Craving fresh, easy dinnertime recipes this summer? Me, too. This Caprese pasta salad recipe is just the ticket! This recipe has been one of my favorites for the past five years, and I’m re-sharing it today in case you have missed it.
This pasta recipe really straddles the line between “pasta dish” and “pasta salad,” since it’s great whether you serve it warm or cold. It’s made simply with whole wheat pasta, lots of cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, fresh basil and olive oil.
Briefly cooking the tomatoes on the stove makes their bright flavor sing. It also releases some juices that combine with the olive oil to turn into a light pasta sauce. Dinner is ready in twenty-five minutes.
This recipe started to take shape while my little brother was in town, way back in the summer of 2013. We stayed in for dinner to save money. He ate leftover cheese pizza, while I haphazardly threw some cherry tomatoes in a pan and reheated spaghetti. He eyed my pasta while I wished for more pizza.
I’ve refined the recipe several times since then and it’s about as simple as can be. Boil water for pasta, cook cherry tomatoes whole in the meantime, and toss in some chopped basil and mozzarella balls at the end.
This recipe was roughly inspired by the classic Caprese salad. Caprese salads might be ubiquitous this time of year, but for good reason. You really can’t go wrong with any combination of mozzarella, basil and ripe, peak-season tomatoes. Pasta just plays a supporting role in this recipe.
The idea for cooking the cherry tomatoes comes from Tom Colicchio’s recipe for squid with burst cherry tomatoes in Food & Wine’s August issue. If you haven’t tried burst cherry tomatoes yet, you’re really in for a treat!
Watch How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad
Caprese Pasta Salad Notes & Tips
This dish might seem a little watery after you stir the pasta into the tomatoes, but don’t worry. Give it a 20-minute rest and you’ll find that the pasta absorbs some of the moisture and the sauce thickens up.
Mozzarella “pearls” seem to be pretty easy to find these days (they are little mozzarella balls about the diameter of a dime). If you can’t find them, you can buy a standard mozzarella ball and tear it into smaller pieces, or cut any mid-sized mozzarella ball (Ciliegine) into smaller pieces.
The balsamic vinegar is a key component here. If your finished dish doesn’t quite taste spectacular, add a little more of it.
Use white balsamic vinegar if you can (it’s generally available next to the regular balsamic in the vinegar aisle), but regular balsamic will work, too.
If you want to stretch this recipe a bit to serve a larger crowd, use 8 ounces pasta and 3 pints of cherry tomatoes. Then add some extra basil and vinegar, to taste.
You can get by using less olive oil, if you’re worried about using 1/3 cup here. But I think it’s totally irresistible as written.
Caprese Pasta Salad
- Author:
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
This Caprese pasta salad recipe is easy, delicious and perfect for summertime! Just cook cherry tomatoes with olive oil to make the perfect pasta sauce. Recipe yields 4 modest servings.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (2 cups) whole grain fusilli or rotini pasta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 ounces mozzarella “pearls”, or one mozzarella ball, torn into bite-sized pieces
- Several sprigs of fresh basil (enough for 2+ tablespoons chopped)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar or regular balsamic vinegar, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, combine the olive oil, tomatoes and salt in a large, non-reactive skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cover the skillet (use a baking sheet if you don’t have a better lid). Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have started to burst out of their skins and the olive oil has a light red hue (about 6 to 12 minutes).
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked pasta. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes while you chop the basil. We don’t want the cheese to melt on contact, so wait to proceed to the next step until your pasta is lightly warm (not hot).
- Stir the mozzarella balls and basil into the pasta. Add the vinegar, then taste and add additional vinegar and/or salt, if it doesn’t quite taste spectacular yet. For best flavor, let the mixture rest for about 20 minutes, so the pasta can absorb some of the sauce. Or, refrigerate it for future use.
- This salad will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Leftovers are great chilled or at room temperature. You can also reheat the pasta if you don’t mind the mozzarella melting (yum).
Notes
Make it gluten free: Use your favorite gluten-free noodles.
