This Caprese pasta salad recipe is ideal for summer season picnics! It is tremendous shiny and contemporary, crammed with tomatoes, basil, and a light-weight balsamic dressing.
This Caprese pasta salad recipe is virtually summer season in a bowl! As you’ll be able to in all probability inform from its identify, it’s a scrumptious fusion of two summer season favorites: pasta salad and Italian Caprese salad.
In case you ask me, it’s a match made in heaven. A traditional Caprese salad is bursting with contemporary summer season taste, because of the well-known mixture of creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant basil. However it isn’t as packable as pasta salad, a staple at picnics and potlucks.
This simple Caprese pasta salad recipe combines one of the best of each. You get all of the contemporary taste of a Caprese salad in a picnic-friendly pasta salad type. And it’s not simply good for picnics and cookouts—I additionally love meal prepping this salad for a contemporary summer season lunch!
Tips on how to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
Yow will discover the entire Caprese pasta salad recipe with measurements on the backside of this submit. For now, right here’s a fast overview of the way it goes:
Caprese Pasta Salad Elements
- Unsurprisingly, this Caprese pasta salad begins with tomatoes, basil, and contemporary mozzarella—the star elements in a traditional Caprese salad. Cherry or grape tomatoes are finest on this salad—they maintain their form and have a scrumptious super-sweet taste. They go nicely with “ciliegine,” or cherry-size, mozzarella balls.
- I additionally use purple onion and pecorino cheese within the salad. They add good savory depth.
- I spherical it out with pasta (after all!). I believe screw-shaped cavatappi are actually enjoyable right here, however one other quick pasta like fusilli or rotini would work nicely 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 huge ideas right here:
- Cook dinner the pasta till it’s barely previous al dente. I’ll all the time inform you to cook dinner your pasta simply till al dente whenever you’re making a scorching pasta dish. However for a chilly pasta salad, it’s higher for the pasta to be somewhat softer. That manner, it would keep tender as soon as it cools. (Al dente pasta would harden!)
- After cooking, enable the pasta to chill. In case you toss the recent 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, purple onion, and basil and toss once more. High 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 good facet dish for summer season 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 find it irresistible for lunch. It pairs completely with a facet of contemporary fruit!
- Tip: Make this a heartier lunch salad by including chickpeas for plant-based protein.
Make-Forward and Storage Suggestions
This salad retains nicely 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 maintain the basil separate, sprinkling it over a person serving once I’m able to eat.
Extra Pasta Salad Recipes to Strive
In case you love this recipe, attempt certainly one of these contemporary pasta salads subsequent:
Caprese Pasta Salad
Serves 6
This Caprese pasta salad recipe is simple, contemporary, and scrumptious! An ideal summer season facet dish, it is crammed with cherry tomatoes, basil, creamy mozzarella, and a light-weight balsamic French dressing. Discover make-ahead ideas within the weblog submit above!
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Convey a big pot of salted water to a boil. Put together the pasta in line with the package deal 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, purple 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.
