A pasta salad is the perfect side for hot summer days; its a fast and easy way to make a meal complete. This Caprese Pasta Salad brings together the vibrant flavors of fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic basil, all dressed in a simple homemade dressing and drizzled with balsamic glaze. What's not to love?
It's the epitome of summer in a bowl. The simplicity of assembling this salad means you'll be whipping it up in no time, whether for a family meal, a barbecue, or a salad to feature at your next potluck. It's all about celebrating those fresh ingredients and bringing a taste of Italy right to your table.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Imagine light and tangy dressing mingling with ripe grape tomatoes, fragrant basil, and luscious fresh mozzarella, all combined with perfectly cooked pasta. Doesn't that sound like a bowl of summer?
And it's not just about the flavors; this salad is so easy to put together, making it perfect for those impromptu summer gatherings or a quick, nutritious family meal. You have the versatility to serve it as a main or a side, and it's bound to be a hit with vegetarians and carnivores alike. Honestly, what's not to love? Think of it as a little burst of Italian sunshine right on your plate.
Ingredients Needed
How to Make This Caprese Pasta Salad
Of course, you'll need to cook some pasta. I like Radiatore pasta for this salad because the shape holds the dressing so well and is a nice contrast to the smooth shapes of the other ingredients.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (I usually try for "firm"), then drain and rinse with cold water.
Interesting fact: Radiatore pasta is so named because they resemble radiators. You're welcome.
While the pasta is cooking you can prep the other ingredients: drain the mozzarella (if packed in liquid), cut the grape tomatoes in half, and cut the basil leaves into thin strips.
Place the cooked pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil in a bowl, and then mix up the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. I like to add an extra ribbon of basil across the top for another pop of color and flavor. 😁
In my opinion, what takes this Caprese Pasta Salad from good to great is the balsamic glaze. Yummy! Now, if you'd really like, I could recommend a recipe for making balsamic glaze. But really, who wants to?
Finding this grocery item was life-changing for me. In my opinion, it's not worth making from scratch unless you cook with it All. The. Time. Which I do not. 😀
Simply drizzle the glaze over the top of the salad, forming a zig zag or whatever pattern you prefer.
With the glaze plus a few extra basil leaves, this salad is as pretty as it is delicious.
Substitutions and Variations
I like grape tomatoes as they tend to be slightly sweeter, but feel free to substitute with cherry tomatoes or even cut up a couple Roma tomatoes.
For a stronger balsamic taste, use balsamic vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar in the dressing.
And of course you can use whatever shape of pasta you prefer. When I can't find Radiatore, I typically turn to Rotelle, Fusilli, or Rotini pasta, but most any shape will work.
Serving Suggestions
I make pasta salad all summer long. It's the perfect side with anything grilled! A Wisconsin Bratwurst, Minnesota Juicy Lucy or a California Burger would welcome this pasta salad on their plate!
📖 Recipe
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Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 2 cups dry pasta radiatore or fusilli
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls pearl size
- 1 pt. grape tomatoes halved
- 2 TB thinly sliced basil plus more for garnish if desired
- Balsamic glaze for drizzling
For the Dressing
- ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ TB red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a medium bowl, combine pasta, cheese, tomatoes and basil.
- In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until combined.
- Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss to combine. Garnish with sliced basil, drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Did you know? Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, seasoned with salt and olive oil. It is occasionally paired with arugula. The usual presentation is an arrangement on a plate. Like "Pizza Margherita, it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red. In Italy, it is usually served as an antipasto (starter), not a contorno (side dish) and may be eaten any time of day. (source: Wikipedia)
More Summer Menu Ideas
This salad goes great with anything from the grill, like a Juicy Lucy or even Grilled Pizza.
Need another pasta salad? Try this Easy Pasta Salad!
And a Balsamic Cucumber Tomato salad or Greek Cucumber Salad will be welcome at any gathering.
Texasgirl
Perfect summer salad.....a must next week when the heat is here! Love this recipe
Big Trouble
Ha ha ha, you and your cheese, Sula! I love it and this recipe. Good call for using the same amount of cheese. 🙂