Make it vegan: This recipe would still be nice without the mozzarella. If you would like to add some creaminess, add a dollop of my vegan sour cream to individual servings before serving (see my cookbook, page 217).
Recommended equipment: An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is the perfect cooking pot for the cherry tomatoes (it’s also great for cooking pasta and soups/stews, and it will last forever).
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
cassie
I absolutely love this pasta!
I have had many run-ins lately with feeling a bit old since moving to a new church and spending time with lots more teenagers than usual. FBO is totally new to me, too. :-)
Hani@haniela's
This is what I love to eat! Beautiful and so tasty.
Jamie @lifelovelemon
Oh this is gorgeous! Almost looks too good to eat! Almost…
Ansley
Yummers! How do you suggest reheating this for lunch the next day? I fear the mozzarella would melt too much.. .maybe eating cold is just fine?
Kate
Great question! I like this salad chilled, or at room temperature, or reheated… I like the melted mozzarella.
Olivia@LivLivesLife
What a beautiful recipe! I love the simplicity – I bet it really lets the flavors shine. Oh, and I listened to that TED talk, too. That was something I think every person needs to hear before they’re 25.
Kate
Thank you, Olivia! Yes, I agree, I really wish I had watched that talk before I was 25. I stayed in a lousy relationship for far too long in my early twenties. Learned the hard way not to do that again. :)
Becky
No mention of heating the olive oil in the pan before adding the tomatoes, but is that what you meant? In the summer I put halved or diced tomotoes in a bowl with salt and olive oil cover it with plastic wrap and leave it out in the hot sun 30-40 min. Pour the hot pasta over it – it’s a great no cook sauce!
Kate
Thank you for pointing out that omission! Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. Your summer tomato sauce technique sounds amazing.
Jessica
I LOVE this sauce idea!!! Thanks for sharing!
Kate
Thanks, Jessica! Hope you’ll get a chance to try it soon.
Tammela
This looks brilliantly simple and delicious. Thanks for the idea!
Katrina @ WVS
Love the simplicity to this! Caprese anything has my name all over it!
Harriet
This looks simply and lovely – meals that come together quickly in summer are wonderful. I also love the look of the wholewheat fusilli. Gorgeous!
Ashley
Ah! So fresh + delicious. Perfect for this time of year for sure. I never get sick of recipes like this. Funny story about your bro. Hope you had fun hangin’! ;)
Sarah
Hi Kate! I just found your blog and I love it. I’m a vegetarian as well so I’m about to raid your recipe list! Seriously, you have a beautiful site and this pasta is deliciously simple. Great work!
Kate
Thanks, Sarah! Glad you found my blog!
Angela
I agree on the basil + tomato combo – pure brilliance! I’m not such a big cheese kinda girl, but have been making Caprese-minus-the-cheese salads a lot over the past couple of weeks! I love the simplicity of your recipe, and of course the gorgeous photos too! My sister is turning 22 this year and I’m going to be 25 in August, and even she has the ability to make me feel old sometimes! I think I need to check out the 20 vs 30 links you posted!
Jennifer
Mmmmm now that is all I want to eat haha
xo Jennifer
Sophie
Firstly, love the white balsamic twist…. this sounds absolutely delicious. You are so good at life! Secondly, 30 is not the new 20 (I havent seen the TED Talk yet…) because I was an idiot at 20, and managed to run off my now-husband then-boyfriend because of the shenannigans I pulled. 30 is having a few things out of many — at least — figured out :)
Brothers are amazing for so many reasons. I had a dream last night with my brother and I surviving a scary earthquake. I should call him!
Tieghan
So fresh!! I love caprese anything and this is beautiful!
Cookin Canuck
Great idea to sauté the tomatoes until they burst. Caprese salads are something I look forward to every summer…the simplicity of the flavors is what great summertime dining is all about!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love anything Caprese, this is summer in a bowl!
Nicole
Perfect summer recipe. Also love Meg Jay’s “The Defining Decade” — should be required reading for every twenty-something.
