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Looking for a quick and delicious pasta recipe that’s packed with fresh tomato flavor? This Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta with Burrata transforms sweet blistered tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and Pecorino Romano cheese into a simple sauce that’s ready in about 25 minutes. Finished with creamy burrata cheese, it’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy cherry tomatoes–whether they’re freshly picked from the garden or purchased at the grocery store year round.
Keep In Mind Before You Start . . .
- Use ripe cherry tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Cherry, grape or pear tomatoes work equally well here.
- Let the tomatoes blister and burst naturally–don’t rush the process.
- Reserve pasta water to create a silky sauce.
- Burrata cheese must be at room temperature.
- Also, burrata is optional, but it makes the finished sauce feel extra special.
Inspired by My Backyard Tomato Garden
Four years ago, I started my backyard garden, and of course tomatoes were a significant part of it!
While I’ve experimented with many different varieties over the years, one thing has remained constant: I always make room for cherry tomatoes.
They’re productive, reliable and easily the most abundant harvest in my garden each summer.
In fact, they’ve inspired many recipes on this site, including Sun Gold Tomato Pasta, Cherry Tomato and Garlic Confit, Fresh Grape Tomato Pasta, Bow Tie Pasta Salad and Easy Cherry Tomato Sauce.
This Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta is another favorite.
While it was inspired by my summer harvest, it’s also a recipe I make throughout the year. Unlike many larger tomato varieties that can be disappointing outside of peak season, cherry tomatoes are generally sweet, flavorful and dependable no matter the time of year.
This means that this pasta works just as well for a quick weeknight dinner (ready in 25 minutes!) in January as it does with freshly picked tomatoes in August.
More Weeknight Pastas: Zucchini and Sausage Pasta, Pasta with Peas, Shrimp Scampi Pasta, Linguine with Canned Clams and Pasta with Red Tuna Sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity.
As the tomatoes cook, they blister and burst, releasing their juices and creating a light sauce that’s both sweet and savory. Garlic, fresh basil and Pecorino Romano cheese add depth, while a little pasta water helps bring everything together.
Creamy burrata cheese adds richness and more visual appeal. And the contrast between the warm pasta and cool, creamy burrata is especially delicious.
Perhaps best of all, this is a recipe you can enjoy year-round since cherry tomatoes are one of the few tomato varieties that consistently deliver good flavor regardless of the season.
It’s proof that great cooking doesn’t need to be complicated, the hallmark of Italian cooking!
What is Burrata Cheese?
Burrata is a fresh Italian, cow’s milk cheese made from mozzarella and cream.
From the outside, it looks similar to fresh mozzarella. But when cut open, the center reveals a rich creamy filling made from shredded mozzarella curds and cream.
The name “burrata” comes from the Italian word “burro”, meaning butter, a reference to its rich texture.
With origins in Italy’s southern region of Puglia (the “heel” of the boot), it’s become increasingly popular and more available in the U.S. in recent years.
Here, room temperature burrata is added just before serving and gently melts into the warm pasta, creating a luxurious finish.
That said, the pasta is absolutely delicious without it. The burst cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic and Pecorino Romano create a great sauce all on their own. But sometimes, it’s nice to be a little fancy!
Ingredients
A few simple ingredients create all the deliciousness in this recipe:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Garlic
- Fresh basil
- Pecorino Romano cheese
- Burrata Cheese
- Pasta
- Extra-virgin olive oil
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
How To Make Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Prep Ingredients: Chop garlic and basil. Take burrata out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before using.
- Combine olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes over medium-low heat. Cook until garlic is lightly golden and soft.
- Then, add tomatoes, half the fresh basil/herbs, salt and black pepper.
- Cook tomatoes until they begin to burst, then help them along by lightly crushing most of the tomatoes with a fork to release their juices.
- Simmer sauce for about 5 minutes.
Pro Tip
Leave some cherry tomatoes in large chunks for the best overall texture.
- Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Then transfer it to skillet with some starchy pasta water. Let the pasta finish cooking in sauce and absorb all of those wonderful flavors!
- Turn off heat, then fold in pecorino cheese and remaining basil. Add a healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Add room temperature burrata to pasta in one large ball and mix in as much or as little as you’d like.
- Finish with some freshly ground black pepper. That’s it!
Common Mistakes
- Using Under-Ripe Tomatoes: The tomatoes are the star of the dish!
- Rushing the Bursting Process: Give the tomatoes tome to soften and release their juices. It won’t take very long!
- Not Using Pasta Water: It helps create the sauce.
- Using Cold Burrata Just Out of the Fridge: Bring it to room temperature before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
For purposes of this recipe, there isn’t much of a difference. The two tomatoes can definitely be used interchangeably here. Cherry tomatoes are slightly larger and, therefore, juicier. Grape tomatoes have an oblong shape and are a bit meatier than cherry tomatoes.
In this recipe, cherry, grape, pear and other similar tomatoes all work well.
Although they look similar, these two cow’s milk cheeses are a bit different. Fresh mozzarella is a uniform cheese throughout.
Burrata, on the other hand, has a fresh mozzarella shell filled with a soft, loose mixture of cream and mozzarella called stracciatella. So, it’s much creamier and richer.
Yes, but the resulting texture will be a bit different. Burrata has a significantly richer, creamier and softer finish than fresh mozzarella, though its flavor is very similar.
