Caprese Pasta Salad
Caprese Pasta Salad with fresh basil, mozzarella pearls, and cherry tomatoes is delicious, filling and simple to make this summer season.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) dried pasta I used fusilli bucati but any short shape works
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 2 small cloves garlic minced or grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ red onion diced
- 8 ounces (226 g) mozzarella pearls
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook pasta until al dente in salted water according to the package instructions. Usually this takes 10-12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- As the pasta is being cooked, make the dressing: In a large salad bowl, combine olive oil with balsamic vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes if using, black pepper, and salt.
- To the same bowl, add cooked pasta and toss with the dressing.
- Then add cherry tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella pearls, and basil. Give everything a good stir. Taste the pasta salad and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta! You want the pasta to be fully cooked, but still a bit al dente when you bite into a piece. Keep in mind that once you drain it, we'll stop the cooking process with cold water, so be sure that it's soft enough to eat.
- Let the pasta cool: If the pasta is still warm when you add the rest of the ingredients you may find that your cheese melts and your dressing soaks in too quickly. Avoid that by rinsing the pasta well with cold water so that it cools down completely.
- Chill: The salad is ready to eat as soon as it's mixed up, but you might enjoy the flavor and texture better if you let it chill in the fridge for an hour or more before serving.
- Storing/Make Ahead: Caprese pasta salad can be made and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, so it's a great option for making up ahead of a party or meal to save time. If the salad seems dry after storing it’s just because the pasta has absorbed most of the dressing. Drizzle with olive oil and a bit of balsamic freshen it up again.
Nutrition
Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 289mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 484IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/caprese-pasta-salad/