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15-Minute Caprese Pasta with Burrata

Like summer in a silk slip — quick, cool, and a little indulgent. This is pasta that refuses to break a sweat: warm noodles tangled with juicy tomatoes, basil confetti, and a drizzle of good olive oil, all crowned with a ball of burrata that oozes like the season’s last lazy sunset.
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Calories 548 kcal

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

• Why it works: You’re leaning on summer’s cheat codes: peak tomatoes, fresh basil, and burrata doing all the heavy lifting.
• 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.