Description
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.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ pound (8 ounces) dried farfalle pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot, boil water and cook the pasta just past al dente as instructed on the packaging. Drain and rinse with cold water, then transfer to a large bowl and let it cool for 5–10 minutes.
- Once the pasta cools, stir in cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and fresh basil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the pasta absorbs the flavors.
- Garnish with a few more basil leaves on top before serving if desired. Enjoy it cold!
Notes
- I went with farfalle (bowtie) for this recipe, but you can easily swap in other short pasta like cavatappi, penne, rotini, fusilli, or even macaroni.
- If you don’t have a balsamic vinaigrette you can make your own by mixing together 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil along with the garlic and salt and pepper in the recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: none
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 217
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 923.8 mg
- Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.5 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 17.5 g
- Cholesterol: 6.8 mg