Refreshingly Simple Caprese Pasta Salad
Bursting with flavour, this caprese pasta salad recipe is super easy to make (or make-ahead) for a summer BBQ, picnic, or even a packed lunch! Options for both a balsamic vinaigrette or pesto dressing included.
This post was updated with helpful content + fresh images on 04.22.2020.
Caprese salads always transport me to Italy in the summertime! They’re typically made of juicy fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic. Incredibly simple, but beyond delicious. This caprese pasta salad adds pasta to those traditional ingredients, for a delicious meal or side dish.
This pasta salad is so easy to make and perfect for a summer BBQ or picnic! Refreshing and bursting with flavour, it’s sure to be a hit with any of your guests.
No summer parties planned? This caprese pasta salad can also be included in your weekly meal prep. It stores well and is meant to be eaten cold, meaning it works perfectly as a packed lunch!
Want more summer salad recipe inspiration? Check out my roundup of 20+ easy, healthy summer salad recipes for more ideas!
How To Make Caprese Pasta Salad
To make this caprese pasta salad, you want to start by boiling water and cooking your pasta of choice. I used the “cavatappi” shape in this recipe, but feel free to use any short pasta shape, like fusilli, rigatoni, penne, or macaroni.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients while the pasta cooks. Chop an English cucumber into 1-inch pieces, halve cherry tomatoes, and halve bocconcini balls. Chop fresh basil and set all ingredients aside.
Next, make the pasta salad dressing. This recipe calls for a balsamic vinaigrette, but it would also be delicious with a homemade pesto!
To make the balsamic vinaigrette, simply add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a small jar. Shake everything well to combine.
For a homemade pesto recipe, you can check out my favourite hemp seed pesto here! If you don’t have hemp seeds, you can swap them with any nut or seed (e.g. pistachios, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds).
Drain the pasta once cooked and transfer to a large bowl. Add in chopped cucumber, tomatoes, bocconcini, and fresh basil. Toss in either the balsamic vinaigrette or the pesto dressing, until ingredients are well-coated. Add salt and pepper, as desired.
Cover the pasta salad and store in the fridge for about 60 minutes to allow the flavours to marinate and the salad to chill.
Can Pasta Salad Be Made Ahead?
Yes! In fact, most pasta salads taste even better the next day. It really helps the flavours soak into the ingredients.
Simply store pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep for about 2-3 days.
Gluten-Free Option
For a gluten-free version of this pasta salad, simply be sure to use a certified gluten-free pasta.
One of my favourite gluten-free brands is Tinkyada – I find it tastes and has a texture just like regular pasta!
Recipe Nutrition Notes
Tomato Nutrition:
- a rich source of micronutrients like vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K
- a great source of dietary fibre and antioxidants, like lycopene and beta-carotene.
Cucumber Nutrition:
- a great source of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, potassium, vitamin C, manganese, and magnesium.
- 96% water, making them super hydrating as well!
Basil Nutrition:
- rich in vitamins C, A, K, B6 and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron.
- a source of antioxidants called flavonoids.
Bocconcini Nutrition:
- a decent source of protein
- a source of calcium
- lower in sodium compared to many other cheeses
More Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad With Shrimp
- 20-Minute Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad
- Easy Canned Mackerel Pasta Salad
- Winter Pasta Salad With Roasted Vegetables
- Tuna Pasta Salad With Pesto
Did you give this Simple Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Refreshingly Simple Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups dry pasta (I used “cavatappi” as the shape, but you can use others like fusilli, penne, etc.)
- 1 large English cucumber
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (vine-ripened, if possible)
- 1.5 cups bocconcini balls
- 1 cup fresh basil
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- While pasta cooks, chop cucumber into 1-inch pieces. Halve tomatoes and bocconcini balls. Chop basil. Set aside.
- Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a small jar and shake vigorously to combine. OR, make homemade pesto if desired.
- Once pasta is done, drain and add to large bowl.
- Add chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bocconcini, and basil to the pasta. Toss in balsamic vinaigrette OR pesto until well combined, adjusting salt + pepper to taste.
- Cover bowl and place in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour. Best served chilled!
Notes
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
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5 Comments on “Refreshingly Simple Caprese Pasta Salad”
This was easy to make and perfect for meal prep – the flavors only got better as a few days went by. Will definitely be making again this summer, this is a nice and light alternative to Mayo-laden pasta salads for BBQs and summer holiday get-togethers!
Hi Megan! Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, and that leftovers were even better ;). I hope you enjoy it many times over the summer!!
This tasted good but it didn’t look anything like the photo and it didn’t look very appetizing. The balsamic vinegar turned everything brown, particularly the pasta, mozzarella and cucumber. If it were just for us I wouldn’t mind so much, but it was for a barbecue for a crowd at someone else’s house. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time (or money) to go to the store again and make a new batch. Next time if it’s for guests I would use red wine vinegar instead of balsamic and if it’s just for us I would embrace the brown from the balsamic and use whole wheat pasta instead of regular to make it healthier. I also added thinly shaved red onion (soaked in cold water for 30 mins first) and canned, quartered artichoke hearts.
Hi Amy,
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the taste of this one and I love the additions you made! That’s too bad you didn’t find it visually appealing though – so sorry. I’ve personally made this for many BBQs in the past and never had an issue! The pictures are tossed in the dressing too. Perhaps you could toss it in the dressing right before serving, or leave the dressing on the side for guests to add? Or as you mentioned, maybe red wine vinegar would be less pigmented!
I wanted to add – this could also work with a pesto dressing as well!