This Caprese Pasta Salad disappears first at every cookout. Sweet tomatoes, mozzarella and torn basil tangled with tender spiral pasta in a perfect sweet-tart balsamic dressing. My summer obsession!
For this Caprese Pasta Salad, the secret is cooling the pasta on a sheet pan instead of rinsing it. Rinsing washes away the surface starch that helps dressing cling. Spreading it out keeps each piece separate and dry, so the dressing grips instead of sliding off.
I serve this all season long, right next to my other summer salads and slaws.
Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients
Here is what goes into this easy caprese pasta salad.
- Fusilli or rotini pasta: short spirals trap the dressing in every twist.
- Cherry tomatoes: halved, plus a few on the vine for garnish.
- Fresh mozzarella pearls: or halved cocktail bocconcini.
- Fresh basil: torn, and stirred in mostly at the end.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard: it emulsifies the dressing so it clings.
- Honey
- Garlic: grated small so it melts into the dressing.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
This salad is easy to tweak for what you have on hand.
- Swap the pasta: penne, shells, or cavatappi all work fine here.
- Add protein: grilled chicken, salami, or chickpeas make it a main.
- Go pesto: stir a spoonful of pesto into the dressing.
- Use bocconcini: halve larger fresh mozzarella balls if pearls are scarce.
- Make it Greek: try my healthy Greek pasta salad for a feta version.
- More tang: finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Grab These Tools
You only need a few basics for this one.
- Large pot: for boiling the pasta.
- Baking sheet: for spreading and cooling the pasta.
- Colander: to drain the pasta quickly.
- Large bowl: for tossing everything together.
- Microplane or grater: for the garlic.
If you love this combo as much as I do, you’ll also love my Panzanella salad (with grilled focaccia instead of pasta)
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad: An Easy Guide
This comes together in three easy steps. Here is how I make it.
Cook and Cool the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt it until it tastes like seawater. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain the pasta and spread it on a baking sheet. Do not rinse it. Let it cool 10 to 15 minutes, tossing once or twice to release steam.
Make the Dressing
Whisk the olive oil, balsamic, Dijon, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until it looks slightly thickened and emulsified, not separated.
Combine and Rest
Add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to a large bowl. Pour most of the dressing over and toss until everything is coated.
Let it sit 15 to 20 minutes so the pasta drinks in the dressing. Toss in the rest of the dressing before serving. Taste, adjust salt, and top with extra tomatoes and basil.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Caprese Pasta Salad
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making caprese pasta salad:
- Overcooking the pasta: mushy pasta falls apart once dressed. Cook it just to al dente.
- Rinsing the pasta: rinsing strips the starch that helps dressing cling. Spread it to cool instead.
- Dressing hot pasta: warm pasta makes the mozzarella weep. Cool it to room temperature first.
- Adding basil too early: basil turns dark and limp. Stir most of it in near the end.
- Skipping the rest: the pasta needs time to absorb the dressing. Give it 15 to 20 minutes.
Make Ahead and Storage
This salad is a great make-ahead dish for busy weeks.
Storing Leftovers
- Fridge: store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Refresh it: drizzle with olive oil or balsamic before serving.
- Reserve dressing: keep a little aside to re-moisten leftovers.
Making It Ahead
- Whole tomatoes: leave them whole so they do not get mushy.
- Extra tomatoes: add another cup so they spread evenly through the salad.
- Basil last: stir it in just before serving.
Serving After Chilling
- Cool room temp: let it sit out 15 minutes for the best flavor.
- Toss again: give it a quick toss to redistribute the dressing.
- Taste: cold salads need more salt, so check before serving.
How to Serve This Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
This is my go-to side for any cookout. It fits right into a spread of summer salads and grilled mains.
Caprese Pasta Salad Add-Ins
- Grilled chicken: turn it into a light main dish.
- Prosciutto or salami: tuck in for a salty bite.
- Avocado: add just before serving so it stays green.
- Pine nuts: scatter on top for a little crunch.
Dishes to Serve with Caprese Pasta Salad
- Grilled mains: pair it with these grilling recipes.
- Street corn salad: my Mexican street corn salad adds a smoky kick.
- Potato salad: a creamy potato salad with egg rounds out the plate.
- A full cookout: build a spread from my cookout ideas.
How to Make the Best Caprese Pasta Salad: Final Notes + Secrets
A few small habits make this salad taste its best.
- Cool, do not rinse: spreading the pasta keeps the starch that grabs dressing.
- Salt the water well: seasoned pasta needs less dressing to taste good (details in my best Macaroni Salad recipe.
- Dressing in a jar: shake it up, or use my homemade Italian dressing in a pinch.
- Salt at the end: taste once it has rested and adjust.
FAQs About Caprese Pasta Salad
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
Yes, you can make caprese pasta salad ahead of time. Prep it up to a day in advance. Leave the cherry tomatoes whole so they stay firm, and add an extra cup. Stir in the fresh basil and a little reserved dressing right before serving.
Caprese pasta salad keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container so it stays fresh. The pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, so drizzle a little olive oil or balsamic to refresh it before serving.
Add most of the basil near the end of mixing, then a little more right before serving. Basil bruises and turns dark when it sits in dressing too long. Adding it late keeps the leaves bright green, fresh, and fragrant in the salad.
Short, twisty shapes work best for caprese pasta salad. I use fusilli or rotini because the spirals trap dressing in every curve. Penne, shells, and cavatappi are also great choices. Any sturdy short pasta holds up well once it is tossed and chilled.
No, you should not rinse the pasta for this salad. Rinsing washes away the surface starch that helps the dressing cling. Instead, drain the pasta and spread it on a baking sheet to cool. This keeps each piece separate and dry without losing grip.
Caprese pasta salad dries out because the pasta keeps drinking the dressing as it rests. To fix it, reserve some dressing and toss it in before serving. A drizzle of olive oil or balsamic also brings leftovers right back to life.
Use fresh mozzarella for caprese pasta salad, not the low-moisture block kind. I like mozzarella pearls because they fold in easily and stay soft. If you only have larger fresh mozzarella balls or bocconcini, just halve or quarter them into bite-sized pieces.
Yes, you can turn caprese pasta salad into a full meal with protein. Grilled or rotisserie chicken is my favorite easy add-in. Salami, prosciutto, or canned chickpeas also work well. Stir the protein in at the end so it does not weigh down the pasta.
Other Pasta Salads You’ll Love
- Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
- Healthy Greek Pasta Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing
- My Best 4 Creamy Pasta Salad Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- World’s Best Macaroni Salad
- Watermelon Caprese Salad
Best Easy Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz fusilli or rotini pasta
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 small garlic clove grated
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Salad
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved, plus more for garnish
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or halved cocktail bocconcini
- ½ cup fresh basil torn, plus more for garnish
Instructions
Cook and cool the pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it well, until it tastes like seawater (I use 3 quarts water plus 2 tbsp kosher salt). Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once early.
- Drain the pasta and spread it on a baking sheet to cool. Do not rinse it. Let it cool 10 to 15 minutes, tossing once or twice, until room temperature and dry to the touch.
Make the dressing
- Whisk the olive oil, balsamic, Dijon, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until slightly thickened and emulsified (no longer separated).
Combine and rest
- Add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to a large bowl. Pour most of the dressing over and toss until everything is coated.
- Let sit 15 to 20 minutes so the pasta absorbs the dressing. Toss in the rest of the dressing just before serving. Taste, adjust salt, and top with extra tomatoes and basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
