Creamy Caprese Pasta Shells

Make these Creamy Caprese Pasta Shells with red pasta sauce, cream, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and fresh basil. The perfect, easy weeknight meal!

When I worked in Japan as an English teacher with my best friend Jana, we were often taken out to dinner by appreciative students. One day, a man invited us to dinner at an Italian restaurant. I was so excited. Finally! A dinner without fish! Something I considered “American,” (even though we all know pasta is Italian). Yes, there was a lot of Japanese food I loved. But it was so nice to be able to take a break from it once in a while and eat something comforting and familiar.

Imagine my horror when they brought out my spaghetti drenched in squid ink. I was more crestfallen than a kid on Christmas morning who didn’t receive a visit from Santa. “Are you kidding me?” I thought. “They have to mess up spaghetti, too?” But I ate it, so as not to be rude. Did I like it? No, I did not. Would I ever give you a recipe that had any HINT of squid in it? No I would not. I have a burning hatred for squid after eating it in all its forms, and I will never touch it again.

What I WILL do is give you an AUTHENTIC, real recipe for Italian food. We’re talking tomatoes, cream, basil, parmesan, mozzarella, and pasta.

Tips for making Creamy Caprese Pasta Shells:

1. Add a half teaspoon of salt to your water when you boil your pasta shells. It will give them some extra nice flavor.
2. You can use heavy whipping cream, or half and half if you prefer.
3. For the pasta sauce in this recipe, I suggest using my Perfect Pasta Sauce. You’ll have lots left over to use on pizza or other pasta dishes.
4. For the fresh basil in this recipe, why not just buy a little basil plant? They often cost the same as a package of fresh basil, but you’ll be able to get a continual supply. (Unless you kill your plant, which I always seem to do. Then I just dry the leaves and crumble them up and put them in my spice jar for basil).

This classic pasta dish will be a hit with your family, every time. No squid ink in sight.

This recipe adapted from Creamy Caprese Pasta on I Heart Naptime.

5 from 1 vote

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Creamy Caprese Pasta Shells

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Make these Creamy Caprese Pasta Shells with red pasta sauce, cream, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and fresh basil. The perfect, easy weeknight meal!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 6

Author: Melissa Howell

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound shell pasta
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup red pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (can use the kind in the can)
• 2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 3 fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Add the shell pasta and salt. Boil pasta for about 10 minutes, until al-dente. Drain.

2. In a separate large bowl, mix the pasta sauce, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese.

3. Add the drained pasta to the large bowl with the sauce and mix. Fold in the diced tomatoes.

4. Pour into a lightly greased 9x9 baking dish.

5. Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

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