If there’s one pasta salad you’ll be making on repeat all summer long, it’s this caprese pasta salad bursting with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. It’s fast, it’s simple, and it’s cravingly good.
Where my husband is the macaroni salad maven, I am the pasta salad lover of the family. But this caprese pasta salad…well, it may have won him over.
In his words, “This is my favorite. It isn’t boring and has some zip, but is still really simple and goes with just about anything.” 100% agreed.
Tossing in your favorite short pasta with the classic caprese salad flavors of sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh slivered basil is just about as natural as craving ice cream on a hot summer day.
What’s even easier is the supremely simple balsamic dressing that lightly coats each pasta noodle, sweetly flavoring each tangy bite.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- I don’t usually drain my pasta (the gluten helps tomato sauces stick to the noodles) but I do rinse for pasta salads like this one so it doesn’t get sticky.
- This balsamic dressing is slightly different from my go-to balsamic vinaigrette recipe. I use golden balsamic vinegar here because it’s slightly sweeter than regular balsamic and has a less caramelized flavor. With its lighter color, it’s also better for this salad because it won’t add that brownish tinge.
- Mozzarella balls’ tender bite and mellow flavor is a caprese classic. I slice ciliengine mozzarella balls in half so they go further. If you can find pearl size balls, the combination of both is a pretty display.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Short pasta shape — This is a flexible recipe that works with short and sturdy pasta shapes such as cavatappi, spiral, shell, or penne.
- Cherry tomatoes (sweet red or yellow) — My favorite caprese salad recipe is the showcase for summer’s freshest, vine-ripened garden tomatoes, but what’s great about this caprese pasta salad is it can be made with sweet cherry tomatoes found in the grocery store, so you don’t have to wait for summer’s harvest to make it.
- Mozzarella balls — The bite-sized balls are sometimes labeled as ciliegine or pearls.
- Fresh slivered basil — An abundance of fresh slivered basil gives this pasta salad a bite of fresh flavor in every forkful.
- Olive Oil — When it comes to sautéeing, lower-priced olive oil is fine, but for finishing a dish and salad dressings I always use the best extra virgin olive oil that won’t break the bank. For dressings, I prefer a light and bright extra virgin olive oil with fruity notes.
- Golden balsamic vinegar — I like DeLallo’s golden balsamic vinegar. Rice wine vinegar can be substituted, or use regular balsamic vinegar if you don’t mind a bit of color.
- Garlic clove — Don’t underestimate the power of the clove. Just one clove of garlic flavors the pasta perfectly. Use a garlic press or finely mince the garlic so it spreads evenly into the salad.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — Season the dressing to taste.
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
- Cook short pasta to al denté and rinse. Just about any style of short pasta works well with this salad. Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than the package directions so it is tender but still retains a bit of bite. Rinse it well to prevent the pasta from being sticky.
- Use a jam jar or a mason jar to mix the dressing. The simplest way to emulsify a salad dressing without any mess Is to simply shake it up. Or, go basic with a fork or small whisk to meld the flavors together.
- Toss to combine. Combine the pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil, and dressing in a large serving bowl.
Heidi’s Tip: This pasta salad tastes best after it’s had 30 minutes to sit. This gives the pasta time to soak up some of the dressing and the juices from the tomatoes.
FAQs
Yes! Because the more the merrier, and you’ll avoid exploding cherry tomato bombs as well. Slice the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls in half to make more for each bite.
Use fresh mozzarella. Unlike blocks of mozzarella that are shredded for pizzas or layered in lasagna, fresh mozzarella in water (and drained) is best in this recipe.
If you can’t find containers of mozzarella, substitute diced fresh mozzarella in the log form instead.
If mozzarella isn’t available, try a good quality chunky feta or goat cheese instead.
Storage and Make Ahead Tips
Once tossed with the balsamic dressing, the pasta salad should be eaten within 3 days. The basil will oxidize over time and the pasta will soften, but the salad will still be delicious.
If making ahead of time, prep all of the ingredients and dressing up to 24 hours in advance, then compose the salad up to an hour or so before serving.
What to Serve With Caprese Pasta Salad
- Grilled Proteins — Grilled Balsamic Chicken, Grilled Greek Chicken Kebabs, Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri, Grilled Salmon, BBQ Chicken
- Burgers and Sandwiches — Garlic Burgers, Greek Turkey Burgers, Tuna Melt, Egg Salad Sandwiches
- Easy Entrees — Marry Me Chicken, Salmon with Basil Gremolata, Shrimp Scampi
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a 
rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 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
Dressing:
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
More Easy Pasta Salads
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Halloumi Pasta Salad with Tahini Dressing
- Italian Spaghetti Salad
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Halie
On the last part of the instructions, did you mean that after the pasta is prepared then you should leave it out of the fridge for 30min or put in the fridge immediately after it’s prepared for 30min?
If serving it within 30 minutes you could do either! Any longer and I would refrigerate it. Enjoy!
