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This easy Caprese Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe for weeknight dinners, picnics and cookouts. Fresh tomatoes meet creamy mozzarella bites in a flavorful pasta dish with fresh basil and balsamic vinaigrette. Everyone will love this easy caprese pasta this summer, a real crowd-pleaser.
Summer means pasta salads! Pasta salads are the perfect meal or side dish for cookouts, picnics, barbecues and potlucks. Quick and easy to make, they’re also great for comforting weekday dinners with the family or lunches on the go. And they taste so delicious. When it’s summer and the heat gets unbearable, the only thing my girlfriend and I crave are refreshing dishes. Watermelon salad, tuna cucumber boats and Mexican street corn salad make up the most of our menu. But you will always find a huge bowl of make-ahead pasta salad in our fridge.
Probably because in a month we’re traveling to Italy, but recently we’ve been craving plenty of Italian foods. After enjoying my Italian pasta salad, we ventured out into caprese salad. A simple yet satisfying classic that my girlfriend ended up loving. She liked it so much that we turned it into an Italian caprese pasta salad. Loaded with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, insalata caprese (pronounced “cah-preh-seh”) is a famous Mediterranean dish named after the Italian island of Capri, where it originated. This recipe gives the original salad a twist, tossing tomato mozzarella and pasta.
Ingredients & substitutes
- Pasta. I like fusilli, but you can choose penne, farfalle, elbow, macaroni, rigatoni or orecchiette. Whole-grain pasta is also great.
- Mozzarella bites. Mozzarella bocconcini are fresh and creamy. If you can’t find it in balls or pearls, cut a fresh mozzarella into bite-dices before adding it to the salad.
- Grape tomatoes. Grape tomatoes are sweet and juicy, you can substitute with halved cherry tomatoes. Dicing roma tomatoes is not recommended, because they are more watery.
- Fresh basil. Use fresh leaves of basil to add flavors and colors, do not replace with dried basil.
- Olive oil. The best caprese pasta salad dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, it has a rich and fruity taste that perfectly complement the dish flavors.
- Balsamic vinegar. This is key for a delicious vinaigrette dressing. As an alternative you can use white balsamic vinegar or golden balsamic vinegar.
- Seasonings. Kosher salt, ground black pepper and minced garlic are stirred into the vinaigrette for the most flavorful caprese pasta.
How to make caprese pasta salad?
- Prep the dressing. In a small bowl or in a mason jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste and set aside for later while you prepare the pasta.
- Cook pasta. Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions, until al dente. Once cooked, drain, transfer to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Let cool completely.
- Assemble caprese pasta. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta with halved mozzarella bites and halved grape tomatoes. Pour the vinaigrette dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Gently fold in fresh basil leaves. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste, if it is necessary.
- Refrigerate and serve. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, toss caprese pasta salad to distribute dressing and flavors.
Make-ahead caprese pasta salad
This caprese noodle salad can be eaten on the same day, or it can be stored for the week. To store, place leftovers into an airtight food container, seal with the lid and refrigerate for a maximum of 3 days. Before serving, toss the salad to redistribute the dressing. You can serve this mozzarella and tomato pasta salad chilled or at room temperature.
Another tasty way to eat leftovers is warm. Take out of the fridge and reheat in a skillet, the fresh mozzarella will melt and it will feel like eating caprese pizza & pasta. Or transfer it to a baking dish, pop in the oven and you will get an extra cheesy baked caprese pasta.
Homemade pasta salad cannot be frozen, it won’t hold its shape and flavors. This dish is best served 12 to 48 hours after preparing it.
Tips from an Italian chef
- Use fresh ingredients. I recommend preparing this healthy caprese pasta salad with fresh grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. For the best flavor, make the vinaigrette dressing with Italian balsamic vinegar and high quality olive oil.
- Customize with mix-ins. This simple dish tastes delicious on its own, or with additional ingredients such diced chicken breast, tuna, avocado dices, a dollop of pesto sauce, Parmesan cheese and with balsamic glaze on top. Or swap out regular pasta with spaghetti, tortellini, gnocchi or orzo.
- Do not overcook pasta. To make the best caprese pasta salad recipe, cook the noodles only until al dente. We don’t want soft and soggy noodles. Also, make sure to let the pasta cool completely before mixing it with tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Refrigerate before eating. After tossing pasta salad with vinaigrette dressing, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Cooling it allows the pasta to absorb some of the dressing.
- Use for meal-prep. This caprese pasta recipe is perfect for those who have little time to cook. Make it ahead on Sunday night, refrigerate and you will have healthy meals for the next days. Great for lunch boxes for work or for your kids at school.
What to serve with caprese pasta salad?
- As a side dish for cookouts, barbecues and picnics with Mexican street corn dip, air fryer corn on the cob, fire roasted tomatoes and deviled egg potato salad.
- Paired with a fresh salad like feta watermelon salad, cucumber salad or creamy cucumber salad.
- For game day with air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer popcorn and protein pizza.
- As a weeknight dinner with grilled chicken breast, baked salmon or fish. And don’t forget to finish your meal with frozen lemonade or banana pudding ice cream for dessert.
Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 11 oz (310 g) uncooked pasta, fusilli, penne or farfalle
- 8 oz (225 g) mozzarella bites, halved, or diced mozzarella
- 7 oz (200 g) grape tomatoes, halved
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- ⅓ to ½ tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper, or more to taste
Instructions
How to make Vinaigrette Dressing
- In a small bowl or in a mason jar, combine all the ingredients for the dressing. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste and set aside for later.
How to make Caprese Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions, until al dente. Once cooked, drain, transfer to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Let cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta with halved mozzarella bites and halved grape tomatoes.
- Pour the vinaigrette dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Gently fold in fresh basil leaves. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste, if it is necessary.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, toss caprese pasta salad to distribute dressing and flavors.
Notes
Storage directions
- Caprese pasta salad can be stored in the fridge in an airtight food container for up to 4 days. Serve leftovers chilled, at room temperature, or heat to allow the mozzarella to melt (if desired).
All tomatoes recipes are healthy for the prostate. Tks Matt
Hey Constantino,
thank you SO much for your comment!! You are so right, thanks for the nutrition information. For a yet healthier dish, a good idea would be sprinkling some dried oregano on top. Healthy, fresh and delicious.
Have a great day,
Matteo
Good combination of this insalata caprese, I liked the fresh basil and balsamic vinegar added of sure will enhance the good flavour
Hey my dear Liza,
absolutely, caprese pasta salad is a recipe that has it all. It is so flavorful and satisfying, combining pasta with the Italian insalata caprese 😉
You’ll absolutely love it!
Have a great day 😉
Matteo