Kate
Oh, I didn’t know she had a book out! Just added it to my wishlist. Thank you.
Bev @ Bev Cooks
Ooooooooohheck YES. I’m going to cry until you feed this to me.
Grace @FoodFitnessFA
Ha, I love the story of your brother’s visit. So spot on for a 20-year old guy. And still in my young 20’s myself, I’m all about affordable, but awesome meals like this.
cara
This is just my kind of recipe! I’m also imagining it with the leftover smoked mozzarella in my fridge. Yum!
McKel Hill, MS, RD
Love your site, and also this gorgeous recipe! Sounds delicious :)
Joanne
My sister is 17 so I totally know what you mean about that naive idealism. It’s kind of cute and refreshing…but sometimes I also just want to shake her a little. :)
Caprese salad is my summer favorite. This sounds fabulous.
Kate
Yeah, I was tempted to tell my brother to check himself and to define a more realistic concept of success. Instead, I suggested we get ice cream. :)
Christina
Great recipe and easily the most empowering TED talk of all time!
★★★★★
Kate
So empowering! I only wish I’d watched it in my early twenties.
Nat @theAppleDiaries
This looks like the perfect splurge meal!
Kristen
What a delicious idea for a pasta salad!
Megan
Hi Kate–so excited to try this recipe. But, just an FYI–for whatever reason I can’t access your blog on my iPad. I don’t know if it’s the ads or something on my end. The pages show up but you can’t scroll down. Just thought you’d like to know in case anyone else is having this problem. I love to use my iPad when I’m cooking, but I can’t on your site. Thanks
Kate
Hey Megan, thank you so much for the feedback on the iPad version of the site. It is kind of confusing, but you can see more by flicking the page over instead of scrolling down. I was worried that option wouldn’t be evident, so I’ll bring it up with the developers. The recipe view isn’t ideal, but they will be launching an optimized recipe viewer sometime in the next couple of months!
Jess
This totally made me laugh, Kate. There’s only 4 years between my brother and I, but he came to visit me when he was 20, and we had a very similar visit. I love the kid dearly, but he hasn’t totally grown out of all his college-student ways…although he’s left some of them behind.
The burst cherry tomatoes are such a smart addition to this – must try this technique!
Scott
I have been eating caprese-anything like it’s my 9-5 job this summer, so this is definitely a must try!
(Also – I watched the “30 is not the new 20” video a few weeks ago with some friends. . . We were all so engrossed with what she was saying, you could’ve heard a pin drop. Such an awesome talk!)
Joanne - Inspired Ta
Cooking the tomatoes a little before tossing with the pasta is such a great idea! I just love simple summer pastas, so this is perfect.
L R M
It was amazing!
I actually used the whole package of wheat pasta (16 oz), so that I could have leftovers. I recommend this.
So fresh and delicious! Thanks, Kate.
Kate
Thanks for commenting! It’s great to get some feedback on this recipe. I haven’t heard much from readers about it, but I think it’s delicious!
Shannon
What a great pasta! So easy to and quick to make. Great for a family dinner on a busy night.
★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Shannon! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
nhammm
Oh dear. Very hungry now!
Cindi
I rarely eat pasta but for an occasional treat, but this was Oh Em Gee delicious!! I quartered the tomatoes and cooked them a little longer than the recipe called for. My husband is already asking me to make it again!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear! Thanks, Cindi!
Dures
Just tried it tonight for dinner. So delicious! Although, the tomatoes took alot longer than 5min to burst in my olive oil.
★★★★★
Kate
Glad you enjoyed it, Dures! Either your cooking temperature was lower than mine or your tomatoes were bigger than mine. Regardless, glad it turned out well!
brian
I saw this recipe on Giada.
Kate
I don’t doubt that she has a similar recipe. I always cite my sources of recipe inspiration, though, and Giada wasn’t one of them.