Be sure to bring the fresh mozzarella completely to room temperature and then hand tear it into shreds before mixing in with the final pasta. This is similar to how the fresh mozzarella is treated in Pasta Sorrentina.
Alternatively, simply omit the burrata altogether and enjoy the pasta as a fresh burst tomato sauce. It will still be absolutely delicious without it.
Actually, it’s best made and enjoyed right away.
I used long fusilli (fusilli lunghi) here, but this recipe works really well with all types of long and short pasta shapes. Use your favorite!
More Summer Pasta Recipes
What to Serve with Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta
This pasta pairs well with:
- Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
- Baked Chicken Cutlets
- Spicyy Garlic Shrimp
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Tuscan Panzanella Bread and Veggie Salad
- Grilled Italian Egpglant
- Simple Green Salad and Crusty Italian Bread
Why Cherry Tomatoes Make Such a Great Pasta Sauce
Cherry tomatoes are uniquely suited for quick pasta sauces because they contain the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and moisture/juiciness.
As they cook, their thin skins split and their juices released naturally, creating a light flavorful sauce without the need for long simmering, additional ingredients or blanching and skinning tomatoes. Combined with garlic, basil and olive oil, they create a pasta that’s fresh, vibrant and deeply satisfying despite its short ingredient list.
Perhaps best of all this recipe comes together in about 25 minutes, making it one of my favorite weeknight pasta dishes that can be made on a whim. Whether made with tomatoes freshly picked from the garden or purchased from the grocery store in the middle of winter, it’s proof that great flavor doesn’t have to take all day
Mangia bene!
Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta with Burrata (Easy 25-Minute Recipe)
Video
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
- Large Skillet or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 Tbsp chopped or thinly sliced garlic
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- 2 pounds cherry tomatoes, left whole/do not slice (about 5 cups 2½ pints; see Notes)
- 1 large handful fresh basil, stemmed and chopped or hand-torn, divided (about 1cup; see Notes.)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 pound pasta, + salt for pasta water (any shape will do!)
- ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- About 10 ounces burrata cheese, at room temperature
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep and gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Be sure that the burrata cheese is at room temperature. Take it out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before using.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)About 10 ounces burrata cheese
- Combine the olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic is lightly golden and soft and stir occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.4 Tbsp olive oil, 2-3 Tbsp chopped or thinly sliced garlic, Pinch crushed red pepper
- Then, add the tomatoes, half the fresh basil/herbs, salt and black pepper to pan and stir well.2 pounds cherry tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Cook the tomatoes until they begin to burst, about 10 minutes or so, then help them along by lightly crushing most of the tomatoes with a fork to release their juices. Leave some in large chunks for the best overall texture. Continue to simmer the sauce about 5 minutes or so. Taste and add additional seasonings if needed. The tomato sauce should have a light, fresh flavor.NOTE: Don’t rush the bursting process. Give the tomatoes tome to soften and release their juices. It won’t take very long!
- Meanwhile, once the water comes to a boil, add salt, then the pasta, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions, or about 2 minutes before you think it is al dente. (Be sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.)1 pound pasta
- Next, transfer pasta to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water (to start). Stir well to fully combine all ingredients and let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce and absorb all of those wonderful flavors! Add the additional pasta water if more moisture is needed.
- Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat, then fold in the pecorino cheese and remaining basil. Drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil.Taste and adjust seasonings again if needed, but keep in mind that the burrata cheese will add additional salt to the overall flavor.⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Add the room temperature burrata to the pasta in one large ball and mix in as much or as little as you’d like.About 10 ounces burrata cheese
- Finish with a healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Tomatoes: While this recipe was written for cherry tomatoes, any small tomato will work in it, such as grape or pear tomatoes.
- Herbs: I used mostly fresh basil here with a bit of fresh mint from my garden. Basil is the natural choice here, but feel free to complement it with some other herbs as I did. Fresh mint, dill, thyme and oregano would all work here as a secondary herb.
- As this is a very simple, fresh tomato sauce with very few ingredients, it’s really important to use fresh herbs as they complement the flavors so well. This dish will just not be the same with dried herbs.
- Pasta: This is a versatile sauce. Use it with any shape that you want, short or long.
- Use a large pot with 5 to 6 quarts water for 1 pound of pasta. Bring the water to a boil before adding the salt. Use 1½-2 Tbsp salt.
- Combine the garlic and the oil in the pan at the same time, then slowly bring the temperature up. This will help prevent the garlic from burning.
- Pasta Water: The pasta water is key! Add it to the sauce along with the pasta for the additional moisture needed to finish cooking the pasta.
- Turn Heat Off before adding grated cheese so that the cheese does not clump. Toss the cheese into the pasta quickly and throughly so that the cheese emulsifies into the sauce.
- Pecorino Cheese: Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano can be used if you don’t have Pecorino Romano.
- Burrata Cheese: Be sure that it’s at room temperature before adding to pasta.
- Also, if you’d prefer a lighter dish or just don’t have any burrata, enjoy this pasta without it. It will still be 100% delicious!
- Don’t forget to drizzle the finished dish with some high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for an additional hit of flavor and richness.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them, covered, in a small skillet over medium low heat with a little bit of water until heated through.
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Can’t wait to make this with homegrown cherry tomatoes every year!