This quick and easy caprese pasta with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil is the perfect speedy dinner – only 6 ingredients and ready in 15 minutes!
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Who is ready for tomato season? I sure am! We plant a garden every year and the one thing I must absolutely have is at least half a dozen tomato plants. The older girls are old enough now to know not to pick the tomatoes until they’re ripe, and they run to the garden every day to check on their progress. Once the tomatoes are even somewhat ripe they beg to eat them every day until finally I agree. Not many tomatoes actually make it from the yard into the house to cook with, but oh well, that’s what the farmer’s market is for, right? I can’t complain too much because they’re enthusiastically eating produce, got to take advantage of that while it lasts! Whether you grow your own or buy them at the store, this recipe for quick and easy caprese pasta is a simple way to enjoy tomatoes.
I know I often say that my recipes are quick and easy, but really, this is one of the quickest and easiest. We’re talking about just 6 ingredients, and out of the pan and onto your table in about 15 minutes.
I use a ditalini noodles (also known as short or salad macaroni) for this recipe because it’s really fun for the kids to eat. It’s readily available at my local grocery stores but if you can’t find it, you can substitute a different small pasta shape.
This pasta has all the ingredients of a classic caprese salad – fresh mozzarella, olive oil, basil and tomatoes, with a little garlic for extra zing. When you make this, be sure to let the noodles cool for a few minutes before you add the mozzarella. You want the mozzarella to soften but if it gets too hot it’ll completely melt and make your pasta clumpy and stringy.
So six ingredients. Fifteen minutes. And you won’t have to turn on your oven on a hot summer day. Sold? I sure am. I will be repeating this all summer long, both as a meatless main course and an easy side dish. Maybe I can even convince the girls to hand over some of our garden tomatoes this year!
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Quick and Easy Caprese Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces of small short pasta such as ditalini
- 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 6 ripe tomatoes I used roma, cored, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and saute just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cheese and basil, and toss to coat. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve.
Things You’ll Need (or Want!)
Looks so yummy, quick and easy meal that I can definitely live with!
Sara,
You big tease–I just got back from checking the garden and there’s frost on the grass. Frost!
I’m drooling over these ripe tomatoes and I haven’t even gotten my plants in the ground yet! [Ok, rather glad not to have plants in the ground that would have been killed by frost.]
I have been saving my eggshells, so I’m set when it’s time to plant.
This looks like a perfect recipe for summer, and I look forward to our tomatoes!
Thanks!
I always have some version of this several times during the summer!
YUM! There was an italian restaurant next to my old apartment that made a pasta dish sort of like this and I LOVED it! I’ve never tried making it at home though! Thanks for sharing!
Yum this looks SO delish! Can’t wait to try!
This looks so YUMMY, I love the colors, and your pictures are magnificent! 🙂
Oh basil is one of my favorite herbs, it’s so fragrant. I have 2-3 plants in the summer. This will be the perfect dish to make with them! Thanks for sharing!
This looks like a perfect summer meal! I grew up watching my dad and grandpa grow tomato plants with incredible attention to every variable and detail. It became an art for the…no surprise, I love tomatoes! And I’m happy to see my 3yo does too. Makes me proud 🙂 Thanks for the easy recipe!
We eat tomatoes as if they are going out of style! What a great idea to put this together. Simple yet delicious and I need that in my crazy life!
This seriously looks delish! I can’t believe spring is here! I can’t wait to make all the warm weather recipes!
What a great idea! I love Caprese salad so this looks really good to me!
You always have amazing recipes! This was doesn’t disappoint, either! I love how easy it is 🙂
What a fresh salad! This would be perfect for a picnic lunch on the beach! PS I love our photos! Beautiful!
I have had this before and I can vouch for the fact that it is FANTASTIC! Your pictures are beautiful by the way:)
I also drizzle some balsamic vinegar on my caprese
Balsamic vinegar would be a great addition to this recipe!