Making this Cherry Tomato Mozzarella Spaghetti is incredibly simple! You will not need much energy to prepare it and you will have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes! A fresh and light meal! Burst cherry tomatoes, soft mozzarella balls and fresh basil over al dente spaghetti will for sure be a family favorite in no time!
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Summer is around the corner and tomatoes are finally in season! Now is the perfect time to start cooking more light, but comforting food with our seasonal produce! Bring Italy to your kitchen tonight. Let's get cooking!
❤️Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and Easy: You can have this on the table in under 30 minutes, which makes it perfect after a long day. Plus it is very low effort!
- Simple Fresh Ingredients: No more canned sauce from the store with all the preservatives! Just a handful of fresh, everyday ingredients, but they create a dish packed with flavor.
- Budget-Friendly: Great for students, families, or anyone cooking on a budget. I started making this during my university time and it was a favorite of my roomate!
- Perfect for a weeknight dinner: This under 30 minute pasta dish is the perfect weeknight dinner!
- Endlessly adaptable: You can tweak this recipe easily based on what’s in your fridge or pantry.
Simplicity at its best packed with the quintessential flavors of the Italian cuisine!
This cherry tomato mozzarella spaghetti is the kind of meal that makes weeknight cooking feel joyful. It’s fast, fuss-free, and full of fresh, simple flavors that never get old.
When ever you are craving some good comfort food with Italian flavors after an exhausting day this will be your go to recipe! A must have on your weekly dinner or lunch rotation!
🥣 Equipment
You won’t need anything fancy to make this cherry tomato mozzarella spaghetti. Just a few kitchen basics that make prep and cleanup a breeze.
- Large skillet or sauté pan: PA wide surface helps the tomatoes cook down evenly. Opt for a large pan with a rather high side so you can easily mix the sauce and pasta in it.
- Large pot: For boiling the spaghetti. Make sure it’s big enough so the pasta cooks without sticking.
- Colander: Needed to drain the pasta. If you don’t have one, just transfer it with a spaghetti fork.
- Cooking spoon or spatula: Ideal for stirring the sauce and gently mixing in the mozzarella.
- Tongs or pasta fork: Great for combining the spaghetti with the sauce right in the pan.
📝The Ingredients
This recipe keeps it simple with fresh, flavorful ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cherry tomatoes: Use ripe, sweet cherry tomatoes for the best flavor. Grape tomatoes are also a good alternative if that’s what you have.
- Olive Oil: Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil as it adds richness and depth to the sauce. Butter works wonderfully as alternative.
- Yellow onion: This adds a subtle sweetness and savory base. White onion or shallots can work just as well.
- Garlic cloves: Freshly minced garlic brings bold flavor and aroma to the dish.
- Herbs: Use fresh herbs like oregano or thyme. You can also add a mix of herbs. Just use whatever you like and have around. Dried herbs work but the flavor will not be as strong.
- Salt & pepper: To season the dish and more salt to cook the pasta with.
- Spaghetti: A classic choice that holds the sauce nicely, though any pasta shape can be used.
- Mozzarella mini balls: Also known as bocconcini, these soften into the warm pasta. You can tear up a larger mozzarella ball if needed.
- Fresh basil leaves (optional): Added at the end for a bright and fresh finish.
👩🏻🍳How to make this weeknight cherry tomato mozzarella spagetti
Making this weeknight pasta dish could not be any easier!
Make the sauce
In a wide pan add olive oil and turn the stove to medium heat.
Add your onions and sweat them for 1-2 minutes till they start getting soft.
Mix in the garlic.
Add the cherry tomatoes and herb of your choice.
Mix well and let cook.
Turn down the heat and cover the pan.
Cook the pasta.
Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil.
Once boiling turn down the heat to medium and add the spaghetti.
Let cook for 10 minutes or according the package.
Assemble the Tomato Mozzarella Spaghetti
Add some pasta water to the sauce. Mix well.
Add the spaghetti and mix till they are all nicely covered.
Stir in the mozzarella balls.
Immediately serve and decorate with fresh basil leaves.
📖Variations
Put your own spin on the dish to switch it up! Here are some ideas we like to do so we do not eat the same dish every week:
- Parmesan: Sprinkle some parmesan on top of your spaghetti if you are a cheese lover.
- Shrimp: Cook some shrimp with the tomatoes to switch it up.
- Burrata: Replace the mozzarella with burrata. Shred it into bigger pieces and mix into the spaghetti. It melts into the pasta in the most dreamy way.
- Prosciutto: Top off your dish with some prosciutto. You can also use crispy prosciutto or pancetta.
- Spicy kick: If you like heat, sprinkle in some chili flakes or add a finely chopped fresh chili while the garlic cooks.
- Roasted veggies: Toss in roasted zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers for a veggie-forward version.
For my plant-based friends. This meal is vegetarian friendly and can easily be made vegan. Make sure your pasta is vegan and get vegan mozzarella and you are good to go. For dairy free eaters you can omit the mozzarella or also go with the vegan version.
If you are gluten-free you can replace the pasta with a gluten-free one.
🍴 Serving suggestions
This cherry tomato mozzarella spaghetti is satisfying on its own, but you can easily turn it into a full meal with just a few simple sides. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Crusty bread or focaccia: Perfect for mopping up all that delicious tomato sauce. Warm it slightly for extra comfort. My friend has a yummy focaccia recipe.
- Simple green salad: A light side salad with olive oil and balsamic pairs beautifully and keeps the meal fresh.
- Grilled veggies: Zucchini, bell peppers, or asparagus are great options to serve on the side.
- Antipasto platter: For a more Italian-inspired dinner spread, add some olives, marinated artichokes, and cured meats.
- Glass of wine: A chilled white or a light red like Pinot Noir makes a great pairing for a cozy pasta night.
