Twenty-Minute Satsebeli Courgette and Tomato Pasta with Burrata

Lana Suhova
Aug 25
2 min read

When you’re swimming in courgettes and cherry tomatoes from the allotment, pasta is the fastest path to a weeknight dinner that tastes like summer. Satsebeli steps in as a flavour-packed stand-in for passata, giving you a ready-to-use base that’s brighter and more aromatic than plain tomato purée. Stir it through golden ribbons of sautéed courgette and burst cherry tomatoes, finish with basil and burrata and dinner is done in the time it takes to boil the pasta.

Ingredients (serves 4)

350 g short pasta (rigatoni, fusilli or orecchiette)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium courgettes, halved lengthways and sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
250 g cherry tomatoes
Quarter of a jar of Satsebeli
50 ml pasta cooking water, reserved
Handful basil leaves, torn
1 large ball burrata (or 150 g mozzarella), drained
Black pepper to finish

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta to al dente.
Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a wide sauté pan. Fry the courgettes over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes until golden in places. Add the sliced garlic for the final minute.
Add cherry tomatoes and cook until just starting to burst.
Stir in Satsebeli and a splash of pasta water to loosen to a silky sauce. Simmer 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving a little extra cooking water, and toss straight into the pan with the sauce. Add most of the basil and another splash of water if needed for gloss.
Pile into warm bowls. Tear burrata over the top, finish with the remaining basil and a twist of black pepper.

Satsebeli packs layers of tomato, sweet pepper and herbs, so you skip the usual simmer-for-ages routine. The courgettes bring gentle sweetness; the cherry tomatoes add freshness; the burrata cools and enriches the dish.

Add-ins and variations

Lemon courgette twist: add lemon zest and a squeeze of juice with the Satsebeli.
Crispy pangrattato: toss coarse breadcrumbs in olive oil, toast in a pan and scatter over for crunch.
Heat lovers: stir through ½ teaspoon dry adjika or a small spoon of adjika paste with the Satsebeli.
Swap burrata: use ricotta, mozarella or whipped feta if that’s what’s in the fridge.

Make it meat or fish

Fry pancetta lardons until crisp before adding courgettes; or flake in tinned tuna at the end with the basil.

Leftovers

Keeps well for packed lunches. Loosen with a spoon of water and a dab of Satsebeli when reheating. Cold, it makes a lovely pasta salad with rocket and extra basil.