Mary
That list on buzzfeed is amazing!! I live in a city that is home to a Big-10 university and used to work in a restaurant where I was one of 3 employees over the age of 23. We used to joke about how all we wanted to talk about was what we heard on NPR that morning and everyone else chatted about how drunk they got the previous night. I’ll take NPR, thank you very much! :o)
Kate
Haha! I can relate, Mary. I used to work at a college bar… although, I was definitely guilty of some late-night shenanigans myself.
Sydney
Hello! So I was looking at your recipes for a good vegetarian dish to make for my mother, who is stuck in bed because if her Multiple Sclerosis. I had already made her a healthy breakfast, so I wanted to make her a healthy lunch as well! So as I was looking for the ingredients to make this delicious dish, I realized we don’t have any cherry tomatoes left. So I, a 13, soon to be 14-year-old girl(one more week!) was wondering: is there any possible way to substitute the tomatoes with something else?? Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Kate
Hi Sydney, I’m so sorry I didn’t see your comment earlier. I think tomatoes are pretty essential to this dish, but I hope you found a solution! Your mom is lucky to have such a great caretaker.
Olivia
I made this tonight and it was so delicious! But I did change it up a bit, since I wanted more vegetables. So I added baby spinach, chopped radishes, and roasted eggplant. Also subbed out the mozzerella for feta, because that was what I had.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Olivia! The more veggies, the better, if you ask me. :)
Rachel Hughes
I loved this pasta! It was so easy and fast to make, and so fresh even when I heated it up the next couple of days. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Kate
Thank you, Rachel! Glad to hear it!
Jill
Hi,
I am getting to make this recipe for the caprese pasta salad and wanted to verify that it only calls for 6 oz. of pasta. This doesn’t look like much for the amount of tomatoes…. thanks
Kate
That’s correct. I like a lot of add-ins when I’m cooking pasta.
James
Replace “a lot” with “excessive”. I used half the amount of tomatoes your recipe called for and my pasta:tomato:mozzarella volume ratio in the end was nearly 1:1:1. It’s your recipe: make what you like, but please don’t post misleading pictures like that.
Kate
James, these photos represent how the recipe turned out for me as written.
Erin
This recipe is perfect! I tried it with diced regular sized tomatoes and vegan mozzarella and I love it!
★★★★★
Kate
Awesome, thanks Erin! :)
devon
this looks sooooo good but is there anything i can use other than tomatoes? i’ve never really been a fan of those stinkers. :-)
Cam
Excellent! I made it just as you said. Will definitely be a favorite.
Kate
Perfect! Thanks, Cam.
Cam
Great recipe as I said before. The next time (and there will be a next time) I would wait till the pasta cools before putting in the mozzarella balls.
★★★★★
Bruna Ebner
Hi Kate! I love your blog and every recipe I have tried and today I am noting down the shopping list for trying this recipe and do have to say that for someone like me, who doesnt live in the US it is quite complicated to come to the exact amounts and measurements. I managed to buy some measuring cups with US standard but when it comes to pints and/or ounces it is a nightmare having to check online for references of how many grams or cups that you account for. It would be absolutely great if you could any sidr notes as to how many tomatoes or how many grams would be equivalent, etc, in consideration to your international fans. :) Thank you
Kate
Hi, Bruna! I’m so sorry to hear that you’re disappointed by the measurements. Incorporating metric measurements isn’t as easy as it seems; it’s an extra layer of complexity, effort and length. And, it adds more room for human error. I hope to start offering metric measurements on the blog someday when technology makes it a little easier to do so. I’m working on it!
Lauren
This dish was so simple to make and was absolutely delicious. Fresh and light flavours with a bit of heartiness added by the pasta and mozza.
I cheated and just broke off pieces of a mozza brick instead of paying the extra money for someone to roll it into balls for me. Turned out amazing if only slightly less visually appealing.
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds like a great way to make it your own! It matters what it tastes like. I am happy it turned out well. Thank you, Lauren for your review.
aija
This looks so good I can’t wait to try it!
