Caprese Pasta Salad uses fresh farmer's market tomatoes and homegrown basil to make this pasta salad a summertime favorite!
Where are my pasta and carb lovers?! You're in for a treat today with this recipe.
I was just telling Justin the other day what a difference is between the tomatoes we get in our CSA box or at the farmers market and what you can buy at the grocery store all year long.
It is insane! And never ceases to amaze me!
The bright deep red color of local farm-grown tomatoes and the flavor is almost like a different vegetable.
And I think they are DELICIOUS in Caprese salads! I LLLOOOOVVVEEEEEE Caprese salads! Love love love! I started growing basil a couple of years ago just to have on hand for Caprese salads all summer long.
So why not take a summertime fav and through it with some pasta and a light dressing for a summer side dish that we all will love?!
Win win!
Ingredients Needed
- Pasta
- Cherry Tomatoes - preferably from your local farmers market of possible
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh Mozzarella Balls
- Fresh Basil
- Balsamic Glaze *
Dressing
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Juice of ½ Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Balsalmic Vinegar
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
How to Make
We will start by sauteing the tomatoes on the stove. This just gives a little bit more flavor and depth to this dish. You can certainly just serve sliced and raw if you would like or want it to be a little faster and easier.
- Make the pasta. Fill a large pot with water and set on the stove on high heat. Heavily salt and bring to a boil. Add in 1 pound of pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Once finished, drain in a colander and add to a large bowl.
- Saute the tomatoes. In a large skillet add the olive oil and turn on medium-high heat. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and add to the skillet with 2 cloves of minced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the tomatoes have burst and caramelized about 10-15 minutes. Add to the large bowl with the pasta when finished.
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl add in the olive oil, zest of 1 lemon, juice of ½ that lemon, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Whisk until everything is incorporated and mixed well together.
- Assemble the pasta salad. To the large bowl with the cooked pasta and tomatoes, add in the fresh mozzarella balls that have been sliced in half, and fresh basil leaves that have been julienned. Pour over the dressing and toss to thoroughly coat everything. The pasta should still be slightly warm at this point and will help mix everything together.
- Finish with glaze. To finish, sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper, salt, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze over the top. Enjoy!
The balsamic glaze is what sends this dish over the edge! (*affiliate link)
This is not heavy or overly dressed. We let the ingredients speak for themselves without drowning in Italian dressing. Adding the glaze on top is just the icing on the cake that brings it all together!
That is the beauty of pasta salads. They are so versatile.
You can enjoy this warm right after making, at room temp, or cold. To make prep ahead, make all the way up till finished but leave out the basil and balsamic glaze. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
Right before serving, toss with fresh basil and drizzle on the balsamic glaze to finish.
You can use whatever pasta shape you like. Pasta with "nooks and crannies" is usually best for "saucy" things or that have dressings so it can hold all that goodness. Bowtie pasta is one of my favorites, but I also love rotini, cellentani, or radiatore.
Recipe
Caprese Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Caprese Pasta Salad uses fresh farmers market tomatoes and homegrown basil to make this pasta salad a summertime favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Pasta
- 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes - from a local farmers market if you can
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves - minced
- Pinch of Salt and Pepper
- 8 Ounces Fresh Mozzarella Balls
- 2 Tablespoons (about 20 leaves) Fresh Basil
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Glaze
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Dressing
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Juice of ½ Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Balsalmic Vinegar
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Make the pasta. Fill a large pot with water and set on the stove on high heat. Heavily salt and bring to a boil. Add in 1 pound of pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Once finished, drain in a colander and add to a large bowl.
- Saute the tomatoes. In a large skillet add the olive oil and turn on medium-high heat. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and add to the skillet with 2 cloves of minced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the tomatoes have burst and caramelized about 10-15 minutes. Add to the large bowl with the pasta when finished.
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl add in the olive oil, zest of 1 lemon, juice of ½ that lemon, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Whisk until everything is incorporated and mixed well together.
- Assemble the pasta salad. To the large bowl with the cooked pasta and tomatoes, add in the fresh mozzarella balls that have been sliced in half, and fresh basil leaves that have been julienned. Pour over the dressing and toss to thoroughly coat everything. The pasta should still be slightly warm at this point and will help mix everything together.
- Finish with glaze. To finish, sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper, salt, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze over the top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- If making the day before, make according to directions but leaving out the fresh basil and balsamic glaze. Store in the fridge overnight wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Right before serving, toss together with fresh basil and drizzle the balsamic glaze on top.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish/Salad
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Calories: 246
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 173.7 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.7 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 13.4 g
- Cholesterol: 4.1 mg
