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This Vegan Pasta Caprese has a fresh taste of summer in every bite.
Tomato, basil, pasta, and vegan mozzarella — my four favorite ingredients all together in one bowl. It's pure heaven! You just can't go wrong with this Pasta Caprese recipe. It's packed with zesty fresh flavors that will make your summertime complete.
It's not a secret that I'm a big carb pasta lover. It's the epitome of comfort food for me. I love super creamy & cheesy pasta dishes like this Mac n Cheese and this Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo, but for warm weather, I love this fresh-tasting Vegan Pasta Caprese dish.
Typically this dish calls for a good amount of olive oil, so I wanted to lighten it up a bit. I've seen some recipes online that use ½ cup of oil, but I don't think it's needed.
I'm not anti-oil, but less is more sometimes. To moisten things up, I used only 2 tablespoons of olive oil and low-sodium vegetable broth. The broth also adds more savory flavor to this already flavorful meal. It's a win-win!
To Prep
- Chop basil
- Cut tomatoes
- Crush garlic
How to make Pasta Caprese
- Boil and drain pasta
- Sauté tomatoes in garlic
- Simmer with broth
- Toss in the pasta and fresh basil
- Add vegan mozzarella and serve
That's it! It's an easy-peasy summer dish that is worth making tonight!
More pasta recipes to enjoy
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this Pasta Caprese recipe, I’d love to get your feedback. You can leave a comment below and let me know what you think. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Pasta Caprese
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti (GF if preferred)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , extra virgin
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1 teaspoon sea salt , more to taste (or preferred salt)
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable broth , low sodium
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice , freshly squeezed
- ½ cup chopped basil
- 8 ounces homemade vegan mozzarella , cut into ½-inch pieces (or store-bought)
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan , for topping (optional)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Place spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente according to package directions (about 10-12 minutes). Drain and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- While the pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until tomatoes soften and release their liquid.
- Add vegetable broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes to incorporate flavors. Remove from heat.
- Add drained pasta and fresh basil. Toss to coat. Taste for seasoning and add more as needed. If things seem a bit dry, drizzle a little olive oil on top or add a few tablespoons of vegetable broth. Add vegan mozzarella and serve immediately. Serve with vegan parmesan on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you make the homemade vegan mozzarella, the prep time will be longer. I usually have it in my fridge all summer long because it goes with everything. Feel free to use store-bought vegan mozzarella to make life even easier. I've also made this dish without any cheese and it was still insanely delicious!
- You can use store-bought vegan mozzarella shreds. Just make sure you like the taste before adding it to the pasta because it can really change the flavor. I would use about 4 oz, instead of 8 oz.
- I made mini mozzarella balls by using a measuring spoon (teaspoon). I just scooped out pieces from the larger homemade mozzarella balls (I used about 2). This is not necessary, but it looks nice.
- Nutritional info includes my homemade mozzarella.
Nutrition
Danielle
I made this dish exactly as the directions stated and it was delicious. I did buy a vegan mozz cheese and used nutritional yeast in place of vegan parmesan cheese and that worked just as well. I am not a fan of the vegan mozz you can find in the store so I might just leave that out the next time i make it! I really don't think that will change the flavor of it. I loved the few recipes I have made so far!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Danielle, I'm so happy you liked it! Thank you for making it. Have you tried Miyoko's Vegan Mozzarella yet? It's pricey but really good 🙂
Antonela
This is so delicious I will be make Ng this again! Thanks for the recipe! So simple, so full of flavour????
Melissa Huggins
Hi Antonela, thank you so much for making it! It's one of my favorites. Have a wonderful week 🙂
Jasmine
Not only does this sound delicious, but your photos are amazing!! We eat with our eyes first and you definitely got me drooling!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Jasmine! I originally planned to shoot them on plates, but the pasta looked good in the pan, so I just went with it.
Jenn
Melissa, this is gorgeous! Perfect for summer, but I would surely eat it all year round! The whole family would love this.
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Jenn! It's such an easy dish for family meals. 🙂
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
What a delicious looking pasta! We love dishes like this in my house.
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Amy! We are big pasta lovers too 🙂
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
I'm a huge carb love too Melissa! This pasta looks amazing! Something straight out of Italy! Yummy!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Mary Ellen! Carbs are life 🙂
Linda from Veganosity
This is totally my kind of pasta recipe! I love Miyoko's mozzarella. It's great when you don't have time to make your own.
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Linda! Miyoko's definitely raised the bar in the store-bought "cheese" world 🙂
Gunjan
The combination of ingredients in this pasta caprese is simply irresistible.
Melissa Huggins
Thank you so much! My favorite combination 🙂