Caprese Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinagrete
Summer in a bowl. This Caprese Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette is the perfect dinner or even quick lunch.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne or desired pasta shape
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 8-9 ounces fresh mozzarella chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to instructions on package. Drain.
- While pasta is cooking, cut up tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Set aside.
- Combine olive oil and vinegar and whisk until emulsified. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Toss gently.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.
Notes
Substitutions:
- If you don't have fresh tomatoes on hand, you can easily substitute with tomato sauce or even chopped sundried tomatoes! If you choose either of these options, there will definitely be flavor differentiations but it will still be delicious!
- You can also use fresh mozzarella pearls.
- To make this vegan, substitute the mozzarella with your favorite vegan mozzarella.
- You can use your favorite pasta! From penne, to farfalle, to even macaroni. You can also use vegan or gluten free pasta.
- This salad stores really well in an airtight container in the fridge overnight.
- When mixing the balsamic and olive oil, place the whisk in-between both palms and twist rather than stirring. This is the best way to combine them.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 838kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 49gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 29gPolyunsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 1303mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4g
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.