Table of Contents
This salad is great all season long, full of fresh flavors with simple ingredients!
Pasta salads are best made and dressed a few hours prior to serving to let the flavors marinate. Reserve the basil leaves until you are just ready to serve as they will brown.
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Watch how to make this Caprese pasta salad
Caprese Pasta Salad
When it's time for a summer holiday, there's nothing better than a pasta dish! And this Caprese pasta salad is one of the best! Made with penne and topped with cheese and olives as well as a homemade vinaigrette, it's the fresh flavor of summertime! Make this for your next party and wait for the compliments to roll in!
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
For the pasta salad
- 1 lb penne cooked al dente and chilled
- 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced (if large)
- 1 lb fresh mozzarella diced in chunks
- 1 cup marinated Greek olives pitted and sliced
- 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves torn
Instructions
- Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Once boiling, add the penne. Cook the penne until al dente, meaning the pasta needs 1-2 minutes of additional cooking. Once cooked, drain the pasta. Place in the refrigerator to chill fully before assembling the dish.1 lb penne
- To assemble the salad, add the cherry tomatoes, olives, and mozzarella cheese to the chilled pasta.1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 cup marinated Greek olives, 1 lb fresh mozzarella
- For the dressing, combine the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, minced garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, sugar, and red wine vinegar. Shake to combine.¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar, 3-5 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- To finish, 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: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 32.2gProtein: 17.3gFat: 7.6gSaturated Fat: 1.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 5.1gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 6.8mgSodium: 551.3mgPotassium: 175.9mgFiber: 2.6gSugar: 3.1gVitamin A: 61.5IUVitamin C: 2.3mgCalcium: 386.7mgIron: 1.6mg