Kate
Let me know what you think!
aija
I will! :)
Karen D
Do you mean 16 oz of pasta? This looks delicious, going to try today!
Kate
Actually only 6oz :) Let me know what you think when you try it!
Angel Fitz
This is so simple, but amazing!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Angel!
Grace
LOVE this recipe! Hands down my favorite quick and easy dinner. My favorite tweak is to swap out the pasta and mozzarella for a package of fresh three-cheese ravioli from my local market. Yum!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Grace!
Kathryn
I absolutely adore this recipe! I put it in my “dinner rotation” spreadsheet for summer a couple of years ago, and my mouth starts watering every time I see it. It’s just the right combination of fresh, light and a little bit decadent. Personally, I do like adding the mozzarella balls while the pasta is still warm so they get slightly stretchy – but that’s how I roll! :-)
★★★★★
Kate
I love that! Mouth watering good. Thanks for your review!
Gaby Dalkin
Nothing makes me happier than a caprese dish!
Kate
So fresh and delicious! Thanks, Gaby.
Kimberly
Hello! Love your site!! Which TED talk was Olivia referring to?!
Thank you!!!
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite
Love how classic yet delicious this is!
Kate
Thank you, Brittany!
Amy
another winner kate! i made this last night. i couldn’t believe how a simple recipe could turn out so delicious. this will be a staple in our house. thanks kate :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Amy!!
Natasha
This was best Caprese Pasta I’ve ever made, thank you for a few valuable tips!
★★★★★
Kate
Love to hear that, Natasha! Thanks for your star review.
Annie
Looks awesome! I also like this pasta dish with rocket salad mixed into it.
★★★★★
Allison
I made this recipe earlier this week as part of my weekly meal prep. SO yummy! I would definitely make again.
★★★★★
Sue
I made this caprese salad for dinner last week and it was a hit! The sweet little tomatoes truly created a luscious ‘sauce’ for the pasta- it tasted like I spent more time on it than I did! Only changes were that I added some garlic salt and Italian seasonings to the tomato mash – along with a ladle on the pasta water (aka liquid gold). I couldn’t find mozzarella pearls so I used small balls (about the same size of the tomatoes), should have cut them in fourths. Also googled the Ted Talk many of the reviews mentioned and LOVED it! As a mother of two 20-somethings it really hit home. They loved it too.
★★★★★
Chris Hullopeter
This salad was so delicious! All of the flavors just came together to make a perfect warm summer side dish for our grillled chicken. I’ll be making this often!
★★★★★
Angela
This dish was simple, quick, and has a great bright freshness perfect for summer. A friend introduced me to this recipe recently and I made it again for family visiting me this week using a gluten free quinoa rotini pasta. It was a hit and everyone wanted the recipe. A new summer staple to add to my favorite recipe stash that will be made many times over!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! Thank you, Angela.
Susan Truluck
Wow! I made this last night and it was delicious! I had it warm, yum! Tonight I will eat the leftover cold. I’m sure it will be just as delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing and for your review, Susan!
Diane
Thanks for sharing an easy and delicious pasta salad recipe.
Perfect meal for summer!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you!
Annika
This recipe is just perfect after work on a very hot summer evening.. It came together really easy and the tomatoes were done by the time the pasta had cooked. Absolutely delicious! It will definitely become part of the normal routine. I am looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today.
★★★★★
Kate
I agree! Great for warm nights. Thanks for sharing! I really appreciate your review, Annika.
Kathryn A
So good and so easy!
★★★★★
Kate
Great!
Heather E.
The first time I made this my tomatoes were too big. They took a long time to burst and when the did there was too much liquid. That wasn’t really an issue though. It tasted great when warm but I was making ahead and planning on serving cold. The next day, I served it cold and the mozzarella was not good any more. Since it had been melted a little it was unpleasantly hard and chewy when cold. I’m making again today with the following change: I will stir the cooked pasta into the burst tomatoes (I bought smaller ones) add vinegar and salt then refrigerate. I will add the mozzarella and basil to the cold pasta prior to serving. Pretty sure it will be great!!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Heather! Mozzarella can be tricky sometimes. I’m glad you found a solution that works well for you.
