Fresh basil is one of my favorite things about summer. I love making pesto with it and putting it in salads, pasta and on pizza. One of the most popular ways to feature fresh basil is in a Caprese salad with tomatoes and mozzarella. So I added in some pasta to that classic combo and created this delicious one pot meal. It’s a super easy and quick dinner that is full of fresh summer flavors.
Caprese Pasta
Quick summer pasta dish with fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella
Servings 2
Ingredients
- 3 cups dried pasta
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup mozzarella pearls
- 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup fresh basil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a lot pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half, mince garlic, and cut basil into small ribbons with kitchen scissors. I find cutting the basil with scissors to be a lot easier than trying to do so with a knife and it doesn't get bruised. The other trick is to stack several leaves on top of each other, roll them up as one stack and then use your knife or scissors to cut the thin ribbons.
- Drain the pasta once cooked. Add 3 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan you cooked the pasta in. Heat over medium-low heat and then add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minutes and then add the tomatoes. Stir until they tomatoes are slightly warmed. Add in the pasta, balsamic vinegar, and mozzarella pearls. Stir until all combined. Add the additional 1 Tbsp of olive oil if your pasta seems to dry.
- Cover the pot with the lid and let sit for 5 minutes so the mozzarella starts to melt. Add the basil to the pot and stir. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.
