This Caprese pasta salad recipe is ideal for summer time picnics! It is tremendous shiny and contemporary, full of tomatoes, basil, and a lightweight balsamic dressing.
This Caprese pasta salad recipe is virtually summer time in a bowl! As you’ll be able to in all probability inform from its title, it’s a scrumptious fusion of two summer time favorites: pasta salad and Italian Caprese salad.
If you happen to ask me, it’s a match made in heaven. A basic Caprese salad is bursting with contemporary summer time taste, due to the well-known mixture of creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant basil. Nevertheless it isn’t as packable as pasta salad, a staple at picnics and potlucks.
This straightforward Caprese pasta salad recipe combines the very best of each. You get all of the contemporary taste of a Caprese salad in a picnic-friendly pasta salad kind. And it’s not simply good for picnics and cookouts—I additionally love meal prepping this salad for a contemporary summer time lunch!
Make Caprese Pasta Salad
You could find the entire Caprese pasta salad recipe with measurements on the backside of this publish. For now, right here’s a fast overview of the way it goes:
Caprese Pasta Salad Components
- Unsurprisingly, this Caprese pasta salad begins with tomatoes, basil, and contemporary mozzarella—the star elements in a basic Caprese salad. Cherry or grape tomatoes are finest on this salad—they maintain their form and have a scrumptious super-sweet taste. They go effectively with “ciliegine,” or cherry-size, mozzarella balls.
- I additionally use crimson onion and pecorino cheese within the salad. They add good savory depth.
- I spherical it out with pasta (in fact!). I believe screw-shaped cavatappi are actually enjoyable right here, however one other quick pasta like fusilli or rotini would work effectively too.
- A easy dressing ties all of it all collectively. Made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice, it provides shiny, tangy taste to the salad.
Discover the entire recipe with measurements beneath.
To make the salad, begin by cooking the pasta. Two massive ideas right here:
- Cook dinner the pasta till it’s barely previous al dente. I’ll at all times inform you to prepare dinner your pasta simply till al dente while you’re making a sizzling pasta dish. However for a chilly pasta salad, it’s higher for the pasta to be a bit softer. That means, it should keep tender as soon as it cools. (Al dente pasta would harden!)
- After cooking, enable the pasta to chill. If you happen to toss the new pasta with the opposite salad elements instantly, the contemporary basil and onion will wilt.
Whereas the pasta cools, make the salad dressing. Whisk collectively the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic, grated pecorino, garlic, salt, and pepper in a big bowl.
Subsequent, assemble the salad. Add the cooled pasta and toss to coat within the dressing, then add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, crimson onion, and basil and toss once more. Prime with shaved pecorino and gently toss.
Earlier than serving, season to style and garnish with extra basil.
Take pleasure in!
What to Serve with Caprese Pasta Salad
This Caprese pasta salad is a superb aspect dish for summer time cookouts and picnics. Serve it with veggie burgers or black bean burgers and different summery sides like grilled corn, potato salad, and coleslaw.
I additionally like it for lunch. It pairs completely with a aspect of contemporary fruit!
- Tip: Make this a heartier lunch salad by including chickpeas for plant-based protein.
Make-Forward and Storage Ideas
This salad retains effectively in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 days.
Meal prep tip: The salad holds up longer with out the basil, for as much as 4 days within the fridge. Once I meal prep it for per week of lunches, I preserve the basil separate, sprinkling it over a person serving after I’m able to eat.
Extra Pasta Salad Recipes to Attempt
If you happen to love this recipe, attempt one in every of these contemporary pasta salads subsequent:
Caprese Pasta Salad
Serves 6
This Caprese pasta salad recipe is straightforward, contemporary, and scrumptious! An ideal summer time aspect dish, it is full of cherry tomatoes, basil, creamy mozzarella, and a lightweight balsamic French dressing. Discover make-ahead ideas within the weblog publish above!
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Convey a big pot of salted water to a boil. Put together the pasta based on the bundle directions, cooking till barely previous al dente. Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil to stop sticking, and unfold on a big plate or baking sheet to chill.
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, grated pecorino, garlic, salt, and several other grinds of pepper. Add the cooled pasta and toss to coat, then add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, crimson onion, and basil and toss once more. Add the shaved pecorino and gently toss.
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Season to style, garnish with extra basil, and serve.