Caprese Pasta

This classic caprese pasta salad is made with fresh cut tomatoes, lots of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves and a generous amount of the tangiest balsamic dressing. Add this over orecchiette pasta to create a fun bite sized side dish to make it a caprese pasta salad!

There is something to be said about a dish that is simple but bursting with flavor. Not everything needs to be intricate and complicated. Most people know that, but I for one seem to need the reminder, ha!

This post is all about the Italian classic caprese salad that marries tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil and balsamic with pasta to create a delightfully tangy summer dish.

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What You Need To Make This Caprese Pasta Salad

1. Fresh grape tomatoes
2. Block of fresh mozzarella cheese
3. Orecchiette pasta
4. Dried or fresh basil
5. Dressing: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey dijon mustard (or just dijon), honey, fresh garlic, and salt & pepper

Best Tips For Making This Caprese Pasta

• It’s easy to customize. I love a versatile dish and this is certainly one! It can be served as a side dish or main dish. For a side dish, you can follow this recipe as is. For a main dish, try adding a protein such as cooked chicken or shrimp to add some more sustenance. The addition of veggies, cheese, and meats like prosciutto might be worth a try too!
• Orecchiette pasta is on the chewy side. If not cooked (extra) long, this type of pasta can be chewy. No one wants that. This is why I recommend cooking your pasta for a few minutes longer than what the box calls for. Before removing your pot of pasta from the heat, try one of the noodles to see if it’s at your preferred level of doneness.
• Stir right before serving. If you’re like me and prepare your dishes early on so that you’re not scrambling last minute to get things on the table, this tip is especially important. The balsamic dressing will settle at the bottom of the bowl if you make this ahead of time. Before serving, give it a thorough toss to re-incorporate the dressing. We don’t want anyone to miss out on what I think is the best part…the dressing!

You Have Questions & I Have Answers

Can I use another type of pasta? Absolutely! This pasta is thicker than some and balances out the more delicate ingredients in this dish. It is a very elegant pasta (visually speaking) which is great to use if you want to impress guests or make this dish stand out. But is it necessary? Nope! Some stores may not even carry this type of pasta. If that’s the case, shell pasta would be a great alternative!

Does the balsamic dressing have to be homemade? Nope! If you have a favorite store-bought balsamic dressing, you can use that! I gotta say that this dressing is suuuuper easy to make, so I highly recommend giving it a try even if you already have a balsamic dressing in your pantry.

Is it served hot or cold? I like mine served cold but it can certainly be served hot too. If I were making this for my main dish, more likely than not I would serve this hot with the addition of fresh baked chicken or shrimp. If serving hot, be aware that the mozzarella cheese will get stringy and melty. Not that that’s a bad thing.

How far in advance can it be made? You can make it the day before, no problem. If serving hot, I would make it and serve it right away. I made the pasta in the morning when I had time and left it in the fridge to cool until dinner that night when we were ready to eat.

Making the Balsamic Dressing

Fun fact about me: I’m a condiments kinda gal. To me, a dish is as good as its dressing! That’s why I like making my own balsamic dressing for this caprese pasta. The other good news is that it’s super easy to make!

• First you’ll want to grab a sealable jar – you’ll be shaking it here soon so this is important!
• You’ll toss all the ingredients in the jar at once. Easy-peasy!
• Seal up the jar tight!
• Shake it, baby, shake!
• Pour over the rest of the ingredients and give it a good toss

Ingredient Recommendations

Below are a few of my favorite brands I use to make this caprese pasta. I highly recommend using these specific flavors as they pair really well together.

Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar:

• Alessi has so many varieties of balsamic vinegar but my favorite is their raspberry blush. I think it has the slightest bit of sweetness compared to most white balsamic which tend to be on the tangier side. A classic dark balsamic can be used as well. The main difference is that dark balsamic is sweeter and a little thicker than white balsamic
• You can get this at Jewel for a really great price. If you’re not in Illinois, you can get this at Meijer or Walmart.

Orecchietta Pasta:

• This is the exact pasta the recipe calls for, orecchietta. The name comes from its shape which resembles a small ear
• You can find this pasta at Meijer, Target, and even Amazon

French’s Honey Dijon Mustard:

• Honey Dijon mustard is what I recommend for the dressing. It has more a subtle and sweet dijon taste which I prefer to regular dijon. Using French’s honey dijon will help balance the tanginess of the white balsamic vinegar
• You can find this at Target, Walmart, and many other grocery stores

For anyone else out there who eats with their eyes first, you know how easy it is for a picture to ignite your cravings. It’s always best when food tastes as good as it looks. I know I’m not the only one out there who thinks this! I also know for a fact that this dish does taste as good as it looks.

If you make this caprese pasta dish, I would love to hear your thoughts and any must-try additions in the comments below!