This Zesty Italian Pasta is a quick and easy dish made with Italian dressing, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil.
Zesty Italian Pasta
I fell in love with all things Caprese while visiting Italy. After a few cooking classes there, I was inspired to make this Caprese chicken recipe. I make this chicken dish all the time, but with little kids who don’t always love just protein, I knew I had to tweak it. So, I added pasta, their favorite!
While this isn’t an authentic Italian dish, it’s simple, flavorful, and a dish everyone will love. The best part? It’s ready in just 30 mins!
Italian Pasta Ingredients
- Angel hair pasta: It cooks quickly, so don’t overcook 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 has the strongest flavor, but garlic in a jar works too.
- Italian dressing: I recommend Kraft Zesty® 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 can’t 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 basil, tomatoes, garlic, and mozz add so much flavor to the dish.
- Prep: Get sauce ready while pasta cooks, so you can move it right from the pot to the pan.
- Salt pasta water: Don’t skip salting the water! This is your chance to flavor the pasta.
- Don’t 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 don’t recommend freezing this dish.
More Pasta Favorites:
- Pesto Pasta Salad with tomatoes and cucumbers
- Sausage Pasta made with sausage
- Chicken And Broccoli Pasta with a creamy pasta sauce
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta with a creamy sauce
- Chicken Pasta with tomatoes
Zesty Italian Pasta
Zesty Italian Pasta is a quick, flavor-packed dish with tangy Italian dressing, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil ribbons for the perfect finishing touch!
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large pan
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 Zesty® 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
Instructions
- 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 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- As tomatoes soften, smash them with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook 2–3 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.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Kraft Zesty® Italian Dressing brings tanginess and zest to the dish. I highly recommend this brand, since the quality of the dressing will directly affect the overall flavor of the pasta. (This guide may help you decide what brand to use!) Fat-free Italian dressing can also be used.
Storage: This Zesty Italian Pasta is best enjoyed fresh, though it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 630IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg
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 isn’t a great dish to make ahead of time. It’s best served right after being made.
How many does this recipe feed?
This serves 4! 🙂
On the tomatoes, it has 4 and 1 cup.
So 5 cups of tomatoes for a serving of 8
I’m not sure what you’re asking?
Do you think this would work with sundried tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes?
It wouldn’t make a sauce the same way unfortunately
So delish! I did sub balsamic vinaigrette for italian dressing because it’s what i had on hand, what a great caprese flavor!
Sounds awesome! 🙂