Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
Caprese Pasta Salad with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Classic Italian flavors ready in 30 minutes!
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Servings: 8
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 pound rotini pasta cooked, drained, cooled
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella balls
- ½ cup red onion thin sliced
- 2 ounces fresh basil thinly sliced
Balsamic Dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing. Stir until fully combined.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and red onion.
- Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
- Toss to coat evenly.
- Garnish with basil leaves. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta. Cook al dente so it has a nice bite and doesn't get mushy.
- Rinse cooked pasta in cold water to stop cooking and cool it quickly.
- Use FRESH mozzarella pearls, not pre-shredded or block. They're very different!
- Reserve some dressing when making ahead. Add fresh dressing right before serving.
- Cut everything into bite-sized pieces for easier eating.
- Add torn fresh basil right before serving so it doesn't wilt.
- Soak diced red onion in water for 5 minutes for milder flavor.
- Refrigerate for best flavor, but serve at room temp if needed. Don't leave out more than 1 hour.
- Try different pasta shapes to mix it up. Any short pasta works just fine.
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a main dish meal.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 664IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 2mg
