Fusilli alla Caprese
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Garlicky olive oil, burst cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil come together in this fusilli alla caprese—a simple dish that tastes like summer.
Cooking weeknight dinners can sometimes feel like a chore, but when a dish is this simple and tasty, it can almost be a pleasure. Adapted from Giada De Laurentis, this fusilli alla caprese recipe requires just a handful of high-quality ingredients. The sauce comes together faster than the pasta takes to boil, and it’s just as delicious cold—so if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, you’ve got an easy lunch ready to go.
This is just the kind of quick and delicious meal we all need when it’s too hot to cook. Want to add some protein? Grilled chicken, pesto shrimp, or even crispy pancetta are all great options. And for more simple weeknight pasta ideas, don’t miss my spaghetti aglio e olio and pasta primavera recipes.
“Love this! Easy to make and delicious! It’s definitely a crowd pleaser, too! One of my go to recipes.”
What You’ll Need To Make Fusilli Alla Caprese
- Fusilli Pasta: Fusilli is the ideal pasta shape for this recipe – because of its corkscrew shape, the sauce clings nicely to it. Rotini, penne, or farfalle pastas are all good alternatives.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness to the sauce. Make sure to use a good quality olive oil here. My favorite supermarket brands are Lucini, California Olive Ranch, and Colavita.
- Garlic & Basil: Garlic gently perfumes the olive oil without taking over, while fresh basil tossed in at the end adds a bright note that makes the whole dish sing.
- Cherry Tomatoes: These little gems cook down into a sauce that’s sweet, tangy, and bright. If you spot a mix of colors at the store, grab them—they make the dish even prettier. If not, plain red ones do the job just fine. Grape tomatoes also work well.
- Fresh Mozzarella Pearls: These are the tiniest mozzarella balls, named for their size. Most large supermarkets carry them conveniently packaged in 8-oz pouches; if you can’t find them, simply buy a ball of fresh mozzarella and dice it into cubes.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the pasta. Boil the fusilli until it’s just al dente. Don’t forget to save about ½ cup of that starchy pasta water—it’s key for the sauce. I always keep a liquid measuring cup nearby as a little reminder so it doesn’t slip my mind when I drain the pasta.
Step 2: Start the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté just until it’s fragrant—about 2 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn and turn bitter.
Step 3: Add tomatoes and seasoning. Add the halved tomatoes, salt, and pepper and increase the heat to medium-high.
Step 4: Cook the tomatoes until they burst. Stir the tomatoes every now and then until they start to soften and burst. It should take about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Finish the sauce by smashing the tomatoes. Use a fork to break them down into a chunky, rustic sauce that’s full of fresh flavor.
Step 6: Toss the pasta with the sauce. Add the drained fusilli to the pan and stir everything together.
Step 7: Finish the dish. Right before serving, toss in the basil and mozzarella pearls. (It’s important to do this at the last minute so the cheese doesn’t melt too much.) Give everything a taste and add the reserved pasta water a little at a time if the pasta seems dry. Then, spoon into bowls and enjoy!
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Fusilli alla Caprese
Fresh and bursting with flavor, this fusilli alla caprese is the kind of easy recipe you’ll reach for all summer long.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fusilli (or similar) pasta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups (about 1½ pints) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh packed basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls (alternatively, you can use an 8-oz ball of fresh mozzarella, diced)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes; do not burn. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to soften and burst, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a fork, smash the tomatoes into a chunky sauce. Add the drained fusilli to the pan and toss to combine. Right before serving, toss in the basil and mozzarella pearls. (It's important to do this at the last minute so the cheese doesn't melt too much.) Taste and adjust seasoning, adding the reserved pasta water little by little if the pasta seems dry. Spoon into bowls and serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 520
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 506 mg
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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What adjustments would you make to the sauce if I was going serve with a balsamic reduction when plating?
Hi Michael, I don’t think you’d need to make any adjustments/ Sounds like a delicious way to top it off!
Love this one! It’s one of my go-tos. Easy, versatile and absolutely delicious and satisfying!
Fabulous! Took it to a picnic before a show. My friend made it and now I’ve got the recipe! Not a “heavy” sauce. Delicate sauce.
You mention this tastes good hot or cold. I would like to make the cold version. Should I follow the recipe as is or make modifications. Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Belinda, You can just follow the recipe as is. Enjoy! 🙂
Jenn, I have a 28 oz can of San Marzano Tomatoes. Can I drain them, seed and chunk them and follow the recipe as noted. I don’t care for the tomato skins and I’m thinking if I don’t overcook them or add extra water, unless needed, they might work? Thank you.
Hi Myrna, I think it will give you a slightly different result, but it will still be good. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Next time I will double this–so easy and delicious. My family devoured it. Thank you for another outstanding recipe.
This is the first time I add a review to a website, but after making 30-some recipes from your website with excellent results, I thought it was time. When I saw this recipe I hesitated to make it -who needs a recipe for pasta with tomatoes? I was so wrong!! When I was making the sauce I had to control myself not to eat the whole thing before adding the pasta 🙂 D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S. I’m amazed at how you can turn something so simple into something so “out-of-this-worldly”. I also got your cookbook for the Holidays and I love it. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Isabel
Deceptively simple and sooooo delicious Based on others’ comments, reduced the amount of pasta and the flavors really came through. Simple and fresh and so easy to make. I’ve tried different (and often fussier) versions of this, but none as simply delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!
Before finding this dish, my husband and I were not “pasta people.” Now we make this or another similar pasta dish from the blog (we also love the Pesto Pasta & Pasta Primavera) at least weekly. It is the perfect, simple and delicious weeknight meal. I try to keep the ingredients on hand at all times. We make it exactly as written, adjusted for 1-2 servings.
Amazingly simple and delicious. I made the pasta al dente and let it cook in the tomato sauce for a little while longer. It helps it to soak up the delicious sauce. My new fave. Thanks!
Made this the other day. So delicious!! I sliced the garlic instead of mincing it because I wanted the flavor of the garlic without eating it. Turned out to be wonderful. Love your recipes!