And also this watermelon basil salad, peach quinoa salad, and avocado corn salad while you’re at it! ? I am majorly obsessed with all things Caprese. You can beat the classic flavor combination of mozzarella, basil and juicy, seasonal tomatoes. This pasta salad only takes minutes to bring together, is made with simple (yet great) and fresh ingredients and can be made in advance. It’s all about using high-quality ingredients in simply recipes like Caprese so you can really highlight their flavors. Be sure to grab the best, most excellent ingredients to make the most of this salad! I like to stop by my local farmers’ market to stock up on all the goodies. If you have one nearby, you won’t regret making the trip!
Tomatoes: if you are in peak season or in the height of tomato season, it’s not hard to find excellent tomatoes. Choose cherry or grape tomatoes, and you can even showcase heirloom tomatoes for a pop of color. Fresh Mozzarella: Go for the fresh pearl mozzarella or you can tear a fresh, large mozzarella ball into pieces. Fresh basil: choose bright green, non-limp basil. I like to thinly slice the basil, or you can gently tear larger leaves and dot the smaller leaves over the salad then toss. Pasta: any small pasta shape works well. I love the radiatore pasta because the dressing gets trapped in the nooks and crannies and it so yummy. Other shapes you can use: rotini, bowtie, orzo, tortellini, rotelle, or cavatappi. Make it gluten free by using your favorite gluten free pasta. White balsamic vinegar: I like to make the dressing with white balsamic, as opposed to the classic balsamic because it doesn’t turn the pasta a dark color. It leaves it feeling fresh and vibrant, yet with the same classic taste.
