20-Minute Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta with Burrata

Jessica Kostka — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 21:05:56 +0000

This Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta comes together in just 20 minutes!

Pasta is enveloped by a quick burst cherry tomato sauce and then topped with creamy burrata.

This pasta is the perfect way to enjoy tomato season during the Summertime!

I love quick and simple recipes like this one and this one in the warmer seasons.

Whether you’re making this for a weeknight dinner or for a dinner party, the juicy cherry tomatoes give so much flavour to the light sauce. Then, topping the pasta with a ball of creamy burrata cheese takes it over the top!

This burst cherry tomato pasta is one of my favorite ways to enjoy summer tomatoes.

Why you’ll love this burst cherry tomato pasta

The best part is this pasta takes only 20 minutes to make!
It’s a wonderful way to enjoy fresh tomatoes cooked into a delicious pasta sauce.
Burst cherry tomatoes create a flavorful sauce that’s hard to resist.
You need just 10 ingredients, fresh and from the pantry.

Ingredients needed to make this summery tomato pasta

Pasta: I like to use mafalda pasta, a fun pasta shape but you can choose a pasta of choice that cooks in 10 minutes or under to keep this recipe quick

Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil is key to making the fresh tomato sauce from the cherry tomatoes

Reserved pasta water: make sure to reserve starchy pasta water before draining the pasta as it helps to finish the burst tomato pasta sauce

Cherry tomatoes: fresh cherry tomatoes are the key ingredient in this recipe but if you need to substitute, grape tomatoes could work as well

Seasonings: sliced garlic cloves, dried oregano, dried thyme, kosher salt and chili flakes all help build the flavour for this sauce

Burrata cheese: this creamy Italian cheese is a delicious and decadent topper to this pasta; if you can’t find burrata cheese, use shaved parmesan cheese as a topper instead

Fresh herbs: I love to top this pasta with fresh basil leaves

How to make this burst cherry tomato pasta

Step 1: Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Save 1/2 cup pasta water and then drain the pasta and set aside.

Step 2: While the pasta cooks, start the sauce. In a pot with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, turn to medium heat and add the tomatoes and cover the pot with a lid. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes just start to burst.

Step 3: When the tomatoes are starting to burst, add the sliced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Keep at a simmer and cook stirring often for about 6-8 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down, crush most of the burst tomatoes with the back of a spoon or fork, leaving a few uncrushed.

Step 4: Add the cooked pasta to the cherry tomato sauce along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are fully coated in the sauce.

Step 5: Remove from the heat and serve in a big bowl, tearing the burrata ball overtop of the pasta. Garnish with fresh basil, fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve into bowls, making sure each serving gets some of the burrata.

What is burrata cheese?

Burrata cheese is a mild cheese generally made from Italian cows or buffalo milk. While it has an exterior similar to mozzarella, the best part is when you cut into it to find a creamy center. The creamy center is called stracchiatella, a combination of shreds of mozzarella and cream It’s buttery, rich and has a slight milky taste and subtle sweetness. Paired with the punchy flavour of this burst cherry tomato sauce and fresh basil, it’s so delicious.

Expert tips

If you can’t find mafalda pasta use another quick-cooking pasta like linguine, rotini, penne or spaghetti – you’ll want a pasta that cooks in 10 minutes or less.
For a spicier dish add more chili flakes to your liking.
If the tomatoes aren’t bursting quick enough, turn up the heat a bit but watch the tomatoes carefully so they don’t burn.
While I love to top this burst cherry tomato pasta with burrata cheese, it’s not mandatory. Topping with parmesan cheese adds delicious flavour too!

Common questions

What if I can’t find cherry tomatoes?
Cherry tomatoes are generally available in the warmer seasons at most grocery stores and farmers markets. However, grape tomatoes, baby tomatoes or campari tomatoes work as good substitutions if you can’t find cherry tomatoes.

What if I forget to reserve pasta water for the sauce?
Don’t fret! If you forget to reserve pasta water when making this recipe, you can use a 1/2 cup of either chicken broth or vegetable broth as a substitute.

Do I need to use burrata cheese?
If you can’t find burrata cheese and/or don’t want to use it, this pasta is delicious without it. I recommend using shaved parmesan cheese on top of the pasta instead.

How to store this cherry tomato pasta recipe

Store any pasta leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in a pan with a little water or chicken broth, or reheat in the microwave to your desired temperature.

More quick pasta recipes to love from the blog

Easy One Pot Pasta Primavera (Quick 30 minute meal!)

One Pot Boursin Pasta

Easy 30 Minute Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe