiloh Kinne says
Pepper Jack Cheese Stuffed Chicken Thighs
8 chicken thighs, bone-in with skin
1 ½ cups smoked mozzarella cheese, grated
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
zest from one lime, finely grated
1/2 cup canned diced Anaheim green chili
1/2 cup chopped Spanish olives
2 ½ teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning salt, divided
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
Heat oven to 425 F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil spray. Loosen the chicken skin from the thigh meat by running your fingers underneath it, leaving it attached on three of the edges.
In a medium bowl, mix cheese, cilantro, lime zest, green chili, olives, and ½-teaspoon lemon pepper. Divide cheese mixture into 8 mounds and stuff each thigh with a one portion. Pull and stretch skin over cheese mound.
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix 2-teaspoons lemon pepper, garlic salt, and paprika. Evenly rub spice mixture onto each chicken skin. Place stuffed chicken thighs on prepared pan. Roast in hot oven for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken skin is crisp and center is done. Serves 4-6.
hminnesota says
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hminnesota says
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hminnesota says
Veggie Olive Oil Pasta
Farafal pasta- boiled – 3 cups
olive oil – 4 tbl spoon
2 cups of mix vegetables of choice: zucchini, green pepper, red pepper,carrots, broccoli
Italian seasoning
basil leaves
salt & pepper
Choose any or all vegetables you want.
At high flame, put olive oil in big skillet and saute all vegetables for 4-5 minutes till the time all water has evaporated.
Then add, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper
You can season with cilantro and basil leaves.
This is the most delicious recipe and favorite among friends and family.
Foodies on the Fly says
Fan on Facebook too 🙂
Foodies on the Fly says
Following you on twitter & tweeted.
Foodies on the Fly says
Naan-y bread pizza by a food lover, who eats out more often than cooks in 🙂
1 naan bread from Whole Foods (I like prefer the butter naan)
1 roma tomato
Few leaves of fresh basil
1/4 of Fresh mozzarella ball
Splash of olive oil
Splash of fig balsamic vinaigrette
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Splash olive oil on naan bread. Slice up roma tomato and place on top. Slice mozzarella into small cubes and place on top of tomato. Place whole basil leaves on top. Splash fig balsamic on top. Place in oven for approx. 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and naan is crisp on bottom. Enjoy! If you like, you may also add a sprinkle of sea salt on top.
angela@spinachtiger says
Sweet Potato Lasagna
Lasagna noodles (enough for six layers in casserole dish the size of quick bread pan
4 Large sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced thinly (1/4 potato reserved from each for chopping hash)
Fontina Cheese (8 oz. sliced thinly
6 shallots, finely chopped
2 T unsalted butter
Blood orange infused olive oil (I used Stonehouse; see note)
Parmigiano reggiano cheese
Sea salt
Black pepper, freshly grated
Slice potatoes thin. Save about 1/4 of each potato to chop up for the topping.
Roast at 350 in blood orange olive oil, salt. Turn after 20 minutes.
Roast until completely done. If you don’t have blood orange olive oil, see note.
In a small frying pan, saute butter and shallots until softened. Add a touch of the blood orange olive oil. Remove half of the shallots and set aside. Add chopped potatoes and cook until softened.
Cook pasta in salted boiling water until pasta is almost cooked. You want it to have a bite, but you will only be baking the casserole to melt the cheese, so pasta will not be cooking more than five minutes in oven.
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Allow to sit for five minutes before cutting.
Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese at the table.
Note for Olive Oil: You can infuse your own olive oil with blood orange zest. Allow olive oil to sit for several hours with zest and a little juice from a blood orange or any other orange citrus. Meyer lemon would work equally as well.
angela@spinachtiger says
Recipe: Chicken Roulade
2 Chicken breasts, flattened
Olive oil for browning meat
1/2 large onion,
2 t Pine nuts
2 t Dried fruit (use either golden raisins, cranberries, apricots, dried cherries}
1 Bunch rainbow chard (can use optional swiss chard or spinach)
2 t pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated
Sea salt, black pepper to taste
String
Prepare the chicken breasts by placing inside a large ziplock bag. Using a cast iron pan (or similar) flatten.. . Salt and set aside.
Prepare the swiss chard mixture: Wash and dry thoroughly. Remove any discolored parts. Trim the ends. Cut the stalks and separate. These need a finer dice than the leaves. Cut leaves into small pieces. Soak dried fruit in a little water. Heat onion and oil in pan at same time. Drain dried fruit, dice and add to pan. Add in stalks and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add in leaves, continuing stirring pan, incorporating all ingredients. Turn pan off. Swiss chard will continue to cook. Do not overcook. Allow to to come to room temperature.
Assembly: Sprinkle cheese on chicken breasts. Spread mixture on, careful to not overdo. Roll up as tightly as you can and tie each with three strings. One in middle and one at each end. Fry in pan on medium heat until browned. Slice in rolls. Serve.