Caprese Pasta Salad
This Caprese pasta salad is a fresh, simple dish with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil tossed in a light dressing. It works well as a side or a quick meal and holds up nicely for gatherings.
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Delicious Caprese Pasta Salad
Caprese Pasta Salad is one of those simple recipes that feels perfect for just about everything. It’s fresh, easy to throw together, and works great for cookouts, potlucks, lunches, or even a quick summer dinner. The combination of juicy tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, and pasta tossed in a flavorful dressing is hard to beat, especially when tomatoes are in season.
I love recipes like this because they look impressive without taking much effort. You can make it ahead of time, keep it in the fridge, and it somehow tastes even better after the flavors have had time to blend together. Serve it alongside grilled chicken, burgers, sandwiches, or enjoy a big bowl on its own for a light and satisfying meal.
What Should I Severe with Caprese Pasta Salad?
- Grilled BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken
- Stove Top Cream Cheese Corn
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad
- Sparkling Basil Lemonade
- Lemon Pudding Poke Cake
Ingredients for Caprese Pasta Salad
- pasta
- cherry tomatoes
- fresh mozzarella pearls (or cubed mozzarella)
- fresh basil leaves
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- garlic
- salt
- black pepper
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad:
Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely, then transfer to a large bowl.
Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and chopped basil to the cooled pasta.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until evenly coated.
Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
Stir gently before serving and add extra basil if desired.
Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta rotini or bowtie work well
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls or cubed mozzarella
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and chopped basil to the cooled pasta.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until evenly coated.
- Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
- Stir gently before serving and add extra basil if desired.
