Caprese Pasta with Basil (Printable Version)
Penne or fusilli tossed with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil for a fresh, 25-minute Italian meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz penne or fusilli pasta
→ Fresh Produce
02 - 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Dairy
04 - 7 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), drained and quartered
→ Pantry
05 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing them to soften and release juices.
04 - Add cooked pasta and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to combine and heat through. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat. Gently fold in mozzarella pieces and torn basil.
06 - Transfer to serving plates. Drizzle with additional extra virgin olive oil and garnish with more basil if desired.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- No one at the table guesses how little effort this takes—let them think you fussed all afternoon.
- It’s one of those rare meals that tastes both luxurious and light, so you won’t feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
- Once I forgot to drain the mozzarella, and my sauce turned watery—pat it dry for the best creamy pockets.
- Letting the garlic brown can make it bitter, so pull it off the heat as soon as it’s golden and fragrant.
03 -
- Mixing in a splash of pasta water softens the mozzarella and helps everything cling together.
- For restaurant-level flavor, sprinkle flaky sea salt and cracked pepper just before serving.