🥄Storage
This dish stores well and is perfect for meal prep or leftovers the next day. Here’s how to keep it fresh:
- Fridge: Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. The flavors deepen overnight, making it even tastier the next day.
- Freezer: You can freeze the sauce separately for up to 2 months. I don’t recommend freezing the mozzarella as it tends to change texture.
Here is how you best reheat this dish:
- Skillet/Pan: Simply add everything to a skillet or pan, add some water and re-heat on medium heat.
- Steamer: Add some water and re-heat with the steam regeneration mode. After re-heating give it a quick stir.
- Microwave: Add everything to a microwave safe bowl. Pour in some water and pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
🥗Make it a menu
Here are some recipe ideas for appetizers and desserts to go with the spaghetti:
Tomato tart with pesto and burrata
💭Frequently asked questions
Yes! You can easily prepare this dish in advance and store in the fridge. This is the perfect dish to bring to school or even as a work lunch.
I take it with me all the time. You could also prepare the tomato sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge. Then simply re-heat and mix with the freshly cooked pasta.
Absolutely! You can easily prepare more of the sauce and cook more pasta. Simply use the according buttons in the recipe card.
Yes! You can easily re-heat them in a skillet or pan, a steamer or the microwave.
As most other pasta dishes you can easily freeze this meal. Both the spaghetti and the sauce freeze well. Do not freeze the mozzarella tough. I have not had a good experience with frozen mozzarella as it likes to go bad quickly. Make sure to use an air-tight container where no liquid can come out.
You can replace them. However, normal tomatoes do have a different taste than cherry tomatoes do. The cherry tomatoes tend to be on the sweeter side compared to tomatoes.
It is possible to replace the cherry tomatoes with canned tomatoes but not recommended. The flavor will be completely different and the consistency too.
This is absolutely no problem. You can serve the sauce on any pasta you'd like.
Replace the spaghetti wit a gluten free pasta and you have yourself a delicious gluten-free pasta dish!
Other 30-minute dinner recipes you might like
📖 Recipe
Weeknight Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella Spaghetti
Equipment
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- large pot
- Colander
- Cooking Spoon or Spatula
- Tongs or Pasta Fork
Ingredients
- 500 g Cherry Tomatoes
- Olive Oil Extra virgin, or butter
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Herbs
- salt & pepper
- Spaghetti or any other pasta shape
- 1 bag Mozzarella Mini Balls
- Basil Leaves fresh
Instructions
Make the sauce
- Wash your cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.
- In a wide pan add olive oil and turn the stove to medium heat.
- Add your onions and sweat them for 1-2 minutes till they start getting soft.
- Add the garlic and let cook for another minute.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and herb sprig of your choice.
- Mix well and let cook till the tomatoes are nice and soft.
- Turn down the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan.
Cook the pasta.
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil.
- Once boiling turn down the heat to medium and add the spaghetti.
- Let cook for 10 minutes or according the package.
Assemble
- Add some pasta water to the sauce. Mix well.
- Add the spagetti and mix till they are all nicely covered.
- Add the mozzarella balls and stir.
- Immediately serve and decorate with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Salt the pasta water well: The water should taste like the sea. This step makes a big difference in the final flavor of the pasta.
- Let the cherry tomatoes cook down fully: Give them time to burst and soften in the pan. This is what creates that fresh and flavorful sauce.
- Save some pasta water: Before draining the spaghetti, scoop out a bit of the cooking water. You’ll use it to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
- Add the mozzarella last: Stir it in right before serving so it warms up gently without completely melting.
- Use fresh basil: Add it just before serving to keep its flavor bright and its color vibrant.
- Customize to your needs: This dish works with different pasta shapes, gluten-free pasta, or even dairy-free cheese alternatives.
US Customary conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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Nutrition
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Fede says
I made this last night and it was delicious! Super easy to make and I loved the addition of a mozzarella ball. I highly recommend it.
Rebecca says
I love how amazing this dish tastes and it takes so little time to prepare. Perfect when I am in a rush.
Jeannie says
My go-to dinner, it was eas y and simply delicious recipe.
Sue says
I love how fast this is to make. So delicious!
Sean says
Super easy to make with classic Italian flavors. You cannot go wrong with this dish it was so tasty.
Shelby says
Love how quickly this comes together!
Tressa says
This recipe combines so many of my favorite things- loved it.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
This was such an easy and delicious dinner. Perfect for a busy weeknight when. I'm to tired to cook!
nancy says
simple yet so classic - everyone always has a great time with this recipe
Anastasia Pry says
Love some great pasta recipes. Can anything be better than this one?
Sherry says
I made the shrimp version of this cherry tomato mozzarella spaghetti for a quick school night meal and my whole family loved, loved, loved this recipe. Thank you for a great pasta recipe!!
Bianca says
Hi Sherry,
Thank you so much for trying this pasta recipe! So happy to hear that the whole family loved it! The shrimp variation was a great choice! It is my dads all time favorite.
Best,
Bianca
Natalie says
Thank you Bianca for this light, simple, yet so delicious Italian meal.
Bobbie says
Love this quick and flavorful pasta dish!
Lisa says
My family loves a quick, yummy pasta dish and this one is absolutely delicious. I highly recommend giving it a try!
Shelby says
Love how simple this is and how quickly it whips up!
Kat says
All my favourite flavours in one dish!
Giangi Townsend says
We all are pasta lovers in our house and your recipe was a hit. The perfect amount of tomatoes to satisfy the craving and with the tomatoes being ready and juicy this dish will be our summer favorite. I had to add more mozzarella, but that is me, and on any occasion to have mozzarella I take it.
Matej @ CookWeWill says
Simple and delicious, just the way I like it. It turned out really great! 🙂