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5 from 3 votes

Caprese Pasta Salad

This Caprese Pasta Salad recipe is super quick and easy to make ahead of time and always a crowd favorite.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: 4th of july, pasta, vegetarian
Servings: 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta (any shape will do)
  • 1 dry pint (10 ounces) cherry tomatoes halved (I used a mix of red and yellow)
  • 8 ounces pearl mini mozzarella balls*
  • 1/3 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in a large stockpot of generously-salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta in a strainer and rinse under cold water for about 1 minute, gently tossing the pasta until it is no longer hot.
  • Toss the pasta salad. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper and toss until evenly combined.
  • Season. Taste and season with extra balsamic, salt and/or pepper, if needed.
  • Serve. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Mozzarella: Alternatively, you can buy a large 8-ounce ball of fresh mozzarella and dice it into small pieces.
Recipe edit: This recipe was edited to include less pasta and a simpler balsamic dressing in 2022.