Table of Contents
  1. Why I Love This Caprese Pasta Salad
  2. Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients
  3. How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
  4. Serving and Storage
  5. Frequently Asked Questions
  6. More Summer Recipes
  7. Watch How to Make This Recipe
  8. Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
  9. Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe

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Caprese pasta salad pairs al dente pasta with juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil, all kissed by a balsamic drizzle. Every bite bursts with vibrant, fresh flavor!

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Why I Love This Caprese Pasta Salad

Some of the best flavors of summer are encapsulated in a Caprese salad: tomatoes and sweet basil. While a traditional recipe for a Caprese salad also includes slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, it’s all about simplicity, and I think that’s what makes everyone love it so much! You aren’t hiding behind lots of flavors, but instead highlighting the true depth of each ingredient.

But during the summer, we also love a good pasta salad recipe. So I knew that I had to combine the two into an amazing Caprese version that’s fuss-free and easy to make.

This Caprese pasta salad is bright, vegetarian, and nutrient-rich, offering a super satisfying spin on the traditional recipe. It truly is a celebration of summer’s bounty!

Pasta tossed with fresh basil, sliced cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella for a Caprese pasta salad.

Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients

The ingredients in this Caprese pasta salad highlight some of the best flavors of the summer season:

  • Pasta, specifically fusilli pasta in this recipe, provides the perfect base for this salad. A corkscrew-style pasta is recommended so that the maximum amount of vinaigrette will cling to each piece, resulting in tons of flavor in each bite.
  • Cherry tomatoes are in season during the summer, so they’re the perfect addition to this pasta salad. If you have large cherry tomatoes, simply slice them in half before adding them to the dish.
  • Fresh mozzarella is torn into pieces and tossed with the pasta. Part of a traditional Caprese salad, the mozzarella adds a pleasant, hearty texture to the recipe.
  • Marinated olives add a bit of additional texture to the pasta salad. While not traditional, I love the brininess they add!
  • Fresh basil is essential to any Caprese recipe!
  • Dijon mustard helps to emulsify the vinaigrette. It’s what I always call the “secret sauce” for any dressing.
  • Red wine vinegar has a bit of fruity flavor while adding the acidity needed for this vinaigrette.
  • White balsamic vinegar aims to keep some of the traditional flavors of a Caprese salad in this recipe. A lot of times, balsamic vinegar is drizzled across the top of a Caprese salad, so to mirror this, but keep the dressing lighter in color and flavor, a white balsamic is used.
  • Olive oil is very traditional for a Caprese salad, but it’s used in the vinaigrette in this recipe.
  • Granulated sugar adds just a bit of sweetness. Trust me, it’s nice!
White marble surface filled with ingredients needed for caprese pasta salad including pasta, tomatoes, cheese, spices, and more.

The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad

There are three very simple steps to prepare this Caprese pasta salad:

Step 1: Prepare the vinaigrette. In a bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, white balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Mix until combined and set aside.

Step 2: Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, add the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella cheese.

Step 3: Finish assembling. Add the vinaigrette on top of the pasta and toss to combine. Tear fresh basil on top and serve.

Serving and Storage

To serve: This Caprese pasta salad pairs so well with any summer main dish! It’s a perfect side dish to burgers, grilled chicken, or steak. Make sure to serve it for any big summertime holiday, such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Labor Day!

To store: Any leftovers of this pasta salad will last for 5 to 7 days in the fridge. But the fresh basil that was added as the last step will wilt as the salad sits. Additionally, the pasta will continue to soak up the vinaigrette, which will make the salad appear drier than when fresh. To refresh it, you could mix up a half batch of the vinaigrette, pour it on top, and toss to combine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can mozzarella balls purchased from the store be used?

Of course! The small mozzarella balls found in the cheese section of a grocery store work really well. At times, I like to control the size of my pieces of mozzarella, and I like the irregular texture of torn fresh mozzarella, so I opt for a hunk of mozzarella, but both work.

Would a protein work in this recipe?

Sure! You could add sliced grilled chicken to the recipe, cooked ground Italian sausage, pieces of crumbled bacon, or prosciutto. The options are endless!

Will grape tomatoes work well?

Yes, you can easily swap the cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes. No problem!

Why do you recommend using fusilli or corkscrew-shaped pasta?

There are so many different pasta shapes available, but I like one that has a lot of intricate surface area. You can opt for your favorite shape or what you have on hand, but I find that fusilli (or rotini) allows the vinaigrette to cling well to the pasta. I originally developed the recipe for penne, but after additional testing, I found that a more complex pasta works best.

Can this be made ahead of time?

I recommend it! Personally, I always feel that pasta salads are best when made and dressed a few hours prior to serving, just to let the flavors marinate. Reserve the basil leaves until right before you are ready to serve, so they don’t turn brown.

White bowl filled with pasta salad with sliced cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.

Watch How to Make This Recipe

YouTube video

Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?

I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!

White bowl filled with Caprese pasta salad topped with fresh basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella.

Caprese Pasta Salad

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Caprese pasta salad pairs al dente pasta with juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil, all kissed by a balsamic drizzle. Every bite bursts with vibrant, fresh flavor!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette

  • cup olive oil
  • cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the pasta salad

  • 1 lb fusilli (or any corkscrew-shaped pasta) cooked and chilled
  • 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced (if large)
  • 1 lb fresh mozzarella torn or diced into chunks
  • 1 cup marinated Greek olives pitted and torn or sliced
  • 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves torn

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the dressing. Combine the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, minced garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
    ⅓ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Assemble the salad. To the chilled pasta in a bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella cheese.
    1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 lb fresh mozzarella, 1 cup marinated Greek olives, 1 lb fusilli (or any corkscrew-shaped pasta)
  • Finish assembly. Pour the dressing on top of the pasta. Stir to combine. Top with the torn basil leaves right before serving.
    1 cup loosely packed basil leaves

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 339kcal
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Difficulty Easy
Method Mixing

Stylist: Addelyn Evans / Photography: Dera Burreson

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Kaleb

Kaleb Wyse is a New York Times bestselling author behind the popular Wyse Guide website. Living on his fourth-generation Iowa farm, he loves sharing recipes and gardening tips that come from traditions that feel comfortably familiar. His down-to-earth style makes sustainable living and farm life feel like home!

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