Italian Caprese Pasta Salad

Italian Caprese Pasta Salad

This Italian caprese pasta salad comes together with simple, fresh ingredients: sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fragrant basil, and tender orzo pasta. It's the easiest way to turn a classic caprese into a crowd-pleasing side.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 421kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound orzo pasta, (one package or 2 ½ cups)
4 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1 pound fresh mozzarella, diced (or Perlini mozzarella if available)
¼ cup chiffonade basil
¼ cup scallions, chopped
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Boil orzo pasta in well salted water as per package directions, until al dente. Set aside to cool (or if you're in a hurry, run it under cold water).
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Video

Notes

Use the best-quality olive oil and balsamic you have. Since the dressing is so simple, the quality of these two ingredients really shines through.
Don't dress the salad until right before serving. The acidity in the balsamic changes the texture of the fresh mozzarella the longer it sits.
Rinse the orzo under cold water after cooking to stop it from clumping together as it cools.
If you're not cooking for a crowd, halve the recipe. This makes a generous amount of pasta salad. It's perfect for a gathering, but easy to scale down for a smaller group.
To chiffonade basil, stack the leaves, roll them tightly, and slice crosswise into thin ribbons.
Taste and adjust the seasoning right before serving, as the pasta absorbs salt as it sits.
Ingredients to prep ahead- Cook the orzo and chop the tomatoes a day ahead. Store separately in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Leftovers and storage- Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavor only gets better as it sits, even if the mozzarella softens slightly.

Nutrition