Caprese Pasta Salad is a light and fresh pasta salad recipe that's packed with classic Caprese flavor. Pair with any summer dinner!
I have many spins on the classic Caprese Salad recipe here on Iowa Girl Eats, but like a bottle of wine – there’s always room for one more!
Caprese Pasta Salad might be my very favorite twist yet. Tender pasta is mixed with mini mozzarella cheese balls, tons of fresh basil, sweet cherry tomatoes, baby arugula, and a luscious homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette to tie everything together.
The secret’s in the homemade balsamic vinaigrette – it really makes this pasta salad special.
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Pin ItEasy Pasta Salad Side Dish
This pasta salad is a great side dish for dinner any night of the week, and makes for a terrific take along to a party, picnic, or potluck. The ingredients hold up well to sitting at room temperature for at least an hour, though I guarantee it won’t last that long.
One word of advice: if you’re using gluten free pasta, like I did, this pasta salad is best eaten the day it’s assembled as GF pasta tends to hardened when refrigerated for an extended period of time. That said, check out my tip for using gluten free pasta in cold pasta salads below.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by cooking pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. You can use any cut you like – I prefer penne and rotini, personally! Drain the pasta then rinse under cold water until it’s completely cool.
Gluten Free Pasta Tip
Brown rice pastas like Delallo or Jovial brown rice pasta hold up much better to refrigerating then a corn/rice blend gluten free pasta.
While the pasta cooks, combine cherry tomatoes that have been sliced in half, chopped fresh basil leaves, mini mozzarella cheese balls (sometimes called “pearls”), and baby arugula in a large mixing bowl.
Add the cold, rinsed pasta to the bowl then drizzle on the luscious homemade balsamic vinaigrette that ties the whole thing together. It really steals the show, and is so simple.
Just extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper shaken up in a jar. YUM!
Season the pasta salad with salt and pepper then toss to combine and serve immediately.
If your dinner/picnic/potluck isn’t for another couple of hours, stash the bowl in the fridge then toss with more dressing just before serving!
More Summery Side Dish Recipes
- The Best Pasta Salad
- Gluten Free Potato Salad
- Peach Caprese Salad
- Sesame Noodle Salad
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Marinated Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz medium-cut gluten free pasta, like penne or rotini, Jovial brown rice pasta recommended
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese pearls
- 1 cup packed baby arugula
- 1/2 cup lightly packed basil, chopped
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Combine ingredients for Balsamic Vinaigrette in a jar or container with a tight fitting lid then shake to combine and set aside. Can be made up to 5 days ahead of time.
- Add pasta to a large pot of salted, boiling water then cook until al dente. Drain then rinse under cold water until completely cool. Add pasta to a large mixing bowl with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, arugula, and basil, season with salt and pepper, then drizzle on desired amount of vinaigrette and toss to coat. If eating several hours after assembling, toss with more vinaigrette just prior to serving.
Notes
- Since cooked gluten free pasta can harden when refrigerated overnight, this pasta salad is best eaten the same day it’s made. Can be made then refrigerated for a few hours before your meal or event.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
so good!
So glad you loved it, Amy! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Wow I really like your blog. I’ve been searching gluten free recipes ! Thanks for sharing :) I will try this recipe soon.
I hope you love it, Hafsa!
Everyone, go and make this right now! Seriously. So delicious. Made this for our Mother’s Day lunch and it was a hit. :)
Wohoo!! Thanks so much for the great feedback, Chelsea! I’m so glad you tried it!
I just made this. I knew I needed to. It is AMAZING! I used organic brown rice & quinoa fusilli…it is FABULOUS! I will eat it all in one sitting most likely, so glad I made it! Great recipe, thanks!
So great to hear, Denise, thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so glad you loved it!
One of my besties is thinking about doing cocktails and hor douvres for her evening wedding reception instead of a full dinner so I have to ask: what kinds of things did your friend Lindsey serve? Because it sounds lovely!
It was SO lovely! She had cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates, filled mini phyllo cups (looked similar to these: https://iowagirleats.com/2013/04/17/easy-spanakopita-bites/,) and stuffed mushrooms, then huge platters and oversized martini glasses full of the caprese salad, fresh fruit, and cheese/meats/olives. They also had a dessert table with cookies, bars, etc (they didn’t do a cake cutting or anything,) and a slider station + mac and cheese for people who wanted something a little more substantial. It was gorgeous and delicious!
That sounds amazing! I will definitely pass those ideas along to my bestie. Thank you!
Those dresses are stunning!
I know what I’m having for dinner tonight! :)
yummy!!! I love caprese salad so adding pasta will just make it even better!