Caprese Pasta
A fresh, vibrant pasta dish that brings together the classic flavors of a Caprese salad — ripe cherry tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze — all tossed with al dente pasta and good olive oil. It's a simple, no-fuss vegetarian dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes like summer in every bite.
4 servings · Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Total 25 min
Italian · Dinner · Main Course
Ingredients
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12 oz pasta penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work well
rigatoni- fusilli
2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
8 oz fresh mozzarella torn into bite-sized pieces or use ciliegine balls- ciliegine balls
0.5 cup fresh basil leaves roughly torn
2 tbsp balsamic glaze store-bought or reduced balsamic vinegar
reduced balsamic vinegar
0.5 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
1 tsp salt for pasta water, plus more
0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
0.5 cup pasta cooking water reserved before draining
Equipment
Stovetop
Mixing Bowl
Skillet
Pot
Wooden Spoon
Platter
Knife
Serving Platters (Large)
Pan
Cutting Board
Colander
Instructions
- Bring a large #[Pot] of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the @[Pasta Penne] according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy @[Pasta Cooking Water]. Drain the @[Pasta Penne] and set aside.
- While the @[Pasta Penne] cooks, heat the @[Extra Virgin Olive Oil] in a large #[Skillet] over ^[medium heat]. Add the sliced @[Garlic] and cook for ~[1–2 minutes], stirring frequently, until fragrant and just golden — don't let it burn. Add the halved @[Cherry Tomatoes], season with @[Salt] and @[Black Pepper], and cook for ~[4–5 minutes], stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to blister and release their juices.
- Add the drained @[Pasta Penne] to the #[Skillet] with the tomatoes. Toss everything together, adding a splash of the reserved @[Pasta Cooking Water] as needed to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta evenly. Remove the #[Skillet] from the heat.
- Add the torn fresh @[Mozzarella] and most of the @[Basil] to the @[Pasta Penne] and gently toss — the residual heat will begin to melt the @[Mozzarella] slightly. Transfer to serving bowls or a large platter. Drizzle generously with @[Balsamic Glaze], scatter the remaining fresh @[Basil] on top, and finish with grated @[Parmesan Cheese] if using. Serve immediately.
