This Zesty Italian Pasta is a quick and easy dish made with Italian dressing, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil.
authorโs note
30-Minute Flavor Packed Dinner!
I fell in love with Caprese while visiting Italy, and after taking a few cooking classes there, I was inspired to create this Caprese chicken recipe. I make it all the time, but with little ones who arenโt always fans of just protein, I knew I had to mix things up. So, I added pasta, their favorite!
While this isnโt an authentic Italian dish, itโs simple, bursting with flavor, and loved by everyone. The best part? Itโs ready in just 30 minutes!
Italian Pasta Ingredients
- Angel hair pasta: It cooks quickly, so watch it. Thin spaghetti also works.
- Olive oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Onion: Red onions bring color, but any small-chopped onion works.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is best, but garlic in a jar works too.
- Italian dressing: I recommend Kraft Zestyยฎ Italian Dressing for this recipe.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halve the tomatoes to create the sauce base.
- Fresh basil: Add at the end and slice into thin ribbons so it spreads out evenly.
- Mozzarella pearls: If you canโt find them, cube a mozz block.
Quick Tip
Love a little spice? Add some crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy touch!
How To Make Italian Pasta (Tips)
- Fresh ingredients: Fresh veggies and mozzarella add so much flavor.
- Prep: Get sauce ready while pasta cooks, so you can move it right from the pot to the pan.
- Salt water: Donโt skip salting the water! This is your chance to flavor the pasta.
- Donโt rinse pasta: Keep the starch on the pasta to help the sauce stick better.
- Cook tomatoes: Let tomatoes pop and release their juices for a richer sauce.
- Dressing: Add Italian dressing a little at a time to really mix its flavor into the dish.
Use A Large Skillet!
A large skillet is key for this recipe:
- It gives plenty of space to cook and mix ingredients well.
- Mixing the pasta with the sauce, an important step to spread the flavor evenly, is easier with a big pan.
- Its size fits the whole dish and spreads heat evenly.
Storage
Leftovers?
This Zesty Italian Pasta tastes best fresh. While it can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days, reheating may affect the flavor and texture, making the pasta soft or mushy.
I donโt recommend freezing this dish.
More Pasta Favorites:
Zesty Italian Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta uncooked, not the entire box
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red onion or yellow onion, very finely chopped (1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3/4 cup Italian dressing divided; I recommend Kraft Zestyยฎ Italian Dressing, see note 1
- 2-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup fresh basil ribboned
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese pearls or a block of cheese cut to small cubes
- Salt and pepper
- Grated Parmesan cheese optional
- Red pepper flakes optional
Instructionsย
- In a very large pot, boil 12 cups water, then add 1 tablespoon salt to season. Return water to a boil, then add pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta once cooked, but do not rinse.
- While pasta is coming to a boil, heat olive oil in a large pan (big enough to hold pasta later on!) over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook, stirring until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the Italian dressing, and salt and pepper to taste (1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper recommended). Cook 5โ6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- As tomatoes soften, smash them with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook 2โ3 more minutes until the mixture forms a chunky sauce.
- Transfer drained pasta to the pan. Add remaining 1/4 cup of dressing and toss to coat the pasta evenly. Stir in fresh basil ribbons and mozzarella cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Optionally, add red pepper flakes, either to the pan or individually on plates. Plate the pasta and use a fine grater to grate fresh Parmesan cheese over each serving. Best enjoyed immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be made the day before? I have a party and have to serve 30 people.
Sorry Rose, this isnโt a great dish to make ahead of time. Itโs best served right after being made.
How many does this recipe feed?
This serves 4! ๐
On the tomatoes, it has 4 and 1 cup.
So 5 cups of tomatoes for a serving of 8
Iโm not sure what youโre asking?
I see what you are seeing. It should read 4 cups of tomatoes for the 8 servings. I can see where that could be confusing.
Do you think this would work with sundried tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes?
It wouldnโt make a sauce the same way unfortunately
So delish! I did sub balsamic vinaigrette for italian dressing because itโs what i had on hand, what a great caprese flavor!
Sounds awesome! ๐