Caprese Pasta Salad
Posted Jul 28, 2024
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In this caprese pasta salad, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil are tossed in a homemade balsamic dressing for a delicious & hearty summer salad!
If you’re looking for a delicious way to use the abundance of fresh summer tomatoes and basil available right now – I suggest making this caprese pasta salad.
In this recipe, pasta is combined with mozzarella cheese, onions, tomatoes, and basil and then tossed in a delicious homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. The result is a light and fresh pasta salad with all the best flavors of the season.
This caprese pasta salad recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prepare (most of which is waiting for water to boil and pasta to cook), then it chills in the refrigerator, making it a perfect dish to prepare in advance for a pot luck or barbecue.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta. I love fusilli pasta, but any shape or variety works well. My top recommendations are fusilli, penne, farfalle (bowties), gemelli, and rotelle (wheels).
- Green Onion. red, white or yellow onions (finely diced) are good substitutes.
- Baby Tomatoes. substitute your favorite tomato variety including heirloom, Roma, etc.
- Avocado. I love the creaminess avocado adds to this salad, you can omit it if desired.
- Mozzarella cheese. use fresh mozzarella for the best results.
- Fresh basil. There are no substitutes for fresh basil in this recipe – it’s a must!
- Olive oil. Avocado oil is a great substitute if you don’t have olive oil.
- Dijon Mustard. choose your favorite mustard.
- Balsamic vinegar. use a high-quality balsamic vinegar. It should be thick and naturally sweet and our like molasses (not watery).
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
Let’s walk through this recipe step-by-step, and be sure to watch the video!
Begin by cooking the pasta in salted water according to package instructions.
When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it in a colander but do not rinse it with water.
Then, make the dressing by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl.
Next, transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl (preferably one with a lid), add half the dressing and stir to combine. Chill the pasta in the refrigerator until they cool to at least room temperature.
Once the pasta has cooled, add green onion, tomatoes, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, mozzarella and the remaining dressing and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
Then, cover the bowl and chill the caprese pasta salad for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Serve
When you’re ready to serve, top with extra parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil. Then, serve the caprese pasta salad recipe cold with your favorite mains and sides here are some suggestions:
- It pairs well with bruschetta chicken and baked pesto chicken.
- Serve it as a side with your favorite grilling recipes like hamburgers and grilled BBQ chicken.
- Add it to the list of delicious Italian-inspired recipes like bruschetta, panzanella salad and tiramisu.
Store
Store leftover caprese pasta salad in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe FAQS
Fresh mozzarella is the best choice in a caprese salad.
The main ingredients are pasta, tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and balsamic dressing.
I suggest halving the baby tomatoes using a serrated knife.
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Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fusilli pasta
- 5 quarts salted water
- ¼ cup green onions sliced thin (about 4 onions)
- 24 ounces baby tomatoes halved
- ½ cup Fresh basil chopped (measured before chopping – whole leaves )
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls, or a log diced into small pieces.
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 avocado diced (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Topping
- ¼ cup basil julienned
- 1-2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions.
- When pasta is finished cooking, drain but do not rinse.
- In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients
- Put cooked pasta in a large bowl, add half the dressing and stir to combine. Chill in the refrigerator until it cools down to at least room temperature.
- Once the pasta has cooled, add green onion, tomatoes, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, mozzarella and the remaining dressing and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Chill for at least 1 hour.
- When ready to serve, top with parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.
- Serve cold.
Video
Notes
- Pasta. I love fusilli pasta, but any shape or variety works well. My top recommendations are fusilli, penne, farfalle (bowties), gemelli, and rotelle (wheels).
- Green Onion. red, white or yellow onions (finely diced) can be used in place of green.
- Baby Tomatoes. substitute your favorite tomato variety including heirloom, Roma, etc.
- Mozzarella cheese. use fresh mozzarella for the best results.
- Olive oil. Avocado oil is a great substitute if you don’t have olive oil.
- Dijon Mustard. Any mustard variety can be used in place of Dijon.
- Balsamic vinegar. use a high-quality balsamic vinegar. It should be thick and naturally sweet and our like molasses (not watery).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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