Caprese Pasta Salad
This Italian Caprese Pasta Salad is my family’s favorite side dish for the summer. It’s perfect to make in advance and takes less than 30 minutes. With classic Italian flavors tomato, mozzarella, and basil both kids and adults love this recipe.
Every summer we host several pool parties as well as picnics for family and friends. This Caprese Pasta Salad recipe is always on the menu. It’s simple to prepare with just 15 minutes of prep time – I like to make it in advance too since it makes the flavors even richer.
We love this as a side dish because it’s an easy pasta recipe that the whole family loves. If you want to make it a bit heartier, add chicken or shrimp.
My secret to making this salad stand apart from the rest is my homemade balsamic vinaigrette that’s shaken in a mason jar for ease, but you can even use a high-quality store-bought dressing if you desire. Serve it alongside our Watermelon Mozzarella Skewers and Bruschetta al Pomodoro.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 8 ingredient pasta salad. It’s simple to make with ingredients that are easy to shop for. If you use a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette, this recipe becomes just 4 ingredients!
- A side dish that kids and adults love. This Caprese pasta salad has all the flavors that kids love about pasta. It easily becomes a main course with a simple protein added.
- Perfect to make ahead for a busy week or entertaining. Whether you are hosting dinner or just meal prepping, this pasta salad is ideal to prepare ahead of time.
Jenn’s Tip: When it comes to pasta salad, we love when all of the ingredients are about the same size so it’s easy to eat and every bite is bursting with flavor.
What is Italian Caprese Salad?
It’s a classic Italian salad that comes from the island of Capri, Italy. It’s usually made with layers of sliced mozzarella and tomato, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garnished with basil.
We’ve had this salad in Italy too many times to count! It’s one of our favorites, we make it so often we thought that it would be fun to make it into a pasta salad. Turns out, it’s pretty delicious too.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- Short Pasta: Short pasta shapes such as gemelli, farfalle, orecchiette, and cavatappi work best in this recipe because they hold onto the vinaigrette and make the salad easy to eat.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Sweet cherry tomatoes add fresh flavor and a pop of color. Halve the tomatoes so their juices mix with the dressing and coat the pasta.
- Mozzarella Pearls: Mozzarella pearls are perfect for pasta salad because their small size distributes evenly throughout the dish, giving you mozzarella in every bite.
- Fresh Basil: Fresh basil adds the classic Caprese flavor and bright summer flavor to this pasta salad. Tear the leaves just before adding them for the best flavor.
- Pecorino Romano: Freshly grated Pecorino Romano adds a salty, savory finish that complements the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.
Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- garlic clove
- Dijon mustard
- honey
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Italian Caprese Pasta Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Add the tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, basil, and Pecorino Romano to the bowl.
- Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper to a mason jar. Seal tightly and shake until combined.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta salad and toss gently to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled before serving.
Expert Tips
- Use store-bought dressing if you’re in a pinch. Use your favorite store-bought balsamic vinaigrette instead; choose one made with olive oil for the best flavor.
- Make cubes of mozzarella if it’s difficult to find pearls. Freshly chopped mozzarella (like a ball of Fior di Latte) works just as well if you don’t have pearls on hand.
- Rinse the pasta after cooking to avoid mushy noodles. After draining, rinse it under cool water and toss with a small drizzle of olive oil to keep it from clumping. This also helps it stay glossy and fresh when mixed with the dressing.
- Add some protein to take this from a side to a main. Grilled chicken or grilled Italian sausage make great additions for a heartier meal while keeping the flavors light and Italian-inspired.
- Don’t skip chilling the pasta salad for a couple of hours. We recommend 2 hours at least. This allows the flavors to meld and marinate together.
Storage
Store any leftover Italian Caprese pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We like to let it sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes and give it a fresh stir plus a drizzle of olive oil. We don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
You can prep this salad a few hours in advance. If making ahead, reserve a bit of the dressing and toss it in right before serving to keep everything fresh and vibrant.
FAQs
A classic caprese salad is layers of sliced mozzarella cheese and ripe, juicy tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and basil. This pasta salad takes those same flavors and adds delicious noodles.
We recommend a short pasta shape that is easy to eat and holds onto the dressing. Gemelli, farfalle, cavatappi, and orecchiette all work well in this recipe. Their shapes catch the vinaigrette, tomatoes, and mozzarella for flavorful bites in every forkful!
If you are concerned your noodles will overcook and become mushy, we would recommend rinsing briefly in cold water to stop the cooking. Keep an eye on your timer and be sure to cook them to al dente.
More Easy Italian Recipes
- Bruschetta al Pomodoro
- Watermelon Mozzarella Skewers
- Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Spaghetti with Lemon Cream Sauce
Caprese Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large serving bowl
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 pound short pasta such as gemelli, farfalle, orecchiette, or cavatappi
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups mozzarella pearls
- ½ cup torn fresh basil
- â…“ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Add the tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, basil, and Pecorino Romano to the bowl.
- Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper to a mason jar. Seal tightly and shake until combined.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta salad and toss gently to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled before serving.
Notes
- No time to make the vinaigrette? Use your favorite store-bought balsamic vinaigrette instead—choose one made with olive oil for the best flavor.
- Mozzarella swap: Freshly chopped mozzarella (like a ball of Fior di Latte) works just as well if you don’t have pearls on hand.
- To prevent the pasta from sticking while cooling: After draining, rinse it briefly under cool water and toss with a small drizzle of olive oil to keep it from clumping. This also helps it stay glossy and fresh when mixed with the dressing.
- Want to add protein? Grilled chicken or grilled Italian sausage make great additions for a heartier meal while keeping the flavors light and Italian-inspired.
- Make it ahead: You can prep this salad a few hours in advance. If making ahead, reserve a bit of the dressing and toss it in right before serving to keep everything fresh and vibrant.
I have made this pasta salad twice now and each time rare reviews from family. It has flavor, and it comes together in no time. It is a great side dish to make with almost anything … especially for guests.
Thank you for this great recipe!
Thank you so much, Susan! I’m so happy you’ve made it more than once. It really is such an easy, flavorful side dish for summer — especially when having guests!