This Easy Caprese Pasta Salad is loaded with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, fresh basil, cucumbers, and a delicious homemade herb vinaigrette. The perfect make-ahead summer side dish for BBQs, lunches and meal prep!
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If you are looking for the ultimate summer pasta salad, this Easy Caprese Pasta Salad is one recipe you’ll find yourself making on repeat! This pasta salad is loaded with all those classic caprese flavors like juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella balls, crisp cucumbers, fresh basil, and tender bow tie pasta, all tossed in a homemade herb vinaigrette that’s bright, tangy, and bursting with flavor. Serve this simple recipe up at BBQs, summer potlucks, or meal prep it for lunches for the week, you’ll be making this pasta salad all summer long!
Why You’ll Love This
- Easy to make – made with simple pantry staples and fresh ingredients, this recipe comes together with very little hands-on time, making it ideal for both everyday meals for the whole family and to share with a crowd.
- Customizable – add grilled chicken, shrimp, salami, chickpeas, or your favorite vegetables to turn this side dish into a hearty main course.
- Great for meal prep – this pasta salad stores beautifully in the refrigerator, and the flavors continue to develop as it chills, making leftovers just as delicious the next day.
- Perfect for summer – whether hosting a backyard BBQ, packing a picnic or serving dinner on the patio, this pasta salad is perfect this time of year and a great addition to just about any grilled meal.
Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients
- pasta – bow tie pasta (farfalle pasta) is perfect because the ridges and folds hold onto the dressing beautifully. It also gives the salad great texture and presentation. You can also rotini pasta, fusilli, orecchiette pasta or any other corkscrew type or short pasta shape.
- cucumbers – mini cucumbers add a refreshing crunch without becoming watery. Their thinner skin means there’s no need to peel them. You can also use English cucumbers.
- cherry tomatoes – sweet, juicy ripe tomatoes are one of the stars of this salad. Sweet cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes both work wonderfully.
- mozzarella – creamy mozzarella pearls add the classic Caprese flavor and pair perfectly with the tomatoes and basil. You could also use fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine) and just cut them in half.
- fresh basil – this is absolutely essential in this recipe and brings bright, aromatic flavor that dried basil simply can’t replace.
- homemade herb dressing – made with a combination of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, regular balsamic vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, honey, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper.
How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the bow tie pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse briefly with cold water to stop the cooking while keeping the pasta slightly warm.
- Make the dressing. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, honey, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth and fully emulsified.
- Let the pasta absorb the dressing. Transfer the warm pasta to a large bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the warm pasta and toss until evenly coated. Allow the pasta to sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This lets the pasta soak up all of the incredible flavor instead of having the dressing pool at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the fresh ingredients. Once the pasta cools, gently fold in the cucumbers, tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and fresh chopped basil. Pour the remaining dressing over everything and toss gently until evenly coated.
- Chill and serve. Serve immediately or refrigerate for another 30 minutes before serving for even better flavor. Just before serving, garnish the cold pasta salad with extra basil leaves and freshly cracked black pepper.
Tips for the Best Caprese Pasta Salad
- Salt the pasta water – well-seasoned pasta makes a huge difference in the overall flavor of this salad so generously salt the water before boiling.
- Don’t overcook the pasta – cook the pasta just until al dente, meaning it’s tender but still has a slight bite. Since the pasta continues to soften slightly as it absorbs the dressing, overcooked pasta can become mushy after chilling.
- Let the warm pasta soak up the dressing – after draining, toss the warm pasta with two-thirds of the dressing and let it sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the pasta absorbs all of those delicious garlic and herb flavors instead of leaving the dressing sitting at the bottom of the bowl.
- Pat the mozzarella dry – fresh mozzarella pearls are often packed in water, which can dilute the dressing if added straight from the container. Drain them well and gently pat them dry with paper towels before adding them to the salad.
- Wait to add fresh ingredients – mix the cucumbers, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil into the salad only after the pasta has had time to absorb the dressing and cool down. This helps keep the vegetables crisp, the cheese creamy, and the basil bright and fresh.
