For Professionals

Pasta Caprese

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 6 min

With the ripest tomatoes, you can create a fresh pasta sauce with this dish.

Makes

4 servings

Serving size

2 ¼ cup pasta

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat thin spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 large tomatoes, rinsed, cored, and cubed

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, rinsed, dried, and cut into ⅛-inch wide slivers

3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese (chunk package), cubed

8 pitted black olives, cut into long slivers

Instructions

  1. In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat.
  2. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions for the shortest recommended time, about 6 minutes (whole-wheat pasta tends to fall apart if overcooked).
  3. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain spaghetti.
  4. Add the spaghetti back into the pasta pot. Toss with olive oil and just enough reserved water to coat well.
  5. Add the tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and olives. Toss gently until well mixed.
  6. Divide pasta evenly among four dinner plates (about 2¼ cups each). Serve immediately.

Cooking Tip

Try serving with a fresh green salad drizzled with light vinaigrette dressing.

Recipe Contributed by the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute; Deliciously Healthy Dinners

Nutrition Info

Nutrition Info

Makes: 4 servings  Serving size: 2 ¼ cup pasta

Calories

342

Fat

10 g

Saturated Fat

3 g

Trans Fat

<1 g

Cholesterol

11 mg

Carbohydrates

52 g

Sugar

5 g

Fiber

9 g

Protein

13 g

Sodium

233 mg

Calcium

201 mg

Phosphorus

308 mg

Potassium

416 mg