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Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes

Avatar photoby Updated: Aug 4, 2022

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This easy caprese pasta salad recipe steeps cherry tomatoes in a garlic-infused oil that becomes the dressing over any type of pasta with sliced mozzarella, capers, lemon, and basil making it a healthy potluck recipe that’s perfectly ripe for brunch, lunch, or a dinner everyone will love.

Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes | foodiecrush.com #caprese #salad #pasta #recipes #easy #healthy #potlucks

This is a re-do of one of my favorite tomato pasta salad recipes I published my first year of blogging.ย I’ve been making this caprese pasta salad on repeat ever since the clock struck summer, but it’s very likely that many of you haven’t ever even seen it, and that’s a darn shame because it’s just too good to miss. So after looking at it so many times already this summer, I thought it could use a refresh. And so here it is once again, with a spit shine, some new photos, and a video to show you easy it will be for you to make it too. I’m a huge fan of summer’s fresh tomatoes, especially when my garden starts producing my beloved cherry tomatoes I pop straight into my mouth like candy. So back in August of 2011 when I spied this recipe on the Martha Stewart Livingย cover peeking over the others on the grocery store rack, there wasn’t a question whether the issue would be coming home with me. And that’s why this salad has been in my summer recipe-making-repertoire ever since.

Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes ingredients | foodiecrush.com #caprese #salad #pasta #recipes #easy #healthy #potlucks

How to Make this Garlic-Marinated Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Salad

One reason I love this salad so much is that it tastes delicious when served warm (the way Martha suggests), or at room temp (which makes it perfect for taking to a potluck party), or even snacking on it as I stand at the open fridge, with the door swung wide open and the chilled fridge air cooling me down in this summer heat as I eat it straight from the storage container. Thinly slicing the garlic maximizes their flavor when cooked in the oil. I first gently smash the cloves of garlic with the flat side of a chef’s knife to release their perfumey oil (this knife is my favorite) then I slice them thinly on my indispensable hand-held mandoline. Then, the slices of fresh garlic are gently poached until golden in olive oil. Don’t be alarmed at the amount of olive oil this recipe calls for because it’s used to marinate the tomatoes and also serves as the dressing. Same goes for the 1 cup of basil leaves. You’ll be surprised at how much flavor they both impart to the salad. Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes | foodiecrush.com #caprese #salad #pasta #recipes #easy #healthy #potlucks The addition of fresh squeezed lemon juice and capers balances the acid and oil of the salad and gives it just the right pucker and freshness to compliment each and every garlic-spiked bite. I used long strand bucatini pasta for this recipe. If you’re unfamiliar with bucatini, it’s similar to spaghetti with a hole in the middle, but it’s thicker and sturdier for a more solid bite. But honestly, this recipe could be made with any pasta you prefer or have on hand. Cook the pasta just until al dente. Cooking the pasta any longer will make the pasta mushy as it sits and absorbs the garlic infused oil. I used bocconcini balls of mozzarella because I like that they are the same size as the cherry tomatoes. I cut mine in half so they go further. Pearl size mozzarella balls or even slices of a mozzarella log would certainly work just as fine too. Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes | foodiecrush.com #caprese #salad #pasta #recipes #easy #healthy #potlucks

What to Serve With This Salad to Make a Meal

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 Instagramย with #foodiecrusheats.



3.96 from 82 votes

Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes

Keep a careful eye on the garlic as it cooks in the oil and lower the heat if it begins to brown, otherwise the garlic will taste bitter and allow at least 30 minutes for the tomatoes to marinate in the garlic infused oil for maximum flavor.
Print
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword pasta salad

Ingredients 

  • 5 garlic cloves , thinly sliced
  • ยฝ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 pounds cherry tomatoes , sliced in half
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves , torn or thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons capers
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest , plus more for sprinkling
  • ยผ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound pasta , cooked al dente (I used bucatini but any pasta will do)
  • 8 ounces mozzarella bocconcini balls , sliced in half

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, cook garlic in oil over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes.Let cool.
  • Combine the tomatoes, ยฝ cup basil, capers, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, and kosher salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic oil & chips over tomato mixture, marinate for about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  • Cook the pasta, drain, and add to the bowl with the tomato mixture, bocconcini balls and lemon juice and toss gently. Top with remaining ยฝ cup basil and additional lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  • adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine

More Recipes to Make with Fresh Tomatoes (or just look like them :))

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    3.96 from 82 votes (82 ratings without comment)

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  1. Steph

    Delicious recipe! We’ve made with and without the capers since my family doesn’t enjoy capers. I will sub a few teaspoons of white balsamic vinegar in place of capers. Have tried with spaghetti, bucatini, and linguini. Usually serve Parmesan crusted chicken along side, and enjoy the pasta warm. Great leftover the next day, too!

    Reply

  2. Herbert T

    Love this recipe! I saw somewhere in a similar recipe they shaved the garlic on a cheese type grater. Works great! This really is a crowd favorite and the leftovers are fantastic!

    Reply

  3. Terri

    Question on the caprese pasta salad with garlic marinated tomatoes….sounds delicious. But what “chips” do you mean when you say in #2, second sentence: “Pour the garlic oil and CHIPS over tomato mixture….” ? I’m confused, don’t mean to be dense!!! Do you mean the thinly sliced garlic cloves? That is all I can figure out!!! HELP and thanks.

    Reply

  4. Michelle

    Hi,
    Was wondering if you ever substituted zucchini noodles for the pasta and if so, how much did you use?
    Thanks!
    Michelle

    Reply

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  13. Brian

    Dinner tonight was the Caramelized Onion and Cherry Tomato Focaccia and Easy Roasted Tomatoes and Shrimp with Feta, Oregano and Fennel. I am completely stuffed and very satisfied.
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  27. Laura

    What a lovely and thorough roundup of goodness. Perfect end-of-summer inspiration to wrangle that never ending glut of tomatoes right now. Thanks so much for including a link to one of my recipes too, Heidi :)

    Reply

  28. Laura

    I can’t wait to try marinating my tomatoes. I have several tomato plants (no tomato bugs yet) and they are all producing tomatoes at the same time. I’m up to my ears in tomatoes. Thank goodness for all these recipes.

    Reply

  34. Delishhh

    OMG! That is an awesome list – i LOVE LOVE tomatoes and everything you can do with them, i am drooling all over my screen. Going to save, pin and facebook this stuff!!!

    Reply

  53. kelley

    That’s a whole lotta tomato recipes! With the farmers market and my measly garden bursting with the gem of a fruit, nice to have an arsenal of recipes to turn to!!

    Reply

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