Caprese Pasta Salad

What’s not to love about a delicious Caprese Salad?  It has tons of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and tons of mozzarella drizzled with a balsamic vinegar dressing…mmmm…so good!  So why not turn it into an amazing Caprese Pasta Salad.  All the flavors, but in a more hearty pasta form so it could be a side dish or even a meatless main dish.  Plus, since it’s a cold dish, it’s perfect for summer.

The colors are just beautiful  in this pasta dish. I just love looking at it before I toss it and it just makes me smile.  But then, I get to eat it and it’s absolutely perfect!

If you’d like to turn it into more of main dish and feel like it needs a bit more, try adding a piece of grilled chicken that’s been chilled and diced.  However, it really doesn’t need anything else to make it a great meal.

I love quick and easy pasta dishes.  Head over to Around My Family Table to check out a couple of my favorites like this Greek Pasta with Feta and this Quick & Healthy Baked Ziti.

Get more great recipes like this on our Real Housemoms Side Dishes pin board!

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Caprese Pasta Salad

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Servings: 8

Author: Wendy O'Neal

Ingredients

• 8 oz penne pasta
• 1 cup grape tomatoes sliced in half long ways
• 1 cup diced mozzarella
• 3 tbls finely sliced fresh basil
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 cup olive oil +2 tbls
• 2 tsps sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• *Plan ahead...this needs time to chill.*
• Cook penne in a large pot of boiling water until al dente (about 10 minutes). Carefully drain and place in large serving bowl. Toss with 2 tbls oil to coat and place in the refrigerator to cool.
• Cool for at least one hour. Add in tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Toss to combine.
• In a mason jar or small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, and salt. Stir or replace lid and shake well to blend. Pour over pasta and gently toss to coat.

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