Ravi Sharma
Lovely Pasta Salad. Great Item for salad.
Kate
Thank you!
Erin
Made this last night and gosh, it was fantastic! My 8 year old said, “I love the tomatoes!”
Next time, I might add a smashed clove of garlic or two in with the tomatoes and oil while I’m cooking them down, just for a little extra flavor. But I thought it was delicious! And it was the perfect weeknight meal – came together in a flash! Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Erin!
Katie Shenoy
This is my go to weeknight meal and I have shared it with all my friends! So quick and easy. My kids love it, my husband loves it, I love it! Yum!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Katie! Thank you for your star review.
Taija
Perfect caprese flavors, which I love. Next time I’ll let the pasta cool to room temperature before adding the mozzarella so that it doesn’t melt and clump together!
★★★★★
Kate
Yes, make sure you let it cool some. Thanks so much for your review!
william turner
you arefantastic!
Kate
Thank you!
quinton breen
Great recipe!
Thanks Again
Quinton Breen
Bought your book on sunday! Got the last copy from B&N
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for the support, Quinton.
Jee
I found this recipe last week and have cooked it twice since. Its simplicity makes it a perfect weekday recipe. It also makes a great leftover for lunch the next day (I ate it cold and it was still good).
“Cover the skillet (use a baking sheet if you don’t have a better lid)” is a very important step. The tomatoes, even the dried ones, go crazy as they burst out of their skins from the heat.
Awesome recipe! Thank you Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad the instructions were helpful and that you have made it twice already! Thanks for sharing, Jee.
Paul in Sacramento
I’m finally writing a comment after making this pasta all summer long. Made it just last night again as my basil plant is still going strong. Such a simple and easy recipe with incredible fresh flavors! This has inspired me to grow cherry tomatoes next year to add even more incredible flavor. Thank you, Kate! (and Cookie!!)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so happy you did, Paul! This one is great for summer. I appreciate your comment and review!
Roe
You forgot calories
Kate
They are there! You just need to click to expand to see the nutrition information. Hope this helps, Roe!
Connie
OMG, this was SOOO good! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved it as much as I do. :)
Elizabeth
This was delicious and so easy! Had it warm for lunch today and can’t wait to try it cold for lunch tomorrow.
Kate
What did you think about it for lunch cold, Elizabeth?
Elizabeth
It was ok cold, but I much preferred it warm. I’m not sure the cooked tomatoes worked for me when cold. But warm it’s perfect!
savannah
i love Caprese Pasta Salad it looks so good❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Savannah!
Caitlyn
So easy, so good!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Caitlyn!
Erin
I have made this recipe about a dozen times now. It is seriously a family favorite – so quick and easy to put together, and so delicious! Thank you for this!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Erin!
Jennifer Abar
Tasty and simple to make.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Jennifer!
Lisa
My husband and I love this recipe so much! It’s super quick and simple, we make it about once a week!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Lisa! I appreciate the review.
Kate
Could you use chickpea pasta for this?
Kate
Sure!
Mark
Very good recipe all-in-all, but was exceptional when we added garlic powder at the table. Sauteing some fresh garlic with the tomatoes and olive oil might be even better than garlic powder. I suppose adding garlic makes it not truly Caprese, but my taste buds thought it was a nice addition. I would have given 4.5 stars if that were an option.
★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Mark!
Kathryn
Made this earlier this week for a couple of picky eaters and they LOVED it! (And so did I, but that was not as surprising). It was easy and tasted delicious, perfect for summer, and I’ll absolutely make it again (as soon as I can get more good tomatoes!)!
★★★★★
Kate
Fantastic! Thanks for your review, Kathryn.
Siri
does the oil have to be olive or can it be any other oil?and are the mozzarella bits completely necessary?
