Burst Tomato Burrata Pasta

nibbleboard.com/recipes/burrata-pasta

Prep:10 min

Cook:25 min

Total:35 min

Servings:4

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (about 1.5 pints)
kosher salt, to taste
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
½ pound spaghetti or bucatini
¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
8 ounces burrata cheese (2 small balls or 1 large)

For serving

parmesan cheese, for topping

Instructions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and just barely golden.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes burst and collapse into a jammy sauce.
While the tomatoes cook, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
Drain the pasta and add it directly to the skillet with the burst tomatoes. Toss everything together over medium heat until every noodle is coated in the tomato sauce. Add a splash of pasta water if it needs loosening.
Turn off the heat and toss in the fresh chopped basil.
Transfer the pasta to serving bowls. Tear the burrata over the top, letting the creamy center spill out over the hot pasta. Finish with grated parmesan, more fresh basil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Nutrition per Serving

444Calories

18gProtein

28gCarbs

30gFat

Chef Tips

I've found that medium-low heat for the garlic is non-negotiable — too hot and it turns bitter in seconds. You want it barely sizzling, not browning.
Use the back of a wooden spoon to gently press on stubborn tomatoes that haven't burst on their own. Some need a little encouragement.
Let the burrata sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Cold burrata won't melt into the pasta the same way — room temp burrata gets all silky and dreamy.
After trying both spaghetti and bucatini, I always go bucatini here. That hollow center traps the burst tomato sauce inside each noodle.
This is a great recipe to stretch — double the tomatoes and pasta but keep the same amount of burrata. It goes further than you'd think.

Storage

Store leftover pasta (without burrata) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The burrata doesn't store well once torn, so add fresh burrata when reheating.