Creamy Caprese Pasta is a light simple dish that highlights all the best flavors of summer- tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic glaze!
Every bite of Creamy Caprese Pasta tastes like enjoying a delicious dinner on the patio with the family while the weather is perfect. Light and comforting, this blend of pasta, marinara, cream, fresh tomatoes, basil, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese is easy to toss together and a great dish to serve all summer long, especially with a crunchy baguette!
Crazy for Caprese
I’m sure my family could go a long time without eating pasta, but that’s just not in the cards for me- I need all the noodles at all times! I want dishes with summer vibes when it’s warm out, and nothing fits the bill better than light Creamy Caprese Pasta. Filling without being heavy, this easy caprese pasta recipe has fresh ingredients, yummy mozzarella cheese, and doesn’t require much hands-on time. Sometimes we also enjoy the pasta with a dash of delicious balsamic glaze, and with or without the glaze, this caprese pasta is a summer favorite for the whole family!
Entertain a crowd or wow just the family with a night of amazing food, starting with flavorful Caprese Bruschetta and adding 30-Minute Chicken Caprese to star alongside this amazing pasta!
Other Recipes to Serve with Creamy Caprese Pasta
- Stun the crowd with a red, white, and blue appetizer or light dessert of Berry Caprese, the perfect combination of sweet, creamy, and just a touch of salt to balance all the flavors!
- When your garden is bursting with cucumbers, tomatoes, and basil, add a little mozzarella and turn that bounty into the most delicious Garden Caprese Stacks!
Ingredients
Pasta: To make this dish you will need your favorite medium-sized pasta, such as rotini, penne, or cavatappi.
Veggies: Stop by the produce section, your garden, or a farmers market to grab fresh basil and chop grape tomatoes to slice.
Sauce: This pasta dish will need your preferred homemade or store-bought marinara sauce.
Dairy: Grate a wedge of parmesan, grab some mozzarella balls, and heavy cream or half and half. Fat-free half and half is also fine for this recipe.
Optional: If you enjoy your caprese with a balsamic glaze, pick some up to drizzle over the finished pasta!
How to Make Creamy Caprese Pasta
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and cook the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta cooks, combine the marinara sauce and heavy cream in an large oven-safe saucepan and bring it to a simmer.
STEP TWO: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese. Stir the sauce until the pasta is finished cooking. Drain the pasta and add it to the saucepan, stirring until it’s coated in sauce.
STEP THREE: Stir in the mozzarella balls, sliced grape tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of chopped basil. Bake the pasta for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
STEP FOUR: Remove the pasta from the oven and top with additional basil and parmesan cheese. If you’d like, drizzle balsamic glaze over the pasta or individual servings, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- If your saucepan is not oven-safe, use a baking dish to bake the pasta. Also, remember to spray the baking dish with non-stick spray so the cheese doesn’t stick!
- You can use any of your favorite types of pasta in this dish, just be sure it is one that you can bite into, like rotini, penne, rigatoni, or cavatappi.
- You can store the caprese pasta covered in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
What pasta is best for baking?
Like most people, if you love pasta, you know that all pasta is amazing and perfect for every meal! When it comes to baking, the same is pretty much true; all pasta can be baked, and it all tastes amazing. If you want to get more specific, it really comes down to matching the sauce with the pasta. Heartier, chunkier sauces call for a larger or hollow pasta that can grab the sauce and provide a mouthful, like rigatoni. Alfredo and marinara sauces are traditionally paired with favorites like fettuccini or spaghetti. All these different pasta types are great for baking with once you’ve chosen the right sauce!
What’s the difference between bruschetta and Caprese?
When you look at bruschetta and caprese, you may see a lovely scoop of tomatoes and basil, but there is so much more to each dish! Bruschetta is made with diced tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil and served over toasted baguette slices for a fresh and light appetizer with a comforting crunch. On the other hand, Caprese salad is a dish with layers of creamy mozzarella, fresh sliced tomatoes, fragrant basil leaves, and a drizzle of sweet balsamic vinegar. Caprese and bruschetta may have ingredients in common, but the flavors are so different that you could serve them side by side for an even more delicious evening!
More Amazing Pasta Dishes to Love!
- Pasta Primavera
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Pasta Carbonara
- One Pot Alfredo Pasta
- Copycat Carrabba’s Cavatappi Amatriciana
*This post originally posted on 08/24/2016.
Ingredients
- 1 pound cavatappi or rotini pasta
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- ⅔ cup heavy cream or half-n-half
- ⅔ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls
- 1 pint grape tomatoes cut in half
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
- Balsamic glaze for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, add the marinara and heavy cream to a large oven-safe saucepan (see note) over medium heat. Cook until the sauce starts to simmer. Then, reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Stir frequently until the pasta has finished cooking.
- Drain the pasta and pour it into the skillet with the sauce. Stir to coat the pasta. Add the tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella balls, and basil to the pasta. Stir to combine.
- Place the saucepan into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove from oven and top with more chopped basil and Parmesan cheese before serving warm. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.
Cris says
What temp should the oven be set? Not seeing that part.
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Oh no! So sorry about that Cris!! The oven should be set to 350 degrees F. Thank you for catching that and letting us know. I’ve updated the recipe card. Have a great day!