Caprese Pasta Salad:- The one pasta salad that you will be making over and over again throughout the entire summer is this caprese pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. You will be making it over and over again. You won’t be able to stop eating it because it requires little effort, it’s quick, and it’s delicious.
Caprese Pasta Salad
In contrast to my husband, who is an expert on macaroni salad, I am the member of the family who enjoys pasta salad the most. The caprese pasta salad, on the other hand, might have been the one that won him over. According to what he said, “This is my favorite.” While it is not monotonous and has a certain amount of zip, it is still very straightforward and can be worn with virtually anything. Completely in agreement.
Tossing in your preferred short pasta with the traditional flavors of caprese salad, which include sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fres
h slivered basil, is about as natural as having a craving for ice cream on a hot summer day. What is even simpler is the exceptional simplicity of the balsamic dressing that is used to lightly coat each pasta noodle, imparting a sweet flavor to each bite of the tangy pasta.
Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
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- 1 pound short pasta , such as fusilli, orrechiette, penne
- 16 ounces mozzarella balls , ciligiine or pearls
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup slivered fresh basil
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt , plus more for salting the pasta water
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove , pressed or minced
Instructions
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Bring a pot of water to a boil and season generously with kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook just until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse lightly with cold water. Set aside to cool.
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While the pasta is cooking, drain the mozzarella balls then cut in half. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and add to a mixing bowl with the mozzarella balls. Add the cooled pasta and slivered basil.
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In a small bowl or mason jar with a lid, add the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well then drizzle over the pasta. Toss to coat and taste for seasoning. The salad is best after about 30 minutes and can be refrigerated for 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
What’s in This Caprese Pasta Salad
In Southern Italy, where the small towns along the Amalfi coast produce the most delicious tomatoes you will find anywhere in the world, caprese salads are the signature dish of the region. Caprese salads originated on the island of Capri which is located in the Mediterranean.
My go-to recipe for caprese salad is a showcase for the most succulent, vine-ripened garden tomatoes that are available during the summer. On the other hand, the wonderful thing about this caprese pasta salad is that it can be prepared with sweet cherry tomatoes that can be purchased at the supermarket. This means that you do not have to wait until the harvest of summer to make it. Unless, of course, you have sweet cherry tomatoes from your garden that are ready to be consumed.