Finding the perfect pasta salad that actually tastes good and doesn’t get soggy after sitting in the fridge can feel impossible. Most pasta salads end up bland and boring, or they turn into a mushy mess by the time you’re ready to serve them at your backyard barbecue or potluck dinner.

Thankfully, this caprese pasta salad solves all those problems: it’s packed with fresh flavors that get better as they sit together, stays perfectly textured even after hours in the fridge, and comes together in just minutes with ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Best Caprese Pasta Salad — Image: theamazingfood.com / All Rights reserved

Why You’ll Love This Caprese Pasta Salad

Quick and easy preparation – Ready in just 20-30 minutes, this pasta salad is perfect when you need a delicious side dish or light meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
Fresh, simple ingredients – With classic caprese flavors like fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and basil, you get that restaurant-quality taste using ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Perfect for gatherings – This pasta salad is ideal for potlucks, barbecues, or family dinners since it serves a crowd and actually tastes better after the flavors have time to meld together.
Make-ahead friendly – You can prepare this dish hours or even a day in advance, making it a lifesaver for busy weekends or when you’re hosting guests.
Light and refreshing – The bright lemon and balsamic dressing keeps this pasta salad from feeling heavy, making it a great option for warm weather meals or when you want something satisfying but not too rich.

What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

For caprese pasta salad, you’ll want to stick with short pasta shapes that can hold onto the dressing and other ingredients. Farfalle (bow ties) is my top pick because those little pockets catch the olive oil and balsamic beautifully, plus they look great with the colorful tomatoes and mozzarella. Other good options include penne, rotini, or shells – basically any pasta with curves or ridges that will grab onto the flavors. Avoid long pasta like spaghetti or linguine since they’re harder to eat in a salad and don’t mix as well with the other ingredients. Cook your pasta just until al dente since it will continue to absorb the dressing as it sits.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps – here are some easy substitutions you can make:

Farfalle pasta: Any short pasta shape works great here! Try penne, rotini, bowtie, or even orzo. Just stick with something that can hold onto the dressing well.
Mozzarella pearls: If you can’t find pearls, regular fresh mozzarella cut into bite-sized cubes works perfectly. You could even use small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) or in a pinch, cubed block mozzarella.
Grape tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are an easy swap, or you can use regular tomatoes cut into chunks. Just make sure to remove excess seeds and juice to prevent the salad from getting watery.
Fresh basil: While fresh basil really makes this dish shine, you can use about 1 tablespoon of dried basil if that’s what you have. Add it to the dressing so it has time to rehydrate.
Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar work as substitutes, though you’ll lose some of that sweet tang that makes balsamic special.
Italian seasoning: Make your own blend with equal parts dried oregano, basil, and thyme, or just use dried oregano on its own.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is not salting their pasta water enough – it should taste like the sea since this is your only chance to season the pasta itself.

Another common error is rinsing the cooked pasta with cold water and then immediately adding the dressing, but you’ll get much better flavor if you let the warm pasta sit with the dressing for a few minutes so it can absorb those tasty oils and vinegar.

Don’t add the fresh mozzarella and basil until right before serving, as the cheese can become rubbery and the basil will turn black if it sits too long in the acidic dressing.

For the best results, make the dressing separately first and taste it – you might need to adjust the lemon juice or balsamic depending on how tangy you like it, and always save some extra dressing since pasta salad tends to absorb it as it sits.

What to Serve With Caprese Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is perfect for summer gatherings and pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, salmon, or even some simple grilled shrimp on top to make it a complete meal. Since it’s already packed with fresh flavors, I love serving it alongside other light dishes like a mixed green salad or some crusty garlic bread for scooping. It’s also great as a side dish at barbecues – try it next to grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, or your favorite grilled meats. For a casual lunch, just add some sliced avocado or a handful of arugula right into the pasta salad to make it even more filling.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours! Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors really meld together nicely, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing to potlucks the next day.

Make Ahead: You can definitely prep this pasta salad a day or two in advance. I like to add the fresh basil right before serving to keep it from wilting too much. If the salad seems a bit dry after sitting, just drizzle in a little extra olive oil and balsamic vinegar to freshen it up.

Serve: This pasta salad tastes best at room temperature, so pull it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Give it a good stir and taste for seasoning – you might want to add a pinch more salt or pepper after it’s been chilled.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 minutes
Total Time	20-30 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

Calories: 1400-1600
Protein: 40-48 g
Fat: 66-76 g
Carbohydrates: 160-180 g

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp italian herb blend
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

For the salad:

1/2 lb dried farfalle or other small pasta
8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or cubes
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Step 1: Prepare the Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Italian herb blend
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a small bowl or a jar with a lid, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, Italian herb blend, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.

Whisk everything together until well incorporated, or seal and shake if using a jar.

Set the vinaigrette aside for later use.

Step 2: Cook and Cool the Pasta

1/2 lb dried farfalle or other small pasta
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the dried farfalle (or other small pasta) and cook according to the package directions until al dente.

Drain the pasta and immediately rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down quickly.

I like to gently toss the pasta with a little olive oil at this stage if I’m not using it right away, to keep it from sticking.

Step 3: Assemble the Pasta Salad

cooked and cooled pasta from Step 2
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or cubes
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
vinaigrette from Step 1
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 2, grape tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and thinly sliced fresh basil.

Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette from Step 1 over the salad.

Toss everything together until well combined.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed.

Serve immediately for the freshest flavor.