Description
Caprese Pasta Salad combines the vibrant flavors of fresh heirloom tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and aromatic basil into a delightful dish that’s perfect for any occasion. This easy-to-make salad is not only visually appealing but also incredibly refreshing, making it an ideal choice for picnics, potlucks, or as a light main course on warm days. With a quick preparation time of just 25 minutes, this rigatoni pasta salad is bursting with flavor thanks to its zesty olive oil dressing. Enjoy it freshly tossed or let it marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator to deepen the flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces Rigatoni (cooked)
- 1 ½ – 2 cups diced heirloom tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls
- ¼ cup chiffonaded basil
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix olive oil, garlic powder, dried parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Cook Rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente; drain and cool.
- Toss warm pasta with the olive oil mixture until coated.
- Chop heirloom tomatoes and chiffonade basil while pasta cools.
- Once the pasta is cooled slightly, combine it with tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil in a large mixing bowl.
- Serve immediately or chill for later.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (200g)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg