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A serving of Italian Caprese Pasta Salad made with Cellentani noodles.

Italian Caprese Pasta Salad

Italian Caprese Pasta Salad is made with fresh mozzarella pearls, torn basil, vine-ripe tomatoes, and fun Cellentani pasta, all deliciously tossed in a light oil and vinegar dressing. It's the type of noodles that makes all the difference in this tasty dish!
Servings: 8 servings
Chef Alli
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

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Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces Cellentani pasta, or any shape pasta you prefer, I like Barilla brand cooked according to package directions to al dente
  • 1/3 cup olive or avocado oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • 3 cups grape tomatoes halved lengthwise
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves chopped or torn

Instructions
 

  • In a large serving bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, kosher salt and pepper. I like to save back a bit of this dressing sometimes. This lets me refresh the pasta salad after it's sitting.
    1/3 cup olive or avocado oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, 2 cloves garlic
  • Add the grape tomato halves, mozzarella pearls, and freshly cooked pasta, gently tossing to combine; allow to marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
    8 ounces Cellentani pasta, or any shape pasta you prefer, I like Barilla brand, 3 cups grape tomatoes, 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
  • Just before serving, stir in the fresh basil.
    1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
  • Serve at once or cover and refrigerate to serve later. Salad is most flavorful when served at room temperature.

Notes

I really like that the Cellentani pasta has special grooves that run the length of the pasta. These grooves hold the dressing up against the pasta so you get more flavor in every bite.
I also like using rotini shaped pasta for this same reason - there are more nooks and crannies within each piece of pasta where the dressing or sauce can gather. Again, more flavor in every bite!
Serving this salad at room temperature instead of freshly chilled definitely intensifies the flavors.
Save back a small portion of the dressing to use just before serving the salad. Pasta tends to absorb every bit of dressing you will allow it to! Saving some back to toss in right when you serve the salad works beautifully. If you forget to do this, you can also toss in a light sprinkle of red wine vinegar - works like a charm.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 606mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 833IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 156mgIron: 1mg
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