Caprese Pasta Salad
Short pasta tossed with burst cherry tomatoes, torn mozzarella, and basil in a garlicky vinaigrette. It sits happily on a table for an hour, which is the whole point.
- Course
- Side Dish
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 10 min
- Total Time
- 30 min
Why This Recipe Works
This pasta salad gets more flavor by treating the tomatoes in two ways. Keeping some raw preserves their fresh texture, while blistering another portion creates concentrated juices that can mix into the dressing and coat the pasta instead of sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
Dress the pasta while it is still slightly warm so it absorbs seasoning, then let it cool before adding fresh mozzarella. Very hot pasta can make the cheese rubbery and can wilt the basil before the salad reaches the table.
Serve the salad closer to room temperature than refrigerator-cold. Olive oil thickens when chilled and mozzarella loses some of its softness, so taking the bowl out of the refrigerator twenty to thirty minutes before serving improves both the texture and flavor.
Variation Ideas
- Use pearl mozzarella for bite-size pieces.
- Add a spoonful of pesto to the dressing for a basil-forward version.
- Fold in chopped Calabrian chiles for heat.
- Use zucchini ribbons in place of half the pasta.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Fresh mozzarella
- Torn burrata or bocconcini for an even creamier bite
- Farfalle or fusilli
- Orzo, for a lighter, more scoopable salad
- Red wine vinegar
- Good balsamic for a sweeter, deeper dressing
- Basil
- Baby arugula stirred in at the end for peppery bite
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead for a party?
Yes — dress and toss the pasta with the tomatoes and vinaigrette up to a day ahead. Keep the mozzarella and basil separate and fold them in right before serving so nothing turns rubbery or wilts.
How long will it keep?
Three days refrigerated, though it is best within the first 24 hours while the mozzarella is still tender. Let it come back toward room temperature before serving — cold olive oil turns cloudy and dull.
Can I add protein to make it a full meal?
Grilled chicken, white beans, or torn prosciutto all work well folded in just before serving. Add a squeeze of extra lemon if you bulk it up, since more filling ingredients mute the acidity.
Is this meant to be served cold or at room temperature?
Room temperature, always. Straight from the fridge, the olive oil seizes and the mozzarella loses its softness — pull it out 20–30 minutes before you plan to eat.
Tools For This Recipe
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What to Serve With Caprese Pasta Salad
Recipe Card
Caprese Pasta Salad
By Gabriella
- Course
- Side Dish
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 10 min
- Total Time
- 30 min
Ingredients
- 1 lb farfalle or fusilli
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 12 oz fresh mozzarella, torn
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 large bunch basil
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta in well-salted water until just past al dente, then rinse it briefly under cool water so it stops cooking and stays separate.
- 2
Halve half the tomatoes and blister the rest in a hot skillet with a spoonful of oil until their skins split and their juices run.
- 3
Whisk the remaining olive oil with the vinegar, grated garlic, salt, and a lot of pepper, then scrape the warm tomato juices into the dressing.
- 4
Toss the pasta with the dressing while it is still slightly warm so it absorbs the flavor instead of sitting on the surface.
- 5
Fold in the mozzarella and torn basil just before serving, and taste one more time for salt and acid.
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