Caprese Pasta Salad

Caprese Pasta Salad is an easy summer lunch bursting with garden flavor.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Caprese Pasta Salad is perfect for those hot summer days when fresh basil and juicy tomatoes are readily available. Delicious cold, it is a perfect shabbat lunch, especially paired with slices of crusty baguette.

Try to get vine-ripened tomatoes with plenty of seed pockets.  When you slice a tomato in half you will see hollows holding the seeds.  The longer the tomato was on the vine, the more seed pockets there will be.  Tomatoes picked green will be mostly solid with one  small area of seeds.  Vine-ripened tomatoes will have a network of tomato flesh surrounding many small seed pockets. You will only see these tasty globes if you grow them yourself or get them at the farmer’s market.  When I tried to grow large tomatoes at home, the squirrels always got them the night I decided they would be perfect the next day.  So now I stick to growing cherry tomatoes and visiting the farmers market.

Never, ever put tomatoes in the refrigerator.  The cold draws the flavor right out of them.  Keep them on a sunny windowsill until ready to prepare.

Unlike tomatoes, basil plants are easy to grow and defend from garden visitors  They require full sun, and are the most economical way to get basil.  Because they are annuals, you will need a new cutting or seed every summer.  Leftover basil can be chopped and frozen or oven-dried for storage.

The easiest way to cut fresh basil is to use the chiffonade method.  Stack several leaves, roll them tightly (like a cigar), then slice the roll into ribbons. Tomatoes are best cut with a serrated knife.

Can I make the Caprese Pasta Salad ahead of time?

You can toss the noodles with the dressing  and vegetables then store in the refrigerator.  When ready to serve, add the mozzarella and basil.  Toss to combine.  Yes, this violates my no tomatoes in the refrigerator rule but it is okay for a day or two.

What is Caprese?

Caprese refers to anything that comes from the Isle of Capri in Italy. The green basil, white mozzarella and red tomatoes highlight the colors of the Italian flag.

Do you recommend using fresh mozzarella?

This salad is delicious with packaged mozzarella but fresh mozzarella is creamier and fresher tasting.  In Italy, they also make  mozzarella made from the milk of a water buffalo.   That cheese is sometimes available in specialty markets.

5 from 1 vote

Print

Caprese Pasta Salad

Caprese Pasta Salad is an easy summer lunch bursting with garden flavor.

Course Main Course

Keyword pasta, mozzarella, tomato

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 602 kcal

Author Barbara

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin spaghetti
• 5 tomatoes large
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves sliced
• 2 red peppers
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese cubed

Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Slice tomatoes into thin strips.  Put in colander in sink and let drain.

2. Seed peppers, remove membranes and cut into thin strips.

3. In a small mixing bowl, put tomatoes, peppers, garlic, basil leaves and Dressing ingredients.  Toss to coat.

4. Cook pasta until al dente, drain well and put into serving dish.  Add the tomato mixture and mozzarella cubes and toss to mix.

Nutrition Facts

Caprese Pasta Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 602 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 28g 43%

Saturated Fat 7g 35%

Cholesterol 29mg 10%

Sodium 845mg 35%

Potassium 665mg 19%

Total Carbohydrates 67g 22%

Dietary Fiber 5g 20%

Sugars 7g

Protein 20g 40%

Vitamin A 127.5%

Vitamin C 126.6%

Calcium 24.7%

Iron 11.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.