One of the recipes that I get on every summer with plump, peak season tomatoes is a large caprese salad. It’s easy, but I love it. If you use high-quality ingredients-milky buffalo mozzarella, fragrant basil, farmers market tomato and you really shine, you can best appreciate your aromas and textures and how delicious you are together.
In honor of my love for all things, the caprese (like this sandwich, this chicken and this corn salad), I wanted to create a pasta dish that was based on its characteristic tomatoes, basil and mozzarella and was just as uncomplicated and summer.
How to make my stew Caprese Orzo
In order to keep the effort as low as possible -after all, it is a summer recipe, and nobody wants to spend too much time in a hot kitchen -I decided to make this caprese pasta in just one pot. I also reached for Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta that works really well in stew preparations due to its small size and quick cooking time.
To prepare this dish, you will first fry some halved cherry tomatoes and a thinly cut garlic in a little olive oil. You can add chilli flakes for a little spice, then throw in fresh basil leaves, orzo, vegetable broth (or water) and bring the whole thing to a boil. After cooking, lower the heat, cover the pot and let the orzo cook through.
As soon as the Orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, remove the pot from the heat and end with a little more tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella. I like to serve it with a splash olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but that’s it! If you love Caprese, you have to bring this simple 20-minute dish to your summer dinner rotation.
Simply recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Simple variations
The simplicity of the Capre salad is suitable for variations, as is this pasta-fiddle version. Here are some of my favorite options if you want to switch on things:
- Add basil pesto instead of the fresh basil. Turn a few tablespoons into the bowl when you remove it from the heat and add the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella.
- End with roasted pine core for additional texture.
- Skip the Mozzarella and give every portion with a quarter of a Burrata cheese ball for an extra creamy finish or a smoky notes with smoked scamorza cheese.
- Add more protein by throwing in some crushed chicken.
Simply recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Simple simple stew and one-pan meals
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3 tablespoon olive oilPlus more to serve
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4 Carnate GarlicSliced thinly into slices
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1 pint Cherry or torment tomatoeshalved
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1 teaspoon Kosher saltPlus more to taste
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1 cup Fresh basil leaves, divided
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1/2 teaspoon Chili flakesoptional
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2 Cup Orzo
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3 1/4 Cup Vegetable broth or water
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5 Ounce Whole fresh Mozzarella pearls or Mini Mozzarella ballsHalved (approx. 3/4 cup)
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Freshly ground black peppertaste
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Balsamic vinegarOptional for serving
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Fry the garlic and tomatoes:
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, about half of the cherry tomatoes and salt, and cook with occasional stirring until the tomatoes collapse for about 3 minutes. Add half of the fresh basil and all chilli flakes when you use it and cook until the basil is in the wild, about 30 seconds.
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Cook the Orzo:
Add the Orzo and the broth and increase the heat at medium height. Let simmer. As soon as they simmer, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and occasionally stir the bottom of the pot and scrape it off until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid was absorbed, about 10 minutes.
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End and serve:
Take the pot from the stove and season the orzo with salt and pepper. Stir in the rest of the basil and tomatoes and the fresh mozzarella. Serve immediately with a drizzle with fresh olive oil and balsamic vinegar, if desired.
Store all the remains in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Gently harden to keep the Mozzarella intact or enjoy cold.
Do you love the recipe? Let’s star and a comment below!
| Nutritional information (by portion) | |
|---|---|
| 384 | Calories |
| 19g | Fat |
| 38g | Carbohydrates |
| 15g | protein |
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| Nutritional information | |
|---|---|
| Portions: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 384 |
| % Daily value* | |
| 19g | 24% |
| Saturated fat 6g | 31% |
| 28 mg | 9% |
| 1087 mg | 47% |
| 38g | 14% |
| Food fiber 2G | 9% |
| Total sugar 5G | |
| 15g | |
| Vitamin C 13mg | 65% |
| Calcium 218 mg | 17% |
| Iron 2mg | 12% |
| Potassium 364 mg | 8% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food service contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day are used for general nutritional advice. | |
Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where several ingredients are given, the first diet listed is calculated. Side dishes and optional ingredients are not included.
