Caprese Pasta
A mini version of the classic caprese dish but served in a fun way - with pasta! Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and a homemade balsamic dressing is tossed with chilled pasta for a quick and easy side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups orecchiette pasta cooked and chilled
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp basil fresh or dry
Balsamic Dressing
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh garlic finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard or honey dijon for a slightly sweeter dressing
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- large pinch of salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook according to box instructions. Drain and let cool. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Tip: Orecchiette pasta can be chewy if not cooked long enough. Let it cook for an extra 2 minutes more than what the box says.
- While pasta cooks, chop the mozzarella, tomatoes, garlic, and basil (if fresh). Store in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Balsamic Dressing
- In a small jar, add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, honey, and salt.
- Seal the jar with a lid and shake it for 30 seconds until well-combined. Store in the fridge.
Assemble
- In a medium dish, add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and balsamic dressing. Toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Turn this side dish into a main dish by adding in some protein! Try it with chicken or shrimp.