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    Home » Real Food » Pasta » Caprese Pasta Salad

    Caprese Pasta Salad

    By Kristen Chidsey | 14 Comments | Published May 19, 2020 | Updated May 19, 2020 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Caprese Pasta Salad captures all the flavors you love in a Caprese Salad in pasta salad form! This pasta salad shines with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella, and a Homemade Balsamic vinaigrette. This dish is bursting with flavor and freshness and is hearty enough to be served as a main course, but also makes a wonderful addition to a barbecue or potluck. 

    Caprese Pasta Salad captures all the flavors you love in a Caprese Salad in pasta salad form! This dish is bursting with flavor and freshness and is hearty enough to be served as a main course, but also makes a wonderful addition to a barbecue or potluck. 

    This pasta salad shines with fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and a Homemade Balsamic vinaigrette. And while that alone is enough to be delicious, with the addition of chicken sausage, this side dish can become a fabulous main dish.  

    Bowl of bowl tie pasta salad made with tomatoes, mozzarella, balsamic dressing and basil.

    There are few combinations that are better than juicy summer tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese.

    I look forward to farm-fresh tomatoes all year long so that I can make simple dishes like Caprese Salad. It is such a simple classic combination that truly is magical--a lot like the pairing of peanut butter and chocolate.

    And those classic flavors inspired this Caprese Pasta Salad. 

    This pasta salad shines with fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and a Homemade Balsamic vinaigrette. And while that alone is enough to be delicious, with the addition of chicken sausage, this side dish can become a fabulous main dish.  

    Key Ingredients

    Ingredients for Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad on wooden cutting board (tomatoes, basil, sausage, and bow tie noodles)
    • Tomatoes: Cherry or Grape tomatoes are best, as they are delicious year-round, and the perfect size for pasta salad. If using Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes, be sure to seed vine-ripened tomatoes before adding to the salad, to keep the salad from becoming soggy or watered down. 
    • Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella is best, but you could also use shredded mozzarella if that is all you have on hand. I prefer the tiny balls of fresh mozzarella for presentation, but you can dice up a large ball of fresh mozzarella as well. 
    • Basil: While basil is traditional in Caprese recipes, if your family is not a fan of basil, you can omit and still have a delicious dish. 
    • Pasta: When making a pasta salad, you want to think about choosing a type of noodle that is easy to grab with a fork, and has a large enough surface area to grab and hold onto the dressing--like bow tie, rotini, cavatelli, or corkscrew pasta. You can use whole grain, whole wheat, veggie, or white durum varieties for pasta salads. I always opt for a whole grain pasta noodle when I can, for added nutrients and additional fiber and protein, making the glycemic load of pasta much less than white pasta.
    • Balsamic Dressing: A lot of people are a bit afraid to make homemade salad dressing, but there really is not a more simple thing to make than homemade vinaigrette. For this balsamic dressing, whisk together olive oil, quality balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and dried oregano--that is all there is to it. Of course, you can use your favorite store-bought dressing, but homemade is always best. 
    • Chicken Sausage (optional): I love adding al fresco's Sun-Dried Tomato chicken sausage to this pasta salad. The sausage is full of basil, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, which lend themselves beautifully to the flavors in this pasta salad. It also makes this dish hearty enough for a complete meal.

    How To Make Caprese Pasta Salad

    For this Caprese Pasta Salad, it takes me about 20 minutes from start to finish to prep. While the noodles cook, I grill or pan fry the chicken sausage, make the dressing, and chop the basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Then it is as easy as mixing everything together.

    But let me give you a few KEY pointers to help you make the BEST Caprese Salad. 

    • Cook the noodles according to package directions in super salty water. The salt will help to flavor the pasta--it is your only chance!
    • Do NOT rinse the cooked pasta. This removes all the starch that helps the dressing stick to the pasta, not to mention the flavor of the pasta.
    • Add dressing in stages to the salad. After the pasta is cooked and drained, toss the noodles with ¼ cup of the dressing. This will help the noodles to not stick together as they cool. Once fully cooled, add the remaining dressing. If after refrigerating the pasta salad seems dry, add up to 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss before serving. 
    • Cut everything into bite-size pieces. It is best that the tomatoes, cheese, and sausage are no larger than the noodles. Think of being able to grab each ingredient easily with a fork and fit into your mouth with ease. I recommend cutting cherry or grape tomatoes in half, cutting fresh mozzarella balls into small chunks, and if using, cut the sausage in ½ inch slices.
    • Chiffonade the basil. Basil is delicate and if you chop the basil it can bruise and turn brown quickly. Instead, chiffonade your basil by stacking up the leaves and rolling into a log shape and then slice lengthwise, forming ribbons when unrolled. 
    Pasta Salad made with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, chicken sausage, an a homemade balsamic dressing.

    That's it--easy peasy! But super delicious! You can enjoy this Caprese Pasta Salad warm or chilled, as a side, or as a main course. 

    More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes

    • Asian Noodle Salad
    • Antipasto Pasta Salad
    • BLT Pasta Salad

    Whether looking for a hearty summer entree, a stunning pot-luck dish to share, or a side dish for your next barbecue, I hope you give this Caprese Pasta Salad a try! Let me know in the comments how much you enjoyed it!

