Caprese Pasta
This post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associates and through other affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a link – at no extra cost to you. We only promote products we actually use and truly love!
A warm caprese pasta with pesto, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil is the perfect quick and easy pasta recipe for a summertime lunch or dinner.
It’s no secret we love pasta. Maybe it’s just the Italian in me talking, but I don’t think I could ever get sick of pasta – especially since there are so many different ways to serve it! That’s why I’m constantly thinking about what new twist on pasta we should try next. Since it’s summer and we’ve been cooking with fresh tomatoes a ton lately, I thought, let’s turn caprese salad into a hot pasta recipe with pesto. And that’s how our caprese pasta was born.
This recipe is so light and fresh and has quickly become one of our favorite summertime lunches and dinners. So if you’re looking for an easy new pasta dish or craving pasta in the warmer months, this recipe is perfect for you! There’s no better way to shake up your dinner rotation than with a delicious Italian meal that’s both super fresh and super easy.
What This Recipe Entails
Our quick caprese pesto pasta with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes comes together in under 25 minutes.
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 12 minutes
If you’re using store-bought pesto, this recipe comes together as easily as boiling pasta, combining all the ingredients, and serving dinner.
Ingredients
Caprese is traditionally a salad of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, so we added those components to a delicious hot pasta dish with pesto!
- Fresh mozzarella balls – Those little balls of fresh mozzarella, sometimes labeled “mozzarella pearls,” are the best for this easy pasta dinner. Slice them into halves or quarters before tossing with the other ingredients.
- Campari tomatoes – You’ll want to use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the most flavor. We chose juicy, sweet Campari tomatoes for our caprese pasta, but any vine-ripened tomato works well.
- Fresh basil – Any good caprese salad needs fresh basil, so definitely don’t skip out on this ingredient! We use basil so often now that we have our very own basil plant at home. It’s definitely a worthwhile investment if you like to cook with basil – and know how to keep plants alive 🙂
- Extra virgin olive oil – There are many kinds of olive oil to choose from, with varying price ranges and flavor profiles. We like to use a mid-range Italian extra virgin olive oil for pasta dishes like this one, where you’ll notice the olive oil but it’s not the main flavor.
- Sea salt – Just a pinch of salt instantly brightens any dish. We added some salt to our caprese mixture to really bring out all those delicious flavors!
- Basil pesto – Pesto complements the flavors in caprese salad so well. We like to choose store-bought pestos that have fairly simple, straightforward ingredients for the best flavor. But if you want to make your own, check out our homemade pesto recipe.
- Rotini – Any short pasta works for this recipe (think penne, ziti, even cavatappi), but we recommend rotini! It’s a fun shape with great texture, which helps the pesto really cling to it for tons of flavor in every bite.
How To Make Caprese Pasta
Our caprese pesto pasta uses only 6 simple ingredients, takes less than 25 minutes to prepare, and is relatively hands-off which makes it a great weeknight dinner. Here’s all you need to know:
- Prep – Make your caprese mixture by combining diced tomatoes, mozzarella pieces, chopped basil, olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt.
- Boil the pasta – Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- Add the pesto – Mix pesto into the cooked pasta to thoroughly coat it.
- Combine and serve – Add the caprese mixture to the pesto pasta, mix well to combine, and serve!
Serving Suggestions
- Add a light appetizer – Start dinner with a light appetizer like our blueberry lemon whipped brie or burrata toast.
- Serve with a cocktail – Pair this pasta with a limoncello spritz or a rosemary vodka lemonade!
- Prep some lunches – This is an easy recipe to make a large batch of to make sure you have easy, healthy, and fun lunches all week long.
No matter how you serve it, we hope you enjoy this summer pasta as much as we do. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Expert Tips
Love this recipe? You may enjoy these easy pasta recipes, too:
- Spinach Cottage Cheese Pasta
- Pasta With Zucchini And Tomatoes
- Burrata Pasta With Blistered Tomatoes
- Spinach and Tomato Pasta
To browse more of our latest recipes and seasonal dishes, visit our homepage here.
Like this recipe? Don’t forget to share it and follow us on Pinterest!
Caprese Pasta
Ingredients
- 7 ounces diced tomatoes
- 4.5 ounces fresh mozzarella balls halved or quartered
- ½ ounce fresh basil roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt
- ½ pound rotini
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
Instructions
- First, prepare the caprese mixture. Add diced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, chopped basil, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt to a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook until done, about 12 minutes.
- Drain the cooked pasta and return to the empty pot, removing it from heat. Add basil pesto and stir thoroughly until pasta is completely coated. Then add the caprese mixture to the pot and gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
Looking for kitchen inspiration? Head over to our shop to see what we cook with every day, plus recommendations for foodie gifts and eco-friendly products.