This caprese pasta recipe with candy cherry tomatoes, recent basil, and creamy mozzarella is cooked multi function pot! It’s a straightforward dinner stuffed with recent Italian-inspired flavors, prepared in 25 minutes.
Can’t get sufficient of this tomato, basil, and mozzarella combo? Then please hop on over and check out my caprese pork chops and balsamic hen caprese, too.
I’m slightly obsessive about caprese (pronounced “kah-preh-zay”), from caprese hen nachos to caprese stuffed mushrooms, to not point out the basic Caprese salad. If there’s a possibility to carry collectively tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella round right here, we’ll take it.
When I discovered cherry tomatoes on sale the opposite day, I bought impressed to make this caprese pasta. That is such a straightforward weeknight pasta as a result of it’s all cooked in the identical pot. It’s the quickest, most scrumptious dinner you’ll make this summer time!
Why You’ll Love This One Pot Caprese Pasta Recipe
- One pot. Critically, this caprese pasta is the best one-pot meal. The components prepare dinner all collectively (even the pasta), so not solely does it give these tomato-basil flavors loads of time to mingle, however clean-up is fast and simple.
- All of the caprese taste. With tender bowtie pasta, plump cherry tomatoes, recent basil, garlic, and melty mozzarella, this pasta has all of the recent components we love in a Caprese salad. In pasta type, it’s an excellent meatless aspect dish or vegetarian meal.
- Customizable. After all, should you’re not vegetarian, go forward and prime your pasta with a juicy marinated hen or your selection of protein. This recipe is tremendous adaptable.
- Give the oven the night time off. I LOVE this caprese pasta within the summertime, and you’ll, too! All the pieces comes collectively on the stovetop, so there’s no have to activate the oven.
Components You’ll Want
You actually solely want a handful of components to make this simple pasta, which is only one thing more that makes it nice for on a regular basis meals. I’ve included my notes under. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for a printable components listing.
- Olive Oil – Select a nice-quality olive oil for taste. I extremely advocate sticking with olive oil, and never swapping for one more cooking oil, like canola.
- Pasta – I exploit farfalle (bow-tie pasta), however you should use any pasta form you’d like, whether or not it’s shells, penne, fusilli, and so on. Even lengthy pasta, like spaghetti or linguine, will work right here.
- Cherry Tomatoes – I really like the sweetness of cherry or grape tomatoes. Be happy to make use of bigger varieties, like Roma tomatoes, and cube them up, or you’ll be able to even used canned tomatoes. Simply remember that bigger tomatoes gained’t maintain their form as effectively.
- Basil and Garlic – Contemporary basil leaves are a should, even higher in the event that they’re from the backyard. Please don’t substitute dried basil right here, should you might help it. The identical goes for garlic. You may adapt the quantity of cloves to style.
- Mozzarella Cheese – Freshly shredded mozzarella cheese and balls of recent mozzarella (a.ok.a. mozzarella pearls) for garnish. Use partly skim mozzarella to maintain issues on the lighter aspect, or you’ll be able to go for full-fat cheese should you choose.
How one can Make Caprese Pasta
I’m a BIG fan (enormous) of caprese pasta within the summertime, however this dish is so easy and so good that I’ll make it year-round. It takes only one pan, 25 minutes, and some simple steps, which we’ll stroll by way of right here.
- Mix the components. To make this one pot pasta, add your entire components (olive oil, pasta, halved tomatoes, basil leaves, garlic) to a stockpot with water. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook dinner. Convey the pot to a boil, after which simmer for 11-12 minutes. The pasta must be tender and many of the water must be lowered.
- Add the cheese. Take the pan off the warmth and let it stand for a minute or two. That is necessary in order that the cheese doesn’t curdle within the warmth! Afterward, stir in your shredded mozzarella.
- Serve. Give the pasta a closing season with S&P, garnish with recent basil and recent mozzarella balls, and serve. I prefer to prime the pasta with an additional drizzle of olive oil, too.
