Caprese pasta salad

Sweet cherry tomatoes, delicious mozzarella balls, fresh slithers of basil leaves, and pasta, all tossed in a delicious balsamic vinaigrette – what’s not to love? We love making our Caprese pasta salad, it’s quick, it’s easy and it tastes SO good!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s super quick to make, it’s ready as soon as you’ve cooked your pasta.

• You can make it a day ahead, which means it’s great to serve as a side dish at a party or BBQ.

• It’s flexible and can be eaten as a main meal or a side dish.

What does Caprese mean?

The traditional Caprese salad comes from the Island of Capri which is on the Amalfi coast in Italy, and this is where we first tasted this delicious Italian salad.

It’s a combination of slices, sliced mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil and it has a delicious Italian dressing drizzled over it, usually a balsamic vinaigrette.

We’ve taken the essence of Caprese and made it our own dish.

Our Caprese pasta salad is a real crowd pleaser. Sweet, fresh, cheesy, and filling, it’s always the first bowl to be emptied at family parties.

What’s in a Caprese pasta salad?

In our Caprese salad, we have fusilli pasta, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, a delicious balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and a balsamic glaze garnish.

What type of pasta should I use?

Most short pasta will be great in a Caprese pasta salad.

We’ve used fusilli, but you could use fusilli, ziti, or rigatoni, just use what you have in your store cupboard.

What type of mozzarella should I use?

For our pasta salad, it must be fresh mozzarella.

Mozzarella balls are perfect, they are small, tender and taste mellow, pearl mozzarella balls are the perfect size but if you can’t find them, then just dice a mozzarella instead.

Do I have to cook the tomatoes for this pasta salad?

We’ve designed this Caprese pasta salad for ease and speed, so you don’t need to cook your tomatoes.

However, cooking the tomatoes would be a tasty alternative to raw tomatoes.

We recommend cooking them gently until they have just started to burst out of their skins, and when tossing your salad, do so gently so they don’t get too mushy.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes, you most certainly can!

Assemble the salad, then drizzle a small amount of dressing on it, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Your Caprese pasta salad will keep for up to 4 days and the leftovers make great lunches or snacks.

Do I have to use balsamic glaze?

No, you don’t have to use balsamic glaze on your pasta salad, it’s not essential to the recipe.

However, it does add an intense tangy, sweet flavor to the dish and it’s got a wonderful deep color to it, it’s the finishing touches to a delicious salad!

Recipe tips and notes

• Making our Caprese pasta salad ahead?
  Leave adding the fresh basil ribbons until around 30 minutes before serving, this way they will remain fresh and won’t wilt.
• Is your salad looking too watery?
  Don’t worry, just leave the pasta salad in the fridge for 30 minutes and you’ll see that the pasta will absorb the vinaigrette.
• Want more flavor?
  Add more vinaigrette and basil ribbons!
• Add a little crunch
  Try scattering toasted pine nuts over the salad to give a nutty crunch to it.

How to make a Caprese pasta salad with step-by-step instructions

Full measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the printable recipe card below.

Our Caprese pasta salad recipe is so easy, let us show you how to make it.

First, you’ll need to cook your pasta.

Place your pasta in a pan of salted water and cook (see packet instructions for how long to cook your pasta for).

Be careful that you don’t overcook your pasta, you want it to be al dente.

When the pasta has cooked, immediately drain it and set it aside.

Meanwhile, while your pasta is cooking, drain your mozzarella balls and, depending on their size, cut them in half and add them to a large bowl.

Now, slice your cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the bowl.

Next to go in is your cooked pasta, toss it to ensure that all the ingredients are combined.

Now add your balsamic vinaigrette, drizzle it over your Caprese pasta salad, so that it’s evenly coated.

Then cut your basil leaves into ribbons, add them to the bowl and then toss your pasta salad once more.

Finally, garnish balsamic glaze.

Either serve immediately or leave at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marinate.

The perfect Caprese pasta salad – enjoy!

Other pasta recipes you’ll love

• Quick mushroom pasta – a perfect midweek family meal, nutty, creamy and SO good, it’ll be on the plate in 25 minutes!

• Pasta alla Norma – roasted eggplants and a creamy cheesy sauce make this pasta dish a real crowd pleaser!

• Four cheese and mushroom lasagne – loaded with cheese, mushrooms and delicious creamy sauce, this will be devoured by your guests!

• Pasta alla sorrentina – if you love sweet tomatoes, you’ll love this easy pasta dish, full of cheesy, garlicky flavor!

• Pasta bake with veggie meatballs – A firm favorite in our household, the meatballs are SO good and combined with the creamy, cheesy pasta bake, this is an exceptional family dinner.

And this is a delicious tortellini pasta salad from our friends at Urban Farmie!

Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, for more tasty inspiration!

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