Kate
Olive oil works best here, or possible another neutral tasting oil. The mozzarella is necessary to make this dish complete and be Caprese.
Carol
Can i make this a day ahead?
Kate
Sure! You can gently reheat or serve cold.
Pawel
Hi,
Where do you find vegetarian mozzarella?
Kate
I have no issues at Whole Foods or a natural foods grocery store.
Ashley bessette
Add garlic at the end of cooking the tomatoes!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Ashley!
Erin Engel
This recipe is so delicious! I’ve made it for two potlucks in the past three weeks! Can you please tell me if this will freeze well? Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Erin! Unfortunately, I don’t find that pasta salads freeze well. Sorry!
Erin Engel
Thank you, Kate!
Shannon Blackstone
PUT THE RECIPE AT THE TOP. Stupid food bloggers. You all do this. I triple dog dare you to post this in your comments. But you won’t.
Otherwise, recipe looks fine, though I would add garlic.
Kate
Hi Shannon, I’m sorry you are frustrated by how I layout my content. I find most like to understand where the recipe inspiration came from and tips for recipe. If you would like to skip ahead to the recipe, feel free. There is a jump to recipe right at the top for this purpose, so you can skip all the other content.
Cassie
This recipe has become a staple of our meal planning, and we still get excited to eat it! We like to make it with gemelli pasta, and love that the leftovers are so easy (we usually don’t bother reheating it), and even tastier than the original meal. Thanks for this great recipe!
★★★★★
Jullie
Next time I will double recipe and serve 1/2 warm with some chickpeas and capersAnd 1/2 cold as a side the next day. Delicious!
★★★★★
Tracey
This recipe is 5Stars!!!!! It’s easy and so delicious! Make this—you won’t regret it. I’m making it for the second time today!
★★★★★
Laurie Ashley
I made this without bursting the tomatoes, just threw them in raw and i was really nice! I was in a big hurry! I have made it following all directions also, but was thrilled that it was so delicious with just fresh tomatoes straight from the container….
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Laurie!
Dedelyn Hamilton
I was skeptical at first about all of the oil and cooking the tomatoes, but this salad is AWESOME! It will be a good go-to salad in the future. Simple flavors combined, so good! Great job! Shared it with my friends. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved it, Dedelyn.
Genny de Suave
Made it. No need to cook the tomatoes. PUT THE RECIPE AT THE TOP. Good grief, I got your life story before I even saw the ingredients. We don’t care. PUT THE RECIPE AT THE TOP and let your family scroll if they are interested.
★★
Kate
Hi Genny, I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe and are frustrated by my blog layout. I find most readers appreciate and like to know where the recipes comes from and any tips or tricks I have found. In the future, there is a ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top that you can use to go straight down to the recipe, if you like.
John
Way too much olive oil. It was disgusting
★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t like this one, John. I appreciate your feedback.
Tammy Pentz
Sounds and looks Delicious do you Really need 1/3 cup of oil?
I love how easy it sounds!
Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Hi Tammy, you could get by with less oil but it’s really nice and luxurious (also more filling) with the full amount! Hope you love it.
Gregg
Hey Kate,
First – thank you for all of your recipes you post so thoughtfully! I’ve had many conversations with friends about foods we’ve been trying out and most times when asked where the recipe is from the response is “a food blog by Cookie and Kate”. You’re definitely known throughout my friend circle as having a great variety and well done recipes!
Second – one edit I might suggest to this recipe is letting the pasta/tomato mixture cool a bit longer, if not even in the fridge. When we added the moz. it melted and became stringy throughout. We’ll see how that goes when it’s cool and we try to eat it. This might be because we used a solid ball of cheese made into smaller pieces which might have been too small. It’s just something to note.
Aside from that I’ve tried it warm (with stringy moz) and the flavor is delicious! We’ll definitely make it again though we’ll be more cautious with the temp. for moz.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Gregg, thanks so much for your note! Thank you for spreading the word about my blog, too. :) I just added some additional instruction to step three to try to help others avoid this issue. Thanks again!