This Caprese Pasta Salad is the perfect summer salad for parties and picnics. It’s easy to make with juicy cherry tomatoes, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, baby arugula (or spinach), mini bocconcini, and a light balsamic dressing.

This caprese pasta salad combines all the classic flavors of traditional caprese salad, while adding a few new additions that make this salad bright and colorful.

This salad comes together fast, and you can prep the dressing and other ingredients while the pasta is cooking. You can pack it for a simple vegetarian lunch, bring it to a potluck, or serve it for dinner.

I’m a big fan of pasta salad because it’s great for meal prep. I love knowing that I have a quick snack or meal that I can eat straight from the fridge… especially when I’m busy taking care of my active toddler.

Table of Contents

Caprese pasta salad ingredients

Pasta: I use fusilli pasta for this recipe because it holds the dressing and chunky ingredients well.

Other pasta shapes that would be great for this salad include rotini, farfalle (bowtie or butterfly pasta), cavatappi, orecchiette or penne.

Cherry tomatoes: You can use cherry or grape tomatoes to make this salad. These small tomatoes are sweet, juicy, and full of flavor.

Sun-dried tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes taste slightly sweet and salty. It’s not a traditional ingredient in caprese salad, but it adds an incredible deep and delicious tomato flavor to this recipe.

Mini bocconcini: Bocconcini are small round balls of fresh mozzarella cheese. They have a mild, milky flavor and taste great in this caprese pasta salad. Sometimes it’s labeled as ciliegine or mozzarella pearls.

If you can’t find mini bocconcini, you can use an 8-ounce fresh mozzarella ball and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Fresh basil: This has a vibrant flavor that is both sweet and savory. It’s an essential ingredient in caprese salad.

Baby arugula: While the fresh basil adds a nice green element to this salad, I like adding a handful of baby arugula or spinach to give this salad more nutrients and color.

For this recipe, I used a blend of arugula and spinach.

Balsamic dressing: The dressing for this salad is super simple. It’s made with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, garlic, dried oregano, salt and black pepper.

Since the ingredient list is minimal, I recommend using the best olive oil and balsamic vinegar that you can afford.

How to make caprese pasta salad

Cook the pasta. Cook pasta in boiling salted water to 1 minute pasta al dente, following the package instructions. Set aside to cool slightly.

I recommend cooking your pasta slightly past the al dente cooking time. Al dente pasta is best for eating hot pasta, but al dente pasta will get too tough and firm in a cold pasta salad.

Make the pasta salad dressing. Meanwhile, in a jar with a fitted lid, add the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, finely minced garlic, dried oregano, fine sea salt, and black pepper.

Seal the jar and give it a good shake until the dressing ingredients are well combined.

Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, mini bocconcini, fresh basil, baby arugula, and prepared dressing. Gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust with more salt or black pepper if needed.

Let it rest, then serve. While you can eat this pasta salad immediately, it tastes best after letting it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. This gives the pasta enough time to absorb some of the dressing and juices from the tomatoes.

Serve garnished with a drizzle of balsamic glaze if using and enjoy!

Storage and make ahead tips

Once the salad has been tossed with the dressing and fresh ingredients, it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Leftovers can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature.

Make-ahead suggestions: You can prep the salad and dressing (except for the fresh basil) up to 1 day in advance. Then combine the salad ingredients, dressing, and fresh basil when you’re ready to eat.

Chopped basil wilts quickly, so it’s best to keep it separate and add it just before serving.

What to serve with caprese pasta salad

This caprese pasta salad can be a light lunch or side dish for summer picnics and dinners. Below are some suggestions you can serve with this salad:

Protein – Add your favorite grilled protein such as chicken, fish, tofu or tempeh.
Burgers or sandwiches
Grilled corn on the cob or grilled veggies
Soup – Tomato soup, Ribollita, vegetable soup, minestrone soup
Charcuterie board
Side salad – garden salad, strawberry arugula salad, strawberry cucumber salad, simple green salad

Please let me know how you like this caprese pasta salad recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this salad as much as I do.