Pin it One sweltering afternoon, my neighbor dropped off a basket of cherry tomatoes she couldn't use fast enough, and I suddenly needed to make something that didn't heat up the kitchen. That's when Caprese pasta salad became my summer anchor—a dish that tastes like basil-scented air and feels almost too easy to be this good. It's the kind of meal that comes together while you're still thinking about what to make, yet somehow tastes like you've been planning it all week. The beauty is in its simplicity: just a few honest ingredients, each one doing exactly what it should.
I made this for a potluck where everyone brought heavy casseroles and thick dips, and my simple bowl of Caprese pasta somehow became the thing people kept going back to. Someone's grandmother even asked for the recipe, which caught me off guard because I'd thrown it together at the last minute. That moment taught me that the most memorable food isn't always the most complicated—sometimes it's just the thing that lets good ingredients shine without getting in the way.
Ingredients
- Short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle): 300 g of any shape you like really works, though curved or twisted shapes hold the dressing better than straight ones.
- Salt for boiling water: 1 tsp to season the pasta itself, which does half the flavor work before anything else touches it.
- Cherry tomatoes: 250 g halved, and they should be at their ripest—those deep, almost blushing ones, not the pale firm ones hiding in the back of the crate.
- Fresh basil leaves: 30 g torn by hand, never chopped, because bruising releases oils you want to keep.
- Garlic: 1 small clove minced, just a whisper really, since it's raw and can overpower everything if you're not careful.
- Fresh mozzarella balls: 200 g drained and halved, the softer the better—those creamy ones that smell faintly of milk and salt.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp of something you actually like the taste of, because there's nowhere to hide here.
- Balsamic vinegar: 1½ tbsp that's thick and dark, giving you that sweet-sour punch.
- Honey or maple syrup: 1 tsp to soften the vinegar's edge and marry all the flavors.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper to balance everything.
Instructions
- Boil the pasta until it's just barely tender:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then add your pasta and cook according to the package, but taste it one minute before the timer says—you want it soft enough to eat easily but still with a slight firmness when you bite. Drain it and rinse under cold water while stirring with your hand so each piece cools evenly and doesn't stick.
- Build the base with tomatoes, garlic, and basil:
- In a large salad bowl, combine the halved cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, and torn basil leaves, letting them sit together for a minute so the basil starts to release its fragrance. The tomatoes will start giving off their juice, which is exactly what you want.
- Add the mozzarella when the bowl feels alive:
- Gently fold in the halved mozzarella balls, handling them carefully so they stay intact and creamy rather than getting bruised or torn.
- Emulsify the dressing with care:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until the mixture looks glossy and unified. You're looking for a dressing that clings to the pasta, not one that pools at the bottom of the bowl.
- Combine everything and taste:
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and pour the dressing over everything, then toss gently but thoroughly, turning it over and over until every piece of pasta touches every tomato and basil leaf. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar if it needs it—the dressing should make you want another bite.
- Rest or serve right away:
- You can eat this immediately while the pasta is still cool and the basil is fresh, or let it chill for 30 minutes so the flavors get to know each other better.
Pin it My seven-year-old, who survives on pasta and nothing else, actually asked for seconds of this, and then asked what it was called. When I said Caprese, she nodded seriously and announced she was going to tell everyone at school. Small moments like that remind me that good food doesn't need to be complicated to change someone's day a little bit.
Timing and Seasons
This salad is designed for warm months when you don't want to stand over a stove, but it's also flexible enough to work year-round if your tomatoes are decent. I've made it in winter with hothouse tomatoes that were nowhere near as good as summer ones, and the dish just becomes quieter—less bright, more muted. The lesson is that some recipes are summer recipes, and that's okay; instead of fighting it, I just wait for the right season and anticipate it more.
Swaps and Variations
You can swap almost everything without breaking the concept, but each choice changes the story slightly. I've tried it with vegan cheese for a friend, and while it worked, it lost some of that creamy richness that makes the dish sing. With grilled chicken layered in, it becomes more of a dinner, less of a light side; with prosciutto, suddenly it's elegant enough for a dinner party. Whole wheat pasta will taste earthier and heartier, which is lovely if you want something more substantial.
Make It Your Own
The real magic here is that once you understand the balance, you can trust your own taste buds and adjust everything to match what you have and what you love. Some people add a splash of fresh lemon juice, others swear by a pinch of red pepper flakes, and I once added a handful of sunflower seeds on a whim and never went back. This is a framework, not a rigid rule, so feel free to make it yours.
- If your tomatoes taste bland, taste them before adding and let the basil and garlic carry more of the flavor load.
- Double-check that the dressing actually coats everything—a poorly emulsified dressing will separate and leave you with oil pooling at the bottom.
- Make this no more than a few hours ahead or the pasta will absorb all the dressing and everything becomes a little sad and dry.
Pin it This salad has become one of those recipes I make without thinking, which means I've made it dozens of ways and it's still good. That's the highest compliment I can give any dish.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → What type of pasta works best for this dish?
Short pasta shapes such as penne, fusilli, or farfalle hold the dressing well and complement the fresh ingredients.
- → Can this dish be prepared in advance?
Yes, chilling for about 30 minutes allows flavors to meld, enhancing the overall taste.
- → What alternatives are there for dairy-free options?
Swap fresh mozzarella for vegan cheese to suit dairy-free preferences without compromising texture.
- → How can I add protein to this pasta?
Grilled chicken or prosciutto can be added for a non-vegetarian version that complements the fresh flavors.
- → Is there a way to intensify the dressing flavor?
Drizzling extra balsamic glaze on top before serving adds a richer, tangy finish.