I absolutely love making this Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad! It’s fresh, colorful, and full of flavor. The homemade basil pesto is my secret ingredient so simple to make and super tasty. This dish is perfect for picnics, lunchboxes, or a quick dinner. Plus, it’s fun to put together and looks beautiful in a bowl!

Method in Detail

Make the Pesto

To start, we’ll make the delicious basil pesto that gives this pasta salad its fresh and vibrant flavor. In a food processor or blender, combine 60 grams of fresh basil leaves, 50 grams of pine nuts, the juice of one lemon, 60 milliliters of olive oil, 30 grams of grated parmesan cheese, and 2 to 3 peeled garlic cloves. Sprinkle in a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Blend everything together until it forms a smooth and creamy sauce. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides of the processor once or twice to make sure everything is mixed evenly. Don’t over-blend it only takes a minute or two! Once the pesto is ready, set it aside while you prepare the pasta.

Cook the Pasta

Next, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 400 grams of your favorite pasta I usually go for fusilli or penne because they hold the pesto really well. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package until it’s just tender (also called al dente). Once cooked, carefully drain the pasta using a colander and rinse it briefly under cold water. This helps cool it down quickly and stops the cooking process. Let the pasta sit and cool completely before you mix it with the rest of the ingredients. This is important because you don’t want the heat to melt the mozzarella or cause the pesto to lose its fresh texture.

Mix It All Together

Now it’s time to bring everything together! In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the pesto sauce. Stir gently so that each piece of pasta gets nicely coated with the pesto. Then, add 250 grams of cherry tomatoes (you can slice them in half if they’re large) and 250 grams of mozzarella cherries (those soft little mozzarella balls). Fold the ingredients together slowly so you don’t squish the cheese or tomatoes. The colors should look amazing green, white, and red, just like a Caprese salad!

Top It Off

To give your salad that extra special touch, top it with a few more halved cherry tomatoes, extra mozzarella cherries, and a tablespoon of pine nuts. This makes it look extra pretty and adds a little crunch to every bite. If you’re serving it at a party or a picnic, this finishing touch makes it really stand out on the table.

Chill or Serve

You can serve your Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad right away, or cover it and place it in the fridge to chill for an hour or two. It actually tastes even better after the flavors have had some time to mix! You can also store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. It’s perfect for meal prep or next-day lunches.

Necessary Tools

Here’s what you’ll need to make this dish:

A food processor or blender
A big pot to cook pasta
A large mixing bowl
A knife and chopping board
A colander (for draining pasta)
Measuring cups or a kitchen scale

Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad

Recipe by Simon Davies

0.0 from 0 votes

Cuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

minutes

Ingredients

For the Pesto:
60g basil leaves
50g pine nuts
Juice of 1 lemon
60ml olive oil
30g parmesan cheese
2–3 garlic cloves, peeled
Pinch of sea salt and black pepper
For the Salad:
400g pasta (I like using fusilli or penne)
250g cherry tomatoes
250g mozzarella cherries (those little mozzarella balls!)
1 tbsp pine nuts (for topping)

Directions

Make the Pesto: In a food processor, add the basil, pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Cook the Pasta: Boil water and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once it’s ready, drain it and let it cool completely. (You don’t want the cheese to melt too early!)
Mix It All Together: In a big bowl, add the cooled pasta, pesto, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella cherries. Mix everything so the pesto covers all the pasta.
Top It Off: Sprinkle a few extra cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cherries, and pine nuts on top before serving. It makes it look super fancy!
Chill or Serve: You can eat it right away or keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. It tastes great cold too!

Notes

Cool the pasta before mixing, or the cheese might melt and get too sticky.
Don’t over-blend the pesto or it can turn bitter just blend until smooth.
Taste the pesto before mixing to make sure it’s seasoned well. Add a bit more lemon or salt if needed.
Use fresh ingredients for the best flavor, especially fresh basil and garlic!

Serving Suggestions

Serve this salad with grilled chicken or fish for a heartier meal.
Try it with garlic bread or a fresh green salad on the side.
Pack it for school lunches or summer picnics kids love it!
Add olives or roasted veggies if you like more flavors.

Fun Fact

Did you know the word “Caprese” comes from the Italian island of Capri? The salad is based on the Italian flag colors: green (basil), white (mozzarella), and red (tomatoes)!

Conclusion

This Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad is one of my go-to recipes. It’s easy to make, super tasty, and looks as good as it tastes! I hope you enjoy making (and eating) it as much as I do. Don’t forget to snap a picture and share it if you try it. I’d love to see your creation!