Caprese Pasta
This Caprese Pasta is a one-pot recipe, ready in 20 minutes! It makes a light main dish or a delicious side. You'll love this classic caprese salad inspired pasta!
Equipment
- 1 lidded skillet or saute pan
- 1 Spatula or Wooden spoon
- 1 knife and cutting board for basil
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 oz grape tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar while cooking
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar after cooking
- 2.25 cups water
- 8 oz angel hair pasta dry
- 4 oz mozzarella pearls
- 6 basil leaves
Instructions
- To a large lidded saute pan, add grape tomatoes and olive oil. Saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.2 tablespoon olive oil, 10 oz grape tomatoes
- Add Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and half the balsamic vinegar. Stir and cook 1 additional minute.½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Add water and pasta, and once pasta is submerged, place lid on saute pan. Remove to stir every few minutes until al dente, about 6-8 minutes depending how quickly your water heats.2.25 cups water, 8 oz angel hair pasta
- Once pasta is al dente, remove from heat and add remaining balsamic vinegar. Slice basil while giving the pasta a minute to cool with the lid off.1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Toss in mozzarella pearls and basil leaves. Enjoy!4 oz mozzarella, 6 basil leaves
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Notes
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Leftover pasta caprese keeps covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the pasta. Cool it to room temperature before transferring it to a freezer-safe container and freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost the pasta in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm the mozzarella pasta on gentle heat in the microwave for 30-60 second intervals until hot. Alternatively, you can serve leftovers cold as a pasta salad.
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- Mind the size of the pan. I recommend using a lidded saucepan or skillet that is as wide as the pasta is long so the pasta can snugly fit into it without having to break or press to submerge. A medium-sized Dutch oven or stockpot is also a good pick.
- Add more water as needed. This one-pot pasta mozzarella cooks in a small amount of seasoned water rather than in a large pot of boiling water. If the water evaporates before the pasta is done, add additional water two tablespoons at a time as needed. Conversely, if the pasta is too saucy as it finishes cooking, you can remove the lid to let some water boil off.
- Cook to al dente. The pasta will continue to cook as it cools and is tossed with the basil and mozzarella. Prevent it from getting mushy by cooking the angel hair until it is firm but tender (“al dente”).
- Cool the pasta slightly before adding the mozzarella. Doing so will help prevent the mozzarella from melting together and clumping. Remove the pasta from the heat for a few minutes while you slice the basil, then toss the pasta with the fresh mozzarella!
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 339mgPotassium: 332mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 818IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 174mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. It is recommended to use your preferred calculator with the actual ingredients you use for optimal accuracy.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!