This Caprese pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer picnics! It's super bright and fresh, filled with tomatoes, basil, and a light balsamic dressing.
This Caprese pasta salad recipe is practically summer in a bowl! As you can probably tell from its name, it’s a delicious fusion of two summer favorites: pasta salad and Italian Caprese salad.
If you ask me, it’s a match made in heaven. A classic Caprese salad is bursting with fresh summer flavor, thanks to the famous combination of creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic basil. But it isn’t as packable as pasta salad, a staple at picnics and potlucks.
This easy Caprese pasta salad recipe combines the best of both. You get all the fresh flavor of a Caprese salad in a picnic-friendly pasta salad form. And it’s not just good for picnics and cookouts—I also love meal prepping this salad for a fresh summer lunch!
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
You can find the complete Caprese pasta salad recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Unsurprisingly, this Caprese pasta salad starts with tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella—the star ingredients in a classic Caprese salad. Cherry or grape tomatoes are best in this salad—they hold their shape and have a delicious super-sweet flavor. They go well with “ciliegine,” or cherry-size, mozzarella balls.
- I also use red onion and pecorino cheese in the salad. They add nice savory depth.
- I round it out with pasta (of course!). I think screw-shaped cavatappi are really fun here, but another short pasta like fusilli or rotini would work well too.
- A simple dressing ties it all all together. Made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice, it adds bright, tangy flavor to the salad.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
To make the salad, start by cooking the pasta. Two big tips here:
- Cook the pasta until it’s slightly past al dente. I will always tell you to cook your pasta just until al dente when you’re making a hot pasta dish. But for a cold pasta salad, it’s better for the pasta to be a little softer. That way, it will stay tender once it cools. (Al dente pasta would harden!)
- After cooking, allow the pasta to cool. If you toss the hot pasta with the other salad ingredients right away, the fresh basil and onion will wilt.
While the pasta cools, make the salad dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic, grated pecorino, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Next, assemble the salad. Add the cooled pasta and toss to coat in the dressing, then add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, red onion, and basil and toss again. Top with shaved pecorino and gently toss.
Before serving, season to taste and garnish with more basil.
Enjoy!
What to Serve with Caprese Pasta Salad
This Caprese pasta salad is a great side dish for summer cookouts and picnics. Serve it with veggie burgers or black bean burgers and other summery sides like grilled corn, potato salad, and coleslaw.
I also love it for lunch. It pairs perfectly with a side of fresh fruit!
- Tip: Make this a heartier lunch salad by adding chickpeas for plant-based protein.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Meal prep tip: The salad holds up longer without the basil, for up to 4 days in the fridge. When I meal prep it for a week of lunches, I keep the basil separate, sprinkling it over an individual serving when I’m ready to eat.
More Pasta Salad Recipes to Try
If you love this recipe, try one of these fresh pasta salads next:
Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese, plus ¼ cup shaved
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mini mozzarella balls, halved
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- Heaping 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until slightly past al dente. Drain, toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking, and spread on a large plate or baking sheet to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, grated pecorino, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add the cooled pasta and toss to coat, then add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, red onion, and basil and toss again. Add the shaved pecorino and gently toss.
- Season to taste, garnish with more basil, and serve.
Very good! My fresh picked basil from my herb garden made this salad special! Thanks for your delicious recipes!