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Caprese Pasta Salad

Name: Caprese Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 lb bowtie pasta; salt; 3 tbsp good quality vinegar ((apple cider, sherry, or balsamic)); 1 tsp dijon mustard; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; black pepper (freshly ground); 25 large basil leaves (chopped); 1 pint grape tomatoes (halved); 16 oz fresh mozzarella cieligini*

July 2, 2018

This Caprese Pasta Salad has a classic combination of fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese, tied together with a simple vinaigrette. It’s perfect for summer potlucks and picnics!

The Caprese flavor combination is one of those ultimate pairings that never goes out of style.

Caprese Pasta Salad - Easy Potluck Recipe!

When warm weather hits, I always look forward to eating lots of Caprese themed foods, whether it’s simply sliced tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, oil, and balsamic, or if it’s the Caprese theme applied to other foods, like this Caprese Pasta Salad.

This recipe is one of my go-to dishes for potlucks and picnics, as it travels really well, and nearly everyone loves caprese. In my collection of 24 Potluck Salads that are perfect for summer, it’s one of the recipes I make the most.

Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe - Potluck Salads

This pasta salad is very simple, but the caprese combination shouldn’t be messed with too much. Tomato + fresh mozzarella + basil are the stars here.

A variation I’ll do from time to time is add a 1/2 cup of basil pesto to amplify the caprese theme, when I have it on hand.

Other times I will add crispy, crumbled bacon, which might sound odd here but actually adds a wonderful salty, meaty heartiness to the salad. But that’s as far as my variations go. Sometimes classics should stay classic.

How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad:

To get started, make the vinaigrette by combining a good, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper:

Caprese Pasta Salad Dressing - with Olive oil and vinegar

This is definitely a dish where the deliciousness is majorly impacted by the quality of ingredients used.

Next, gather up some good tomatoes and cut them in half. I like the heirloom grape and cherry tomatoes:

Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad - Cut Heirloom Tomatoes

Next, cook some bowtie pasta according to package directions, then rinse under cold running water. We actually want to rinse the excess starch off the pasta, and it will also help the pasta cool down:

Caprese Salad Pasta - Bowties are my favorite

Next get some fresh basil leaves:

Tomato Basil Pasta Salad - Cutting basil for caprese pasta salad

Chop them up, then add the basil, tomatoes, and some fresh cieligini mozzarella balls:

Tomato Mozzarella Basil Pasta Salad - Mixing Caprese Pasta Salad ingredients in bowl

I buy the ones that are already marinated for some extra flavor, but plain mozzarella balls will work too.

Toss it all together:

Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe - with Bowtie pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil

Now it’s ready to serve and enjoy!

For more dishes that hold up well, I have 24 more potluck salad recipes.

Can you make Caprese Pasta Salad ahead of time? Yes, make it up to 6 hours in advance and keep it chilled in the fridge. You can technically do it even a day ahead, but the tomatoes will get a bit mealy from the cold refrigeration and the pasta will soften slightly, so for optimal flavor, make it closer to serving.

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4.8 from 5 votes