Our Caprese Pasta Salad is bursting with juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella pearls, and fragrant basil, all tossed in a bold, zesty balsamic dressing. It’s the perfect make-ahead dish for summer cookouts, quick weeknight meals, or a refreshing midday bite pulled straight from the fridge.
This is the kind of pasta salad that can disappear before you’ve even grabbed a plate.
Caprese Salad first showed up in 1920s Italy, straight from the sunny island of Capri, with those fresh colors to match the Italian flag. It’s all about bright, simple ingredients like ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fresh basil, and a good drizzle of olive oil.
Since then, those classic flavors have made their way into kitchens everywhere, turning up in all kinds of dishes. And when you fold them into perfectly cooked pasta and toss it all in a vibrant vinaigrette, you get a cool, crowd-pleasing upgrade that’s ready to steal the spotlight.
Our Caprese Pasta Salad recipe is fast, fresh, and always one of the first empty bowls on the summer dinner table.
You don’t need fancy ingredients or special skills. Just a big bowl, a handful of everyday staples, and a few minutes at the stove.
Serve it up alongside our Mediterranean Chicken, a vibrant dish of tender chicken, kalamata olives, feta, spinach, and tomatoes that’s packed with flavor without overshadowing the salad.
Or pair it with our Grilled Dry Rub Honey Mustard Salmon, which brings a smoky, savory finish that plays perfectly against all that cool, fresh basil and tomato goodness.
Can I Change Up the Recipe?
Absolutely. There are plenty of ways to tweak our Caprese Pasta Salad without losing what makes it shine.
We made the recipe with mozzarella pearls, but you can use larger mozzarella balls cut into chunks or even a torn burrata if you’re feeling fancy.
You can swap cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes if that’s what’s in the fridge. Or go with heirloom tomatoes for a deeper, sweeter flavor if they’re in season.
If you like a bit of heat, toss in some red pepper flakes or a few chopped Calabrian chilies to give it a subtle kick.
Although we made the dressing, you can also use your favorite store-bought vinaigrette to make the recipe.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Caprese Pasta Salad recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
How to make Caprese Pasta Salad
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Caprese Pasta Salad in your home kitchen.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions until just al dente.
- Drain the pasta and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then set it aside to come to room temperature.
- Drain the mozzarella balls and let them sit out for a few minutes so they’re not too cold.
- Cut the sweet cherry tomatoes in half for maximum juiciness and more even mixing.
- Slice the fresh basil into thin slivers using the chiffonade technique for that classic Caprese Salad touch.
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic.
- Whisk to combine the dressing ingredients.
- Add the mozzarella pearls, tomato halves, and basil chiffonade to a large bowl.
- Mix to combine the ingredients.
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and stir to combine the ingredients.
- Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over the pasta salad and mix to combine.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate the Caprese pasta salad for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) to allow the ingredients to marinate in the dressing.
For the best flavor, drizzle with balsamic glaze just before serving and sprinkle with extra basil chiffonade.
Our simple Caprese pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer cookouts, family dinners, and every quick weeknight meal in between. After one bite, you’ll understand why we love this salad, and better yet, your friends and family will love it too!
How to Store Caprese Pasta Salad
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Let it sit out at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving so the flavors come through at their best.
Freezing isn’t recommended because fresh mozzarella and juicy tomatoes don’t bounce back well after thawing.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. Just cut them into bite-sized pieces so they mix evenly with the pasta and tomatoes. It won’t have quite the same look as mozzarella pearls, but the flavor is every bit as good.
Yes. It stops the cooking instantly and cools it down so you don’t end up with rubbery cheese or soggy pasta. It also washes off extra starch, so everything mixes smoothly.
Definitely, making the pasta salad a few hours or even the night before helps the flavors come together beautifully. Just keep it chilled and give it a quick stir before serving.
We use white balsamic vinegar for a mellow tang that lets the fresh ingredients shine. Red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar are great options too.
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Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 16 oz cavatappi pasta cooked al dente according to package
- 16 ounces mozzarella pearls I usually use the marinated ones for extra flavor
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ½ cup fresh basil chiffonade
Dressing:
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt if you use table salt, reduce to half a teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze optional
Instructions
Dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Whisk to combine.
Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to instructions on the package.
- Drain the pasta and run it under cool water to stop the cooking process. Set aside until needed.
- Drain the mozzarella balls.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Cut basil into slivers. This is called a chiffonade.
- Add the mozzarella balls, tomato halves, and basil chiffonade to a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine the ingredients.
- Add in the cooled pasta into the bowl and mix together.
- Drizzle the dressing over the pasta salad and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate the Caprese pasta salad for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) to allow the ingredients to marinate in the dressing.
- Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the pasta salad, garnish with basil chiffonade, and serve..
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