The Dish That Lets You Sit Down Before the Ice Melts in Your Spritz
There’s a time and place for slow-simmered sauces, but this is not that time. This is for when the tomatoes are so ripe you can smell them from the counter, the basil is practically begging to be torn, and you’re one pot of boiling water away from dinner glory.
Caprese pasta is a lesson in restraint — which is ironic, because once the burrata hits the plate, restraint is the first thing to go. You swirl the warm pasta and juicy, just-burst tomatoes together, and then there’s the moment you crack into the burrata… It’s a tiny, edible miracle, the cream inside mingling with the olive oil until it coats everything in that silk-slipper texture you could never fake.
It’s the kind of meal that feels like you’ve “hosted” even if the guest list is just you, a toddler, and the basil plant in the window. It’s also one of those rare pastas that’s as good eaten immediately as it is eaten cold from the fridge the next day while standing over the sink.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s ready in 15 minutes flat — faster than you can scroll a delivery app.
- Works with any pasta shape, making it a pantry-flexible recipe.
- Burrata turns the whole thing into an instant dinner party centerpiece.
Make It Your Own
Try roasted cherry tomatoes if yours are underripe, or add a handful of arugula for peppery contrast. You could even swap in roasted red peppers for a smokier vibe.
Pull this one out whenever the week feels too long, the fridge feels too empty, or you need a little proof that you can, in fact, eat like someone who has their life together.
Fancy-feeling food for fried people.
15-Minute Caprese Pasta with Burrata
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or short pasta like penne or fusilli
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more for pasta water
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 8 oz fresh burrata 2 balls
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves torn
- Flaky salt for finishing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper; sauté until tomatoes just begin to collapse, about 3 minutes.
- Toss the drained pasta into the skillet with the tomatoes, adding a splash of pasta water if it feels dry. Stir in basil.
- Divide pasta among plates. Place a ball of burrata in the center of each portion.
- Drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with flaky salt, and serve immediately.
Notes
• Shortcuts: Swap burrata for fresh mozzarella pearls if you can’t find it. Use pre-minced garlic if you’re in goblin mode.
• Toddler-friendly: Skip the red pepper flakes and cut tomatoes smaller.
• Apéro energy: Serve in a big bowl with extra bread for sopping up burrata cream.