Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad

Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad is a light dish with a bold flavor, making it perfect for potlucks, parties, BBQ’s, and get togethers!

Marinate your favorite steak cut or chicken, heat up the grill, and enjoy it with this yummy Caprese pesto pasta salad.

Favorite Caprese Pasta Salad

We love all the recipes associated with summer time, and one of those is PASTA SALADS!! We find ourselves making a pasta salad at least once a week with all the pool parties, BBQ’s, and family gatherings going on.

Over the years, we have relied on our classic pasta salad recipe, but lately we have branched out and tried new recipes. Some of our favorites include this Greek Pasta Salad and this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad.

We also have a new favorite – this Pesto Pasta Salad! We have always enjoyed the Caprese flavors of tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette, but when you add pesto to the mix, you get one of the most flavorful pasta salads you will ever try!!

How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad

PASTA. Boil water in a large pot and cook rotini according to box directions. Drain pasta and set aside.

SAUCE. In a large bowl, mix pesto, olive oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper.

COMBINE. Add cooked rotini and toss to coat. Add tomato halves, mozzarella balls and fresh basil. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

GARNISH + SERVE. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette reduction right before serving. ENJOY!

If you’re not a fan of balsamic vinaigrette, you can definitely have it without! It adds a nice burst of flavor, but the pesto and other seasonings make it plenty flavorful on their own. Great taste isn’t the only thing this pasta has going for it – it comes together SO quickly, and honestly the most difficult part is cooking the pasta. Next time you’re in charge of a salad dish for your neighborhood potluck, give this Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad a try!

Tips, Variations + SToring Info

Basil: We have a really great homemade Basil Pesto Recipe that you can make to usein this salad. You can also grab your favorite brand of pesto at the grocery store.

Pasta: Penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or bowtie pasta all work really well in this dish. No matter what type of pasta you use, it’s better to cook it al dente. 

Tomato: Grape or cherry tomatoes work best with this recipe. You can keep them whole or slice them in half. 

Mozzarella: It is a little more expensive, but use fresh mozzarella and not the kind that comes in a block of cheese. Mozzarella balls are the easiest to open and toss in the salad, but you can also chop up a cube of fresh mozzarella. 

Variations:

• Add more pesto to make that a more prominent part of the recipe
• Make it healthier by using whole wheat pasta!
• Add grilled chicken
• Gluten free pasta works well

To make ahead: Make this salad a 2-3hours before you plan to serve it. Longer than that, I would suggest preparing the different ingredients and storing them separately until it’s time to toss it all together. 

STORE leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. The pasta may soak up some of the liquid, so just mix in a little more pesto and a bit of vinaigrette.

For more yummy pasta salad recipes:

• BLT Pasta Salad
• Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Salad
• Veggie Pasta Salad
• Taco Pasta Salad
• Greek Pasta Salad