Caprese Pasta Salad

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!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 566kcal

Author Kyleigh Sage

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

US Customary - Metric

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

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.

Nutrition