    Pasta Salad made with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, chicken sausage, an a homemade balsamic dressing.

    Caprese Pasta Salad

    Pasta is tossed with a homemade balsamic dressing, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Sausage for a delicious and healthy pasta salad recipe that is fit for a main course or a hearty side. 
    4.86 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 291kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    For the Caprese Pasta Salad

    • 16 ounces pasta bow-tie, rotini, corkscrew, etc
    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes or 2 cups diced, seeded tomatoes
    • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls
    • 8 basil leaves chiffonade
    • 12 ounces al fresco all natural Sun Dried Tomato Chicken sausage optional

    For the Balsamic Dressing

    • ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    Balsamic Vinaigrette

    • Whisk together all the ingredients for the balsamic dressing until well combined.

    For the Pasta Salad

    • Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. 
    • While the pasta is cooking, grill the chicken sausage links over medium-high heat for 6 minutes. Or pan-fry the sausage, by adding1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium skillet. Place sausages in skillet and heat on medium high about 7-9 minutes, turning frequently.
    • While pasta and sausage are cooking, slice the tomatoes and basil and mozzarella if not in small balls. Once the sausage is done cooking, slice the sausage into ½ inch chunks. 
    • Once the pasta is cooked, drain but do not rinse. Toss the drained noodles with ¼ cup of the balsamic dressing and let cool for 10 minutes.
    • After the pasta has cooled, add the remaining dressing, tomatoes, mozzarella, sausage, and basil. Toss well and serve warm or refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before serving.  

    Notes

    • If you feel your pasta salad is dry, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil before serving.
    • Fresh mozzarella is best, but you could also use shredded mozzarella if that is all you have on hand. 
    • If using Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes, be sure to seed vine-ripened tomatoes before adding to the salad. 
    • Feel free to omit the chicken sausage if you need a vegetarian pasta salad. If you are not vegetarian, I highly suggest adding the alfresco All Natural Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Sausage, it adds IMMENSE flavor and compliments the Caprese pasta perfectly. 
    • While basil is traditional in Caprese recipes, if your family is not a fan of basil, you can omit and still have a delicious dish. 
    • To chiffonade basil: stack up the leaves of basil and then roll them up and slice into ribbons.
    • Caprese Pasta Salad can be stored safely for 3 days in your refrigerator. It can not be frozen.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 609mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 9.4mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1.1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

    This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated in 2020 with new tips. 

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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. DB

      May 26, 2021 at 10:27 am

      What is a serving size for this based on the nutritional facts you provided? 1/2 cup? 1 cup? etc.? Just want to make sure I am portioning the servings out correctly to make sure that I am accounting for the appropriate calorie count for those in my household who are counting calories, carbs, and sodium intake. Thank you in advance. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 26, 2021 at 11:38 am

        The serving is approximately 2/3 cup. I hope that helps.

        Reply
    2. Sally Shelton

      June 05, 2020 at 9:14 pm

      4 stars
      I ended up halving the recipe for me and my husband, but I ended up using all the dressing, and I’m glad I did. I don’t think it would have been enough with half. But other than that, it was an absolutely delicious recipe! My husband grilled the chicken sausage, and I think it added just a little extra oomf.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 06, 2020 at 7:17 am

        I am so glad you enjoyed Sally. This recipe does call for you to use all the dressing, so I am sorry that was not clear to you. It states to add 1/4 cup after noodles cook and then toss with remaining dressing after noodles have cooled. Let me know if there is a way I can rephrase that so it is more clear 🙂

        Reply
    3. Lisalia

      May 26, 2020 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      The perfect summer time meal. Can't wait to have it again!

      Reply
    4. Beth

      May 26, 2020 at 5:09 pm

      5 stars
      I love everything about this salad: flavor, color and freshness! I especially like the meat option for my family members that must have meat at every meal!

      Reply
    5. Holly

      July 16, 2018 at 11:25 am

      5 stars
      What a yummy summer meal! al fresco chicken sausage is hands down my favorite of all time!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        July 16, 2018 at 12:45 pm

        Holly, I couldn't agree more! Al fresco is delicious!

        Reply
    6. Megan @ MegUnprocessed

      July 10, 2018 at 4:57 pm

      I love a pasta salad! They're so simple to make and so delicious!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        July 10, 2018 at 9:27 pm

        They are so simple and this one is especially tasty. I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    7. chellie

      July 10, 2018 at 7:05 am

      This is Summer dinner HEAVEN! I'm all about the fresh garden grown tomatoes. And I MUST try those sausages! They look so good, I love that they are all natural. Thanks for this fab recipe.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        July 10, 2018 at 7:08 am

        I just know you will love this meal Chellie-and al fresco sausages are our most favorite--so tasty and so healthy! Enjoy my friend!

        Reply
    8. Erin @ Suburban Simplicity

      July 09, 2018 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      I love all these flavors! What an easy dinner idea my whole family would enjoy! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        July 09, 2018 at 4:44 pm

        Erin, if you love Caprese, you will LOVE this pasta salad. And yes, SUPER easy for the win!

        Reply

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