This simple Caprese pasta salad comes together in less than 20 minutes for a fresh, delicious, and easy meal! With creamy mozzarella, fresh basil, and sweet cherry tomatoes it's the perfect summer lunch or side dish!
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Why This Recipe Works
The best thing about this Caprese pasta salad is how versatile it is! You can keep it super simple with just olive oil or dress it up with any number of toppings! It can be an easy lunch on its own or a side for grilled chicken or salmon!
- It comes together in just 20 minutes
- Perfect for meal prep lunches or an easy side dish
You might also like this orzo white bean salad or this chicken pesto pasta salad!
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few basic ingredients to make this simple caprese pasta salad!
Short Pasta - Any sort pasta such as farfalle, rigatoni, rotini, etc. will work for cold pasta salad. Use a high-quality die cut pasta like Delallo or De Cecco for the yummiest results.
Mozzarella Pearls - I love using ciliengine or mozzarella pearls, but if you can't find either you can just use a large mozzarella ball and cut it into chunks.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes - If I can find them, I like to use heirloom cherry tomatoes because they have the best flavor in my opinion. But any cherry or grape tomato will do!
Olive Oil - You want to use good, high quality extra virgin olive oil in your vinaigrette for the best flavor!
White Balsamic - I love using white balsamic vinegar in the dressing! But you could also substitute sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar, or lemon juice!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Optional Add-ins
- Top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or fresh pesto
- Add in chunks of grilled chicken
- Stir in some fresh spinach
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
My number one tip for perfect cold pasta salad is to cook the pasta al dente and then rinse it! For pasta salad the last thing you want is sticky, overcooked pasta. I always cook my pasta 1-2 minutes less than what the package directions call for. Then after draining the pasta, rinse for just a minute or so with cold water.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes for perfect al dente pasta. Drain and then rinse for 1 minute with cold water (this helps the pasta not stick together). Set aside to cool slightly.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and thinly slice the fresh basil.
To a large serving bowl, add the cooled pasta, mozzarella pearls, sliced cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.
Top with the dressing and gently toss to combine.
Serve the caprese pasta salad immediately and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ's
Caprese is a super simple Italian salad made of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and sometimes balsamic vinegar. It originated in Capri, Italy. This caprese pasta salad is a fun twist on the classic!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days! The pasta salad might get dried out after a few days so you can rehydrate it with a little olive oil or extra dressing.
Normally I don't recommend rinsing pasta! However, pasta salad is the only exception! Rinsing the pasta immediately after cooking removes the excess starch so that it doesn't clump together.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces short pasta
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, substitute lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional for Topping
Instructions
Dressing
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar and seal tightly. Shake vigorously to combine. Taste and add more salt as needed. Ideally let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes for perfect al dente pasta. Drain and then rinse for 1 minute with cold water (this helps the pasta not stick together). Set aside to cool slightly.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and thinly slice the fresh basil.
- To a large serving bowl, add the cooled pasta, mozzarella pearls, sliced cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.
- Top with the dressing and gently toss to combine.
- Serve the caprese pasta salad immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Jennifer says
fresh and delicious!
Laurie says
We made an italian crusted chicken to go with this pasta. It was SO good. The balsamic reduction drizzled on top was a big hit. Will make again.
Stasha says
This was very fresh and delicious. I made this as a main dinner. It was a nice break from the heavy winter meals I've been making. I will use this as a side for other main dishes or as a main dish for a quick summer meal.
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
You just put together two of my favourite foods, both part of the same amazing cuisine! Summer is definitely for salad, in any form and shape!!:)
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
My mouth is literally watering. I wish this were in front of me.
Sunrita says
Love how easy and flavourful this recipe is.
Amy says
What a nice and easy salad. Packed some for work and it was yum!