Recipe Suggestions and Variations
- Save the cooking water. You wish to make it possible for among the pasta water stays within the pan after cooking. The starches within the water emulsify with the shredded mozzarella cheese because it melts, making a silky, flavorful sauce.
- Keep away from a watery pasta, although. If you happen to discover that there’s a number of water left within the pan, you don’t want to avoid wasting all of it. Don’t danger overcooking the pasta to cut back the water. Scoop out or drain off any extra earlier than you add the cheese.
- Gluten Free. If you happen to use gluten-free pasta, remember that it behaves otherwise throughout cooking, usually being starchier and increasing greater than conventional pasta. For 16 ounces of pasta, including an additional cup of water ought to assist alter for these variations.
- Use recent mozzarella. If you happen to can’t discover small mozzarella pearls, however you discover a big ball of mozzarella, chop the bigger ball into small cubes.
- Add onion. Finely diced delicate onion, like shallot or Vidalia onion, would style superb on this pasta.
- Add balsamic glaze. To actually make this caprese pasta pop, give your plates a drizzle with balsamic discount earlier than serving.
- Extra toppings. Spoon over do-it-yourself parsley pesto or ajvar (Macedonian pink pepper relish, it goes with EVERYTHING!) for much more taste.
Serving Solutions
I really like this caprese pasta served with kid-friendly garlic breadsticks and a aspect of inexperienced salad on weeknights. On weekends, nothing transports you to the Mediterranean shoreline like a lightweight and recent tomato basil pasta paired with a Campari spritz and a starter of caponata or stuffed grape leaves.
After I can get my arms on recent seafood, I’ll entertain associates with a plate of fritto misto earlier than dishing up plates of caprese pasta topped with grilled hen or shrimp scampi as a predominant. Summer time meals open air don’t get significantly better!
How one can Retailer and Reheat Leftover Pasta
- Refrigerate. Retailer any leftover caprese pasta in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2-3 days. Leftovers are simple to heat up, and so they’re additionally scrumptious when loved chilly, like a caprese pasta salad.
- Reheat. To reheat this caprese pasta, heat parts within the microwave or a saucepan on the stovetop till scorching all through. If wanted, sprinkle the pasta with a little bit of water or drizzle over some olive oil to assist loosen it up a bit on the reheat.
Extra One Pot Pasta Recipes
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In a stockpot, mix water, olive oil, pasta, halved tomatoes, basil leaves, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook dinner over excessive warmth and convey to a boil.
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Scale back warmth to a simmer and proceed to prepare dinner for 11 to 12 minutes, or till the pasta is totally cooked and water lowered. Stir often. Take away from warmth and let stand for two minutes.
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Stir within the shredded mozzarella cheese; stir till totally mixed and melted.
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Style the dish for salt and pepper and alter accordingly.
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Garnish with recent mozzarella cheese pearls and recent basil leaves.
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Serve instantly.
- Liquid: The quantity of water we’re utilizing is spot on for the pasta kind we’re working with. Now, should you’re considering of including any additional liquids, like a pasta sauce, it’s gonna shift the quantity of water you’ll want. So, should you’re going with another liquid, you’ll wish to reduce on the water. If you’re utilizing gluten-free pasta, you’ll have so as to add extra water, as much as 1 cup, or alter as wanted.
- Water: If you wish to enhance the flavour, right here’s a tip: as an alternative of utilizing all water, combine it up with 2 cups of vegetable broth and a pair of.5 cups of water. It’s a easy change that may actually amp up the style.
- Salt: I begin with about 3/4 teaspoon salt for the water after which at all times add a bit extra after I style it as soon as it’s executed cooking.
- Correct Storage: Preserve leftovers in a sealed container within the fridge for two to three days. Reheat servings within the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan till heat.
Serving: 6 ounces | Energy: 382 kcal | Carbohydrates: 60 g | Protein: 13 g | Fats: 9 g | Saturated Fats: 2 g | Ldl cholesterol: 5 mg | Sodium: 75 mg | Potassium: 360 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 535 IU | Vitamin C: 18.8 mg | Calcium: 106 mg | Iron: 1.6 mg
Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could differ based on the components and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.