- Chill before serving – although you can serve this salad right away as a hot pasta dish, letting it chill for at least 30 minutes allows all of the flavors to meld together. It’s even better after a few hours in the refrigerator.
Variations and Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free – simply swap in your favorite gluten-free bowtie pasta or other type of gluten-free pasta you prefer.
- Add protein – turn this into a complete mea by adding in grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp, chickpeas or white beans.
- Add more veggies – try mixing in some fresh baby spinach, arugula, red onion, roasted red peppers, avocado, fresh corn, artichoke hearts or kalamata olives.
- Switch the cheese – instead of mozzarella pearls, try swapping with burrata (served on top), crumbled feta, fresh bocconcini or parmesan cheese shavings.
- Add more herbs – fresh parsley, oregano or thyme all compliment the fresh basil beautifully.
- Switch up the salad dressing – swap out this herb dressing for this delicious balsamic vinaigrette. Feel free to check out all my salad dressings for more ideas!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This is a great make-ahead recipe. You can prepare the pasta, dressing, and vegetables up to 24 hours in advance. For the freshest flavor and texture, wait to add the fresh basil and mozzarella just before serving. If making it ahead, toss everything together again and drizzle with a little extra dressing if the pasta has absorbed some of it.
Short pasta shapes work best because they hold onto the dressing and mix well with the other ingredients. Rotini, fusilli, cavatappi, bowtie pasta (farfalle), penne, or orecchiette are all excellent choices. Be sure to cook the pasta noodles just until al dente so it stays firm after being tossed with the dressing.
Absolutely! While cherry or grape tomatoes are sweeter and less watery, you can use diced Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes if that’s what you have. If using larger tomatoes, remove some of the seeds before adding them to help prevent the salad from becoming watery.
Pasta naturally absorbs dressing as it sits. If you’re making this salad ahead of time or enjoying leftovers, reserve a little of the dressing and stir it in just before serving. You can also drizzle in a little olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to freshen everything up.
Prepping and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead – this salad is perfect for preparing a day in advance. If making ahead, prepare the dressing up to 5 days ahead stored in a mason jar, cook the pasta one day ahead, chop the vegetables the morning of serving and stir everything together shortly before serving for the freshest texture.
- To Store – store leftovers in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors continue to develop as the salad sits, making it even more delicious the next day.
- Refresh leftovers – as the pasta chills, it naturally absorbs the dressing. If the salad seems dry after refrigeration, simply drizzle with a little olive oil or a splash of apple cider vinegar and toss before serving. You could also add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice as well.
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More Pasta Salads
- Summer Pesto Pasta Salad
- Strawberry Balsamic Pasta Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad
- Marinated Caprese Salad
- Rainbow Orzo Salad
- Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
More Caprese Recipes
- Balsamic Caprese Skewers
- Marinated Summer Caprese Salad
- Caprese Chicken and Quinoa Casserole
- Caprese Skewers with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze
Hope you all enjoy this Easy Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe! If you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave a 
star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny!
Easy Caprese Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 lb bow tie pasta (farfalle)
- 3 mini cucumbers chopped
- 3 cups grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 oz mozzarella pearls drained
- 1 cup basil leaves chopped (plus more for garnish)
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
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Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the bow tie pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking while keeping the pasta slightly warm.
-
Make the dressing. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, honey, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth and fully emulsified.
-
Let the pasta absorb the dressing. Transfer the warm pasta to a large bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the warm pasta and toss until evenly coated. Allow the pasta to sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This lets the pasta soak up all of the incredible flavor instead of having the dressing pool at the bottom of the bowl.
-
Add the fresh ingredients. Once the pasta cools, gently fold in the cucumbers, tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and fresh chopped basil. Pour the remaining dressing over everything and toss gently until evenly coated.
-
Chill and serve. Serve immediately or refrigerate for another 30 minutes before serving for even better flavor. Just before serving, garnish the cold pasta salad with extra basil leaves and freshly cracked black pepper.
