Caprese Pasta Salad with Basil Pesto

Caprese Pasta Salad is like no other pasta salad

Caprese Pasta Salad with Basil Pesto is decidedly different from other pasta salads.  You know:  One of these things is not quite like the other.

That’s because most forms of pasta salads are mixed with some version of creamy-mayo dressing. Or, they usually contain a bottle of store-bought dressing loaded with perplexing ingredients.

But this Caprese Pasta Salad is a naturally refreshing, healthy, and flavorful shift from the norm. No mayo dressing here.

Packed with fresh herbs, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and extra virgin olive oil, we devour this pasta salad up with no guilt whatsoever.  The flavors are bright and delicious…perfect for entire summer.

Caprese Pasta Salad can be made in advance

I served this Caprese Pasta Salad at a recent baby shower, along with several varieties of finger sandwiches, including this Chopped Egg and Bacon Sandwich.  (By the way, those sandwiches were the first thing to go. Guess nobody can say no to eggs ‘n bacon, not even a crowd of gals.)

This Caprese Pasta Salad went over extremely well, with many compliments on its refreshing flavors.  The marvelous thing about this Caprese Pasta Salad is how easy it is to make, and how incredibly well it keeps — leftovers keep well in an airtight container, chilled in the fridge for 2-3 days.

If you prep the basil pesto 24 hours ahead of time, the bright green may dull somewhat, but the flavors remain just as bright as he day you made it. Pasta and sauce can be prepared and kept in separate containers until ready to toss and serve. Reserve fresh tomatoes and mozzarella for stirring in right before serving.

Serve caprese pasta salad with these

• Grilled Chicken with Garlic Lime Marinade
• Grilled Salmon with Honey Lime Glaze
• Honey Mustard Grilled Pork Chops
• Parmesan Garlic Pull-Apart Bread Rolls
• Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Lemon

Common questions and answers

Try this refreshing chimichurri sauce, too:

Caprese Pasta Salad

5 from 3 ratings

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This Caprese Pasta Salad is simple, full of good nutritious ingredients, and tastes even better than it looks! The flavors meld together into a refreshing and pure pasta salad. It keeps very well chilled in fridge.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 8 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients  

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For the Basil Pesto: 

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cups flat parsley leaves
• ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for sprinkling
• ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

For the Pasta Salad:

• 1 lb dry fusilli or rotini pasta
• 8 oz fresh mini mozzarella balls or "pearl" mozzarella balls, halved
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, seeded and halved
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped green olives with pimientos

Instructions

• Basil Pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. Add more kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Set aside or wrap tightly and chill until ready to use.
• Boil Pasta: In a large heavy pot, bring well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta just until al dente, according to instructions, taking care not to cook past that. Drain fully but do not rinse. Transfer to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with a bit of olive oil, tossing so pasta is thinly coated. Let pasta cool to room temperature.
• Toss: When ready to serve, toss in the mozzarella halves, tomato halves, and optional olives, if using them. Continue to lightly toss until well combined. Leftovers may be covered and chilled up to 3 days.

Notes

If making this dish in advance, we suggest keeping pasta and sauce in separate containers until ready to toss and serve. Note that the basil pesto may dull somewhat in color after 24 hours, but flavor remains the same.

For gluten-free version, use your favorite gluten-free rotini style pasta.

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Nutrition

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.6g | Protein: 10.6g | Fat: 18.6g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Cholesterol: 1.3mg | Sodium: 69.3mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 4.7g

Course: Salad, Side

Cuisine: Italian American

Diet: Vegetarian

Method: Stovetop