Caprese Pasta Salad

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Cool, crisp, and delicious, Caprese Pasta Salad is packed with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil tossed in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. It’s a fresh and flavorful twist on a classic Italian favorite, perfect for summer picnics and barbecues.

Remember my caprese skewers? I decided they needed a pasta-packed sidekick, so I made this caprese pasta salad, a version you can pile high on a plate! The colors, the flavors, the way it comes together so quickly. It’s pure joy in a bowl. I make this on repeat all spring and summer long!

Why I love this recipe

Because I’m combining two of my favorite recipes: classic caprese salad and pasta salad, this easy side starts with a bang! I love how light and bright this salad is. It feels fancy but takes zero effort, and I can serve it warm, cold, or somewhere in between. Whether I’m meal prepping or headed to a cookout, this one never lets me down.

Ingredients

This pasta salad is packed with fresh, vibrant ingredients that come together to create a delightful dish. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:

• farfalle pasta – you can swap out any short, sturdy pasta like cavatappi, penne, rotini, fusilli, or even macaroni
• cherry tomatoes – you can use grape tomatoes as well, we want a small, firm tomato
• fresh mozzarella– look for bite-size mozzarella pearls or ciliegine, these are small, cherry-sized mozzarella balls usually found in the deli section of the grocery store
• basil leaves
• balsamic dressing – made fresh with balsamic vinaigrette, garlic clove, salt and pepper

Step by step

1. In a medium-sized pot, boil water and cook the pasta as instructed on the packaging. I recommend cooking just past the al dente part so the pasta stays soft in the pasta salad. Drain and rinse with cold water, then transfer to a large bowl and let it cool for 5–10 minutes.
2. Once the pasta cools, stir in cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and fresh basil.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.

1. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the pasta absorbs the flavors.
3. Garnish with a few more basil leaves on top before serving if desired. Enjoy it cold!

Variation

Don’t be afraid to get creative. I’ve added avocado, crunchy red onion, or even tossed in baby spinach. You can add chickpeas, rotisserie chicken, sliced steak, or diced Italian salami to add a little protein, I do that a lot if I’m meal prepping this recipe for lunch. I’ve also added lemon juice to the dressing for a little zesty taste!

Serving suggestion

I usually serve it cold and keep it simple as an easy side dish. It’s great with simple mains like grilled grouper or marinated chicken on the grill. It’s also wonderful other fresh sides like rainbow veggie salad or a classic Caesar salad.

Storage

Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The basil might lose some of its bright green color, but it still works. I usually freshen it up with a little more dressing when I pull it back out.

If you are meal prepping this pasta salad, I recommend leaving the basil out and adding it just before serving.

I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the pasta gets soft and the whole salad slightly mushy (no good!)

If you try this recipe please comment and give it a 5-star rating below, I love hearing from you!