Caprese Pasta Salad
Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod
Fresh, easy, and full of summer flavor, this Caprese Pasta Salad is made with juicy tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil, pasta, and balsamic glaze. It’s the perfect pasta salad recipe for BBQs, potlucks, picnics, and easy lunches.
Servings: 6
Calories: 289kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz bocconcini, (small fresh mozzarella balls)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons chopped basil, divided
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 oz orecchiette pasta (or bowtie pasta, fusilli, or cavatappi, etc.)
- Balsamic glaze, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir until tomatoes and cheese are well coated. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package instructions, making sure you salt the water. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
- Add the pasta to the bowl of tomatoes and mozzarella. Stir until combined. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of basil. Drizzle with a little balsamic glaze and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.
Notes
- You can use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
- Orecchiette, rotini, fusilli, bowties, or cavatappi all work well.
- For extra flavor, let the tomato mixture marinate before adding the pasta.
- Add extra basil before serving for the freshest flavor.
- To make gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- The salad can be made several hours ahead of time.
- Refresh leftovers with olive oil or balsamic vinegar before serving.
- Add grilled chicken to make it a complete meal.
- Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 484IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 1mg