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Caprese Pasta Salad
You'll love this easy Caprese Pasta Salad because it's so flavorful with those classic Caprese ingredients. The juicy tomatoes pair perfectly with the creamy mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. Pasta bulks up this salad to be a great lunch option or side for nearly any protein. You'll love this Italian pasta salad for your next cookout or potluck since it's a crowd-pleasing dish!Each serving is about 1 to 1 1/2 cups.
👥 8 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 20 min⏳ Prep: 9 min🔥 Cook: 11 min👤 Natasha Kravchuk📖 natashaskitchen
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●whisk
- ●measuring cup
- ●pot
- ●bowl
- ●mixing bowl
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Make the dressing - in a measuring cup or mason jar, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano and whisk until emulsified, or cover and shake thoroughly if using a mason jar. Set aside for the flavors to meld.
fresh lemon juice3 Tbsp
2
Cook pasta - Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then moderately salt the water (for cold pasta salads, salt slightly less than sea water since cold pasta dishes amplify salt more than warm ones). Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just al dente (firm to the bite) so it doesn’t get mushy. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain well and toss lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
3
Prep veggies - while the pasta cooks, you can prep your veggies. In a large mixing bowl, add halved tomatoes and mozzarella balls. Add the cooled pasta.
small mozzarella balls (mozzarella pearls or bocconcini - cut larger balls in half)8 oz
4
Add dressing - pour dressing over your salad ingredients and toss to coat. If making ahead, keep the salad and dressing separate until ready to serve (see tips below).
5
Rest and serve - You can serve right away, but for the best flavor, let the salad rest for ⏱️ 20-30 minutes before serving for the flavors to meld. Stir in the basil just before serving, then drizzle lightly with balsamic glaze to serve.
Balsamic glaze (to garnish and drizzle just before serving)
Nutrition Facts
calories
301 kcal
fat Content
20 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
1 g
sugar Content
2 g
sodium Content
333 mg
protein Content
8 g
cholesterol Content
10 mg
carbohydrate Content
24 g
saturated Fat Content
4 g
unsaturated Fat Content
11 g
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