Easy Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe with Vinaigrette Dressing
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This easy caprese pasta salad with a vinaigrette dressing is the perfect summer salad showcasing produce at its peak season. Peppery basil leaves, fresh tomatoes and creamy mozzarella cheese are a classic combination, and delightful when tossed with tender pasta. The vinaigrette dressing is so easy to make and ties it all together for a fuss free salad.
Make this salad for dinner and save the leftovers for lunch. Or serve it up for your next summer gathering. It’s always delicious.
Because this dish has such simple ingredients, your salad will really shine if you choose high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Short pasta
- Fresh basil leaves
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Vinaigrette dressing
Instructions
I love when salads to have a little bit of each of the ingredients in each bite so dice the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese to a similar size as the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and run under cold water to bring the temperature down. Add pasta to a large bowl.
Next, wash the cherry tomatoes and slice in half, or into quarters if the tomatoes are large. I chose this variety pack because I thought the colors would be lovely in the salad otherwise keep the tomatoes red for a classic caprese salad look.
I love fresh basil! With clean basil, remove the leaves from the stems and stack leaves on top of one another. Then, tightly roll the leaves and then slice thinly.
Fresh mozzarella pearls make for a quick option, but fresh mozzarella cheese comes in a variety of shapes and sizes so use what you prefer. If the cheese has larger pieces, cut to a similar size as the pasta. This is what I did with these fresh mozzarella cheese logs.
Add all of the fresh cut produce into the large bowl with the pasta and toss to combine well. Pour vinaigrette dressing over the pasta salad.
Vinaigrette Dressing
This simple dressing is a staple in our home because it comes together so quickly and I always the ingredients on hand. Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator. Since the extra virgin olive oil will harden when cold, just allow to come to room temperature before using.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Stone ground mustard
- 1 minced garlic clove
To prepare this simple vinaigrette, add extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and minced garlic to a mason jar, cover and shake until well combined. Then pour over salad immediately. The salad dressing will separate if left undisturbed, so just give a gentle shake before using.
The salad is ready! So simple, so delicious! The salad is ready to serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate to serve later. Right before serving, I like to add a few twists of freshly ground pepper.
Caprese pasta salad is best served within a day of preparing as the basil will have the brightest color. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Easy Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe Notes
- Tortellini, penne, rotini or bowtie pasta all make great options.
- If you don’t have access to fresh basil, swap pesto instead of balsamic dressing for an easy fix.
- This salad makes for a great light lunch, but adding diced grilled chicken breast makes for a complete meal.
- Optional to add a few twists of freshly ground black pepper right before serving.
What I love about this salad is that it comes together in minutes, it showcases the best of what summer has to offer and it’s a great way to use those juicy tomatoes if your garden is bursting with them.
I’d love to hear from you! Please rate the recipe, leave a comment below and share with a friend so they can enjoy this Easy Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe with Vinaigrette Dressing too! Don’t forget to tag photos of your Caprese Salad #LockremHomestead over on Instagram.
Easy Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe with Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
- 16 oz Pasta
- 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 cup Basil, Sliced
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, Cubed
- For the Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Stone Ground Mustard
- 1 Garlic Clove, Minced
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to bring temperature of the pasta down. Add pasta to large bowl.
- Wash cherry tomatoes and cut in half, or into quarters if tomatoes are larger. Cube fresh mozzarella cheese, roughly the same size as the tomatoes. Remove the clean basil leaves from the stem. Stack onto of each other and roll together the long way. Using a sharp knife, cut the basil leaves into thin ribbons.
- Add the pasta, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil ribbons to a large bowl and gently stir to combine.
- To make the vinaigrette dressing, combine extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, stone ground mustard, one minced garlic clove and a pinch of salt into a mason jar. Cover and shake for 10 seconds until the ingredients have come together. Add desired level of dressing, may not use all of it. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator.
- Serve immediately. If preparing ahead of time assemble all ingredients except the dressing, cover and refrigerate. Add the dressing when ready to serve.
