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One delicious bowl, brimming with the summer's finest fare, this Roasted Tomato Fresh Mozzarella Pasta is perfect for lunch or dinner and always brings rave reviews!
I'm quite certain that, if this delicious Roasted Tomato Fresh Mozzarella Pasta could talk, it would be shouting "summer"! It's perfect for any kind of warm weather get together and is guaranteed to be the first dish emptied at picnics, potlucks and family meals.
When I first made this Roasted Tomato Fresh Mozzarella Pasta, I sent a bowl over to our sweet neighbors next door. The text I received a few hours later, is probably all I need to tell you about this amazing recipe. This is what it said:
"Oh my my my!!!! Chris and Scott! This is perhaps the best thing I've ever tasted! The flavors are so amazing and fresh and delicious!!! Thank you for sharing your yumminess! Love, Your insanely happy neighbors next door :)"
So I'll keep it short today and let the pictures do most of the talking. The components are simple, but the combination is so delicious:
The recipe starts out with a batch of Garlic and Herb Roasted Tomatoes, easy to put together and bursting with the delicious flavors of summer.
Then there's one of our favorite kinds of pasta, Ditalini, so fun and pretty! Ditalini is a small, tubular-shaped pasta that's often used in minestrone as well as Pasta e Fagioli. Ditalini actually means "little thimbles". It's an ideal choice for this salad as the little tubes readily soak up the fabulous flavors of the roasted tomatoes.
Fresh, sweet summer corn - barely cooked to crunchy perfection. Is there anything better? Well, maybe creamy, fresh mozzarella that melts into strings of deliciousness when warmed.
A shower of fresh basil is the crowning glory and finishing touch. I mean really, it's part of the Italian trinity, right? Tomatoes, mozzarella and... yes, lots of fresh, fragrant basil!
Put this Roasted Tomato Fresh Mozzarella Pasta on your menu soon, before the fleeting summer slips by! You'll be insanely happy that you did!
Café Tips for making this Roasted Tomato Fresh Mozzarella Pasta
- If you can't find Ditalini or want to use something you already have, any small tubular pasta will work. You could even use macaroni, although it's not as pretty.
- The Garlic Herb Roasted tomatoes can be made a day in advance. Just be careful with them when transferring to a storage container as you want to keep them as intact as possible for the pasta salad. Bring them to room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave before adding to the salad.
- I like the small fresh balls of fresh mozzarella you can purchase at many larger grocery stores. They usually come in a small container and are in a brine or oil solution. You can also dice larger balls or log mozzarella into bite-size pieces.
- The corn in this pasta salad is barely cooked so it remains crunchy and fresh. You just want to see the color deepen from light yellow to a darker yellow.
- This Roasted Tomato Fresh Mozzarella Pasta makes a great side for chicken, salmon or anything on the grill, but you can also make it a complete meal by adding rotisserie chicken or thinly sliced Italian sausage, like s0pressata, salami or even pepperoni.
Thought for the day:
Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25 4&5
What we’re listening to for inspiration:
- 1 recipe Garlic and Herb Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 pound ditalini pasta
- 4 ears fresh corn
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
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Prepare the Garlic Herb Roasted Tomatoes.
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Bring a medium-large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta. Allow water to return to a boil, then cook pasta for 8-10 minutes or until al dente (If you're using a different type of pasta, follow the directions on the package).
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Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water then drain well, drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and stir to coat pasta with oil. (This will keep it from drying out until you’re ready to combine it with the other ingredients.) Set aside.
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While pasta is cooking, place corn in a large microwave-safe bowl and add 1 tablespoon of water. Cover the bowl with a plate and cook in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from microwave, carefully remove the plate to vent and wait till corn is cool enough to handle, then cut kernels from cobs. Cover and set aside.
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Allow pasta to cool for 20 minutes (this will keep the cheese from melting right away), then combine with about ⅔ of the tomatoes (reserve the rest) in a medium-large bowl, (be sure to scrape out all the good oil and herbs from the pan).
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Add corn, fresh mozzarella, remaining olive oil, salt, pepper and ¼ cup of the pasta water. Stir gently to combine and add more pasta water to loosen a bit, if needed.
