Caprese Pasta Salad
Updated Apr 11, 2026
Easy caprese pasta salad with mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil, and a simple balsamic dressing. Great for make-ahead lunches or bringing to a get-together.
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Caprese Pasta Salad is soo good!
I know pasta salad doesn’t sound that exciting, but this caprese pasta salad actually gets requested. I’ve brought it to enough get-togethers at this point that people just expect it now. The caprese combination does most of the work: fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic dressing that takes about two minutes to whisk together.
It’s cold, it holds up well sitting out, and it doesn’t need reheating. I’ve made this caprese pasta salad for summers, potlucks, and just regular weekday lunches when I don’t want to think too hard. For a crowd, that’s hard to beat. Seriously, soo good.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Pasta: My favorite pasta to use in this recipe is orecchiette because the shape holds the dressing so well, but any small pasta will work (think: fusilli, farfalle, elbows, or your go-to gluten-free option).
- Mozzarella pearls: These little balls of fresh mozzarella cheese can be found in the deli section of most grocery stores! But if you’re having trouble finding them, you can break up some fresh mozzarella, too.
- Grape tomatoes: I like to use small grape or cherry tomatoes for this pasta salad because they hold their shape well, but for flavor purposes, you can use any fresh tomatoes you have on hand.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil is so much better than the dried stuff here, if you can find it! Slice it thin right before adding so it stays bright. If you add it too early, it can wilt and darken. For help, see my tips on how to cut basil.
- Balsamic dressing: Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk until it comes together. That is the whole dressing for this caprese pasta salad. Use a good extra-virgin olive oil here, since it does most of the work flavor-wise. You can also drizzle balsamic glaze on top for a real visual wow!
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pound orecchiette pasta or other short cut
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more for cooking pasta
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside to cool.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl. Add the mozzarella, tomatoes and basil on top.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper until emulsified. Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and toss gently to combine.
- Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Cook your pasta al dente. I always prefer al dente pasta, but for this salad in particular, you won’t want your noodles to get mushy, so cooking al dente is extra important!
- Don’t rinse your pasta. The starch on cooked pasta helps emulsify and bind the dressing. Rinsing also washes away some of the salt from the pasta water, which is what makes this pasta salad taste so good.
- Cool the pasta faster. Don’t be tempted to rinse the pasta to cool it off. Instead of rinsing, spread the pasta on a baking sheet or toss it gently with a bit of olive oil to cool it without becoming sticky or overcooked.
Serving Ideas
- Add protein. To make this caprese pasta salad into a full meal, I like to add a simple protein! My favorites are roasted balsamic chicken, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, and pan seared salmon.
- Serve with a veggie side. For something more vegetable-forward alongside this pasta salad, I love making grilled eggplant, roasted zucchini, or roasted broccolini.
FAQS
The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits, so the flavors can dull. Before serving, drizzle a little extra olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top and toss again. A pinch of flaky salt helps too.
This usually happens when the pasta was still warm when you added it. The heat partially melts the mozzarella and changes the texture. Make sure the pasta is completely cool before combining everything.
Comments
Wow! Caprese is always a favorite during the summer but you took this on another level by making into a salad with pasta. This is going to be my new dish to take for summer parties.
Best pasta salad I have ever made and a crowd pleaser, everyone can not get enough of this
Thank you so much!
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Yes, hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats!
Thanks for this recipe. I just made it for a small family barbecue. They jokingly said ahead of time they were expecting a spectacular salad. They got it! I made it with some gluten free pasta and the rest with durum wheat pasta–a little more work but worth it for folks who need to eat gf and are often left out of the good stuff.
Aww that’s the best feeling! So glad you all enjoyed it!
I made this pesto caprese pasta! and it was FANTASTIC! love the recipe and will be using it again for sure!
Thanks so much Sadie for the review and I’m so glad you liked it!!