Kathy
Wonderful dish for hot summer days! Loved the recipe but did put an extra amount of dressing on it. So glad you said to leave the pasta with a “bite” as it really did soften up. I can’t wait to try some more recipes of yours!
Thank you Kathy! I hope you do take a look around and try more :)
Jen
Will this work well with gluten free noodles (corn/rice blend)? When preparing a day ahead of time, should dressing be added, or should it be added closer to serving time?
I’ve never made it with gluten free noodles but I assume it would work fine. With regular noodles it would be fine to add the dressing before, I’m not sure aobut the brand of gluten-free noodles you’re using so maybe add 30 min or so before serving.
Kelly
This has been my go to pasta salad for a few years so I can’t believe I’m just now getting around to to eating a reviewing.
The recipe is fabulous as written and the dressing is great on any salad.
I really love basil and and I also like a hint of spiciness so I now make the dressing using my immersion blender and I add basil and a smidge of red pepper flakes to it. I also reduce the salt in the dressing quite a bit (I don’t measure, just grind a bit of sea salt in it) and just salt the pasta water. I mix the dressing into the el dente pasta and let it absorb for an hour or so. Meanwhile I make a second batch of dressing and after the the pasta has chilled and absorbed the dressing, I toss the tomatoes, cheese and basil into it with the second batch of dressing.
Those are just adjustments to suit my personal taste though. The recipe is a winner just the way it’s written.
Hayley
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Kelly! We’re so happy to hear you are such a fan of this recipe. And those additions sound yummy. Thanks for taking the time to review and comment! :)
Sarah
If we use pre ground pepper – how many teaspoons should we use? I am doing the recipe at 3x – I’m concerned I’m going to make it to peppery if I do 1:1.
Thanks!
Hayley
Hey Sarah! If using pre-ground pepper, you’ll want to use just half the amount. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Diane
Absolutely beautiful and delicious. Kids loved this
Hayley
Thank you Diane, we’re so glad it was a hit!
June
Simple but absolutely delicious….will definitely become a family favourite !
Hayley
Thanks June, we’re so happy you and your family enjoyed it!
Betsy
Thank you for this easy delicious recipe
Angie
This was so delicious!!! I made mine with gluten free pasta and marinated mozzarella. I couldn’t get fresh basil so I added basil paste. Threw in some chopped bell pepper and chopped spinach. This was a perfect summer dinner and I’m planning to make it repeatedly. Great flavor and flexibility with this recipe!
Angie! So glad you liked it and great ideas for the additional ingredients! Thanks for the comment and 5 star rating!
Liz
Does it have to be white balsamic?
Hayley
Hi Liz! You can use regular balsamic (we don’t here just because it turns the pasta salad brown and it’s not as pretty). But if that doesn’t bother you, flavor-wise it’s great!
Janet
May sound like a silly question, but is the entire 1 tsp of kosher salt for the dressing, or is it split into half tsps – one for dressing, and one for boiling pasta? I don’t want to over salt the dressing and the recipe doesn’t say which.
Hayley
Hi Janet, you’re using 1 teaspoon of kosher salt for the dressing and then just generously salting the pasta water (we don’t measure the salt for that). Apologies for the confusion!
Hi Janet, I use 1 teaspoon kosher salt for the dressing. You can always start with 1/2 teaspoon then add more to taste. Season the pasta water with 1-2 tablespoons of kosher salt.
Deborah
I added brie cubed instead of mozz.
Sarah
Meant to add 5 stars!
Delicious! Loved the garlic, really brought it all together. My entire family loved it!
Glad you enjoyed Sarah!
Mary
Oh so good, I used bow tie pasta. I made this for the first time for company, everyone loved it. Every bit was so flavorful. Definitely will make again.
Susan Coleman
Delish! I added some chopped cucumber and red onion. Such a fresh, yummy late summer salad, perfect for using up a bunch of the cherry tomatoes my garden is still producing.
JP
Took this to a bbq and people could not stop raving about it. I know they weren’t just being nice because I overheard people I didn’t know asking each other “do you know who made the pasta salad?” Lol. So simple and perfect. I used white wine vinegar and drizzled the top with bottled balsamic glaze.
I’m glad everyone enjoyed!
Fred
This was good but bland. Normally we make our vinaigrettes with Dijon or Jalapeno mustard, but we always follow new recipes to the letter. We each mixed some mustard into our bowls and it was much better.
KJ
Caprese is an absolute favorite flavor combination for me and this salad did not disappoint! I used Rotini and kale with dried basil leaves instead (because it’s what I had) and every single bite was delectable. Thank you so much for this simple, yet impactful, delightful dish!
Yay! So glad you liked it KJ, and that you made it work with what you have on hand. Thanks for the comment.
Amanda
Delish, used small shells, a firmer mozzarella cubed small, and also added sweet corn. It was all the best of summer in one bowl
So glad you liked it Amanda! Small shells work great in this salad.