Fresh Caprese Salad Pasta (Printable Version)

A vibrant Italian pasta combining ripe tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, fresh basil, and olive oil for an easy, satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or farfalle
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Salad

03 - 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 7 oz mozzarella pearls, drained
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
08 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
09 - Salt to taste

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to cool, then set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and basil leaves.
03 - Add cooled pasta to the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss gently to combine all ingredients.
04 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.
05 - Serve immediately garnished with extra basil, or chill for 20 to 30 minutes for a cold pasta salad.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
  • The creamy mozzarella melts just enough into the warm pasta to coat every bite without feeling heavy.
  • You can serve it hot, cold, or somewhere in between and it still tastes incredible.
  • Theres no complicated technique here, just good ingredients doing what they do best.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not a sin here, its actually necessary to stop it from overcooking and to keep the dish light instead of gummy.
  • If you add the mozzarella to piping hot pasta, it will turn into a melted mess instead of staying in soft, creamy pearls.
  • Dont skip tearing the basil by hand, cutting it with a knife bruises the leaves and turns them dark faster.
03 -
  • Salt your pasta water until it tastes like the sea, this is your only chance to season the pasta itself and it makes a huge difference.
  • Let the pasta cool for a few minutes after draining before adding it to the bowl so the mozzarella softens but doesnt melt completely.
  • If youre making this ahead, wait to add the basil until just before serving so it stays bright green and fragrant.
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