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Add one half of the basil and stir gently one more time. Top with the remaining tomatoes and basil. Warm slightly (1-2 minutes) in the microwave before serving or serve at room temperature.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.
Nutritional information does not include Garlic and Herb Roasted Tomatoes.
This recipe was originally published in August 2016. It's way too good to get lost in the deep Café archives so we've spruced it up a bit and we're sharing it again for your dining pleasure!
Coleen says
I needed a good side for a tomato based marinade on a tri tip so I went to my favorite spot for creative combinations...the Cafe. This sounded good, but then I made it, oh my goodness. You know how when a dish has many components you end up digging for your favorite? I was digging for these amazing tomatoes! We enjoyed this last night, but then I had two bowls for brunch in the morning! Yum. Fresh and tasty. I really like the heat and flavours in the tomatoes.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Coleen!
Gayle Humann says
Chris,
I made this tonight for dinner with grilled chicken. The flavors were amazing and it looked so pretty on the plate. Can’t wait to serve to friends and family. All your recipes are awesome and I love sharing them.
Thanks again,
Gayle
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so glad! Thanks for letting us know, Gayle!
Mari says
Curious why some are calling this a salad? You reference warm mozz, pasta water, main dish so my take this is main course warm padta dish. I have an abundance of plum tomatoes from garden. I have slow roasted 8 lbs so far. Delish. Now to figure out what to use them in. Your recipe is my first go for them. Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
I think it's just semantics, Mari. Because it has tomatoes, I think some people think of it as a pasta salad.
Kim Patterson says
Made this for dinner and the family loved it! My daughter said the roasted tomatoes reminded her of being in Italy. I made a half recipe of the pasta, which could easily feed 6 instead of 4, but ended up using a full recipe of the tomatoes as everyone kept going back for more. I also served the pasta with a little crab on the side. Delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Kim! You can take a little culinary trip to Italy any time the urge strikes you 😋. Thanks for sharing your results!
Karen Calanchini says
Thanks for the information Chris, will give that a try, going to have a Instacart delivery from them tomorrow.
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Karen!
Karen Calanchini says
I have not made this yet, but plan on buying one of Costco's rotesserrie chickens this weekend and will serve this as the side. As always, your salads and dressings are amazing. I have never understood the lure of mozzerella chesses other than the fact that it melts well. To me, it is simply a rubbery, almost tastless cheese. So, I will use different cheese, maybe a good Swiss, Fontina or Havarti. Any suggestions? Thanks for all your great recipes, they are always wonderful
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karen, Thanks for your kind words. 💕
I agree that regular mozzarella would not be so great in this recipe.
But fresh mozzarella is pretty amazing, especially if the pasta is a little warm and it gets soft and a little melty. If you're going to Costco, I would encourage you to pick up their fresh mozzarella that's packed in oil, the little balls. Cut each one in half or quarters and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It's lovely with roasted tomatoes and fresh herbs.
Kathleen says
The in-laws are comin! and will make this salad and some grilled shrimp for lunch. If I could get some yeast here in NC!! I would make one of your bread recipes too. I think I can roast the tomatoes the day before? Can't wait to try the salad cause sounds just awesome.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kathleen, sounds delicious! Yes, you can make the tomatoes the day before. Try to handle the tomatoes as gently as possible after they are finished cooking to keep them pretty and intact for your pasta salad. Enjoy!
Pam Payne says
A dear friend just brought over a bowl of this salad.
Yum . . Its a winner!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Pam! We love that salad too! 💕
Karen says
Loved this recipe! Flavorful and colorful!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Karen! We appreciate you taking the time to share your results 🙂
Elizabeth says
Could I use dry basil?
Chris Scheuer says
You definitely could. But if you can find fresh basil, it would be better. 🙂
pavitra says
Amazing, I love Mozzarella Pasta. I tried it. Its delicious. Your recipes are superb. Thanks for sharing.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much Pavitra!
Debra Eliotseats says
Fresh and delicious!!!!! Absolutely. I just took some roasted tomatoes out of the oven, but they were Romas and I'm making sauce. 🙂 I need to find some cherry or grape tomatoes so I can make this salad.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Debra, hope you get to enjoy this before the summer's gone!