Caprese pasta salad made with juicy tomatoes, marinated fresh mozzarella cheese, fragrant fresh basil, and a mouthwatering homemade Italian herb vinaigrette!
The perfect caprese pasta salad for a potluck, summer bbq or as a side dish for dinner!
Caprese Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is an incredibly popular versatile side dish! Whether the salad is based in oil or mayo, it’s always a hit at potlucks. This version is a fabulous natural make-ahead dish and combines the classic American pasta salad with the Italian Caprese flavors!
what is caprese?
By definition, caprese is a salad comprised of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. You may have seen salads like this on the menu at your favorite Italian restaurant. Some caprese salads also include a drizzle of a balsamic glaze or reduction, which is fabulously tasty!
can pasta salad be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! In fact, in order for the flavors to all combine and round out, it’s best if you make pasta salad anywhere from a few hours to a day or two ahead of time. Personally, I always make my pasta salad the night before, reserve a little of the dressing, then give it a good toss with the extra dressing before serving. It makes it taste nice and fresh.
what to put in a pasta salad
The beauty of a great pasta salad is that you can truly make it your own invention. Here are the basics:
- Pasta – generally shorter cuts of pasta are used, like rotini, farfalle, or in this case, orecchiette.
- Vegetables – tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, olives, squash, etc.
- Protein – cheese, pepperoni, diced ham, etc.
- Dressing – greek, Italian, vinaigrettes, mayo-based, bottled or homemade
You can definitely mix and match to create a pasta salad you love!
pro tips for making caprese pasta salad
- Use the freshest ingredients when possible. There are relatively few ingredients in this pasta salad (aside from the dressing), so using fresh and quality ingredients is key. Use ripe, juicy tomatoes, quality fresh mozzarella, and beautiful fresh herbs.
- Cook your pasta to al dente, according to the package directions. Each shape of pasta has a different cooking time, so check the package for the exact time. Once finished cooking, drain and toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together. If possible, stir it several times as it cools to keep the sticking at bay.
- Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss it with the salad right before serving to give a make-ahead pasta salad a fresh feel.
- Speaking of the dressing, it does double duty in this recipe, as it’s also the marinade for the mozzarella!
OTHER GREAT POTLUCK RECIPES:
- Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad
- Perfect Potluck Potato Salad
- Homemade Freezer Pickles
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Crockpot Beef BBQ
- Bourbon BBQ Smoked Chicken Wings
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
DRESSING/MARINADE
- 2/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin is best)
- 4 - 5 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
PASTA SALAD
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz bocconcini mozzarella (or fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
- 12 oz dried orecchiette pasta (or other short cut pasta)
- 3 Tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined. Reserve 2 Tbsp of dressing, place in an airtight container and set aside.
- Add cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella to mixing bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Let sit and marinate approximately 30 minutes.
- While the cheese and tomatoes are marinating, boil pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Let cool slightly.
- Add pasta to mixing bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to serving container, cover and refrigerate 1-2 days. Before serving, toss pasta salad with reserved dressing and serve.
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Chef Tips
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Joan says
Absolutely delicious! Especially this time of year with fresh picked herbs from the garden. I did add a large cubed up chicken breast, but it was definitely not necessary. Will make again soon!
Tracy says
This salad is delicious!!!! Yum yum yum
This is definately a go to. My family loves it
Trixie says
This salad has become a family favorite. It is so delicious!
Angelica Burgos says
My first time making a pasta salad. It was easy to make and absolutely delicious!!! Was a big hit with all the guests at my barbecue party 😍
SueT says
At what point would you warm it?
Also, can it be frozen?
The Chunky Chef says
You wouldn’t necessarily have to warm it, you just wouldn’t refrigerate it and could eat it right away. Or you could refrigerate to let all the flavors really come together, then just microwave it a bit to take the chill off. I’ve not tested freezing it, so unfortunately, I can’t say for certain if that would work.
Ali Davis says
Forgot to give my stars!
Ali Davis says
Absolutely delicious. I made it Saturday afternoon, put it in the fridge, and it was good that night! And the night after (Sunday) and also Monday! Picky eater husband loved it!
Amy says
I never understand all the reviews from people who’ve never made this recipe or why some d-bag has to write to complain about where the recipe is posted within your website. So, I just want to say that I made this recipe and it is delicious! Didn’t change a thing and it was outstanding. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Amy says
5-Star rating
Isabella says
The dressing is fantastic! Would make again.
Chris says
Great recipe! Balsamic reduction drizzled in top makes it even better!
Mistress Genny de Suave says
Sounds like a completely awesome recipe, but you fell into the food blogger trap of NOT POSTING THE RECIPE FIRST. You get one star, and a chance to correct your failings. I triple dog dare you to post this review.
You can’t refuse that.
The Chunky Chef says
It’s not a food blogger “trap”. This website is my business, and the way I can actually make money is by showing advertisements, which show when a user scrolls down the page. Not to mention I give a lot of tips and tricks within the post itself which most people would NEVER scroll down to see. I DO offer a handy “jump to recipe” button right at the top of the page… you must have missed it 😉 I did not however, accept your one star review, as it’s not a review of the actual recipe itself, which is what it’s there for. I do not have the time or inclination to get into a spitting match with you, so you can enjoy my FREE website as is, or go buy a cookbook, which has just the recipe. Enjoy your day!
Dawn Schindler says
Can I give you stars just for your response? The recipe looks fantastic
Lynette says
What dressing do you use on this salad?
The Chunky Chef says
The dressing recipe is right there in the recipe card.
Deseree says
This sounds like a great pasta salad! I can’t wait to make this next week.
Taylor says
This is one of my favorites! Absolutely love the flavors!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
I know for sure this would be a huge hit in my house!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
This pasta salad sounds aaahhhmazing!! I can’t wait to try it!
Dorothy at Shockinglydelish says
Do you know how excited I am about this dish? I want it warm for dinner and then as a cold pasta salad for lunch the next day!! Best of both worlds.
Mahy Elamin says
This is a delicious recipe!!! Definitely a keeper! Thank you so much for all the info Amanda! Your photos are gorgeous, as always 🙂
Chrissie Baker says
This looks amaaaaazing, Amanda! This recipe looks super easy and full of ingredients my family loves. Looking forward to trying soon.
Jade says
This recipe reminds me of summer, I cannot wait! Will be making this soon!