Caprese Pasta
Caprese pasta is a simple yet elegant dish that captures the essence of the classic Italian salad. Fresh mozzarella, juicy ripe tomatoes, and fragrant basil combine to create a quick and easy pasta recipe that showcases the flavorful freshness of its ingredients.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine or spaghetti
- 2 lbs ripe tomatoes (see notes for recommendations)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional - see notes)
- 1/4 cup chiffonade of fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls (see notes for substitutions)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Seed and chop the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces (no need to peel), then add them to a large bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and balsamic vinegar and combine. Set aside for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend, then add the basil and parsley.
- Cook and drain the pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
- Return the pasta to the pot, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and about half of the reserved cooking water. Toss to coat.
- Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and fresh mozzarella and combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Transfer to a serving platter or plate individual portions and garnish with additional parsley and basil if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
ABOUT THE TOMATOES: You can use any type of fresh tomato you choose for this recipe, although we don't recommend plum tomatoes because they are a little drier and less flavorful than other varieties. If you have fresh, homegrown tomatoes, they're the best choice, but we don't have that option available, so we usually use Campari (sometimes called cocktail tomatoes) tomatoes for this dish.
ABOUT THE BALSAMIC VINEGAR: We like to use a little bit of balsamic vinegar for extra flavor, but it's not essential. If you opt to use it too, keep in mind that it can discolor the fresh mozzarella cheese, which is why we recommend using white balsamic if possible.
ABOUT THE FRESH MOZZARELLA: If we can find them, our first choice for this dish is fresh mozzarella pearls (about 1/2-inch in diameter) from BelGioioso. If you can't find them, simply cut whatever type of fresh mozzarella you have into 1/2-inch cubes.
Nutrition
Calories: 510 | Total Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 430mg | Carbohydrates: 54g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Protein: 19g