Summer Brie Pasta
With juicy, flavorful summer tomatoes and a tangy brie cheese sauce, this easy pasta is for you.
Serves4
Prep10 minutes to 15 minutes
Cook15 minutes
Brie cheese
The key to this pasta is highlighting the rich, buttery, and delightfully complex flavors of Brie cheese. As it melts into the steaming-hot pasta, it becomes a creamy, cheesy sauce with the help of starchy pasta water. You can use any pasta, but I highly recommend a short pasta, such as fusilli, which ensures that the pasta is beautifully coated in sauce that reaches every nook and cranny for maximum flavor.
How to Make Summer Brie Pasta
It starts with a garlicky oil with a hint of capers. These tiny, briny bursts of sharp, salty flavors complement the creamy, earthy Brie cheese. And red pepper flakes add a subtle and inviting heat to the sauce.
Cherry tomatoes, which pair well with Brie cheese, get tossed in at the end, along with lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and fresh basil (feel free to add more or less, depending on your preference).
This recipe is flexible; as long as you have the Brie cheese sauce, you can try different add-ins. If you don’t like capers, add some chopped olives for a similar salty flavor. You can also mix in other seasonal fresh vegetables like asparagus, corn, or peppery arugula.
Summer Brie Pasta Recipe
With juicy, flavorful summer tomatoes and a tangy brie cheese sauce, this easy pasta is for you.
Prep time 10 minutes to 15 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 8 ounces
brie cheese
- 10 ounces
cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves
garlic
- 1
medium lemon
- 1/2 cup
loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 pound
dried fusilli pasta
- 1/4 cup
olive oil
- 2 tablespoons
drained capers
- 1 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, thinly slice 8 ounces brie cheese (leave the rind on). Halve 10 ounces cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups). Mince 2 garlic cloves. Finely grate the zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1 tablespoon). Juice the lemon until you have 3 tablespoons. Pick the leaves from 6 medium fresh basil springs until you have 1/2 loosely packed cup, then coarsely chop.
Add 1 pound dried fusilli pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions 1 minute less than al dente, about 9 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and 2 tablespoons drained capers, and cook until fragrant, for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
When the pasta is ready, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and return to the skillet. Add the brie, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Cook over medium heat and vigorously toss with tongs until the brie melts and the sauce coats the pasta. If the cheese is not fully melted or the sauce is too thick, toss in more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, tomatoes, and basil. Toss until wilted, about 30 seconds. Serve garnished with shaved Parmesan cheese and more fresh basil leaves if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.