Caprese Salad Pasta (Printer-friendly)

A fresh and vibrant Italian pasta featuring juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil tossed with al dente pasta.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or farfalle
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Salad

03 - 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 7 oz mozzarella pearls, drained
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze, optional
08 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
09 - Salt to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water to cool, and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and basil leaves.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss gently to combine.
04 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If desired, drizzle with balsamic glaze.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil if desired, or chill for 20 to 30 minutes for a cold pasta salad.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer no matter what month you make it, bright and clean without any heaviness.
  • You can eat it warm right off the stove or cold from the fridge the next day, and somehow it gets better overnight.
  • Theres no complicated sauce to mess up, just good ingredients talking to each other.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and feels infinitely more impressive.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the pasta under cold water, or the heat will turn your mozzarella into a melted puddle instead of creamy pearls.
  • Toss the salad right before serving, not hours ahead, or the acid from the tomatoes will start breaking down the basil and turning it dark.
  • If your tomatoes are not peak season sweet, add a tiny pinch of sugar to the bowl to wake up their flavor.
03 -
  • Use a pasta shape with texture, ridges or twists, so the oil and tiny tomato seeds have something to cling to instead of sliding off.
  • Let your tomatoes sit at room temperature for an hour before you halve them, their flavor is so much sweeter when they are not fridge cold.
  • If you cannot find mozzarella pearls, cut a ball of fresh mozzarella into rough chunks, imperfect pieces actually look more homemade and inviting.
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