I just tossed pasta in a silky basil pesto with fresh mozzarella and sun-ripe tomatoes and now every other salad looks boring.
I’m obsessed with this light and creamy pesto Caprese pasta salad. I adore the way basil pesto clings to every noodle, making forks slick and satisfying.
Fresh mozzarella peeks out like little soft clouds, and cherry tomatoes burst with bright juice against the richness. I love that it’s both bold and easy to eat, no fuss but full flavor.
And you can spoon it straight into your mouth. Not precious.
Not trying to impress anyone. Just a big bowl of creamy, tangy, herby goodness that I come back to again and again.
Every summer day, I want this. Constantly, honestly.
Ingredients
- Pasta: the comfy carb base, it soaks up pesto nicely.
- Basil (pesto): bright, herbal punch that smells like summer.
- Pine nuts: buttery crunch, small but mighty nutty pop.
- Parmesan (pesto): salty umami bite, makes it feel richer.
- Parmesan (tossing): little extra cheesiness, totally worth it.
- Garlic: sharp garlic kick, wakes the whole salad up.
- Olive oil (pesto): silky texture, helps everything blend smooth.
- Lemon juice: adds a fresh zip, keeps it lively.
- Salt: brings out flavors, don’t skip it entirely.
- Pepper: subtle heat, it’s simple but really needed.
- Mozzarella: cool, creamy bites that mellow the pesto.
- Tomatoes: juicy sweetness, they burst with every bite.
- Basil (salad): fresh herb ribbons, pretty and fragrant.
- Olive oil (tossing): optional shine and extra mouthfeel, nice touch.
- Red pepper flakes: optional spice kick, it wakes things up.
- Ice water: stops cooking fast, keeps pasta springy.
Ingredient Quantities
- 12 ounces dry pasta (penne or rotini)
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (or toasted walnuts)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 tablespoons for tossing
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (for the pesto)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (small balls or one ball, torn or cubed)
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced (for the salad)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for tossing, optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Ice or cold water for cooling pasta (if desired)
How to Make this
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 ounces penne or rotini until just al dente according to package directions, then drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
2. If you like a quicker cool down, spread the pasta on a baking sheet and rinse briefly under cold water or dunk in a bowl of ice or cold water to stop the cooking, then drain well.
3. While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: in a food processor combine 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves, 1/3 cup pine nuts or toasted walnuts, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, 2 large garlic cloves, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt to start, and a few grinds of black pepper. Pulse until a creamy but slightly textured sauce forms. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or lemon.
4. If the pesto seems too thick, loosen it with a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches a creamy, spreadable consistency.
5. In a large mixing bowl toss the cooled or warm pasta with most of the pesto, leaving a couple tablespoons for serving or stronger pockets of flavor. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil here if you want it silkier.
6. Fold in 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or cubed, and 2 pints halved cherry or grape tomatoes. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan for extra cheesiness.
7. Add 1/2 cup torn or thinly sliced fresh basil to the salad and season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If you like some heat, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
8. If the salad seems dry, stir in a little more reserved pasta water, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s lightly coated and creamy.
9. Chill for at least 20 to 30 minutes to let flavors meld, or serve right away at room temperature. Give it a final taste and adjust lemon, salt or pepper before serving.
10. Serve with the remaining pesto on the side or drizzled over top, and a little extra grated Parmesan if you like. Enjoy it as a side or a light main for warm weather meals.
Equipment Needed
1. Large pot for boiling pasta (with lid)
2. Colander or strainer to drain pasta
3. Baking sheet or large shallow pan for cooling pasta quickly
4. Food processor or blender for the pesto
5. Large mixing bowl for tossing the salad
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board for tomatoes, basil and mozzarella
7. Cheese grater for the Parmesan
8. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon for mixing and scraping the pesto
9. Measuring cups and spoons (including a 1/2 cup measure and teaspoon)
FAQ
Light And Creamy Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Basil: swap with baby spinach or arugula (use same volume, about 2 packed cups; spinach will be milder, arugula adds a peppery bite).
- Pine nuts: use toasted walnuts or sliced almonds instead (same amount, 1/3 cup; walnuts give a richer, slightly bitter note).
- Parmesan: replace with Pecorino Romano or Asiago (use about the same weight, 1/2 cup grated; Pecorino is saltier and tangier).
- Fresh mozzarella: sub with bocconcini or diced feta (about 8 ounces; bocconcini keeps the creamy mildness, feta adds a crumbly, tangier punch).
Pro Tips
1. Toast those pine nuts or walnuts first, even if the bag says theyre already roasted. A quick 3 to 4 minute toast in a dry skillet brings out way more flavor and makes the pesto taste nuttier and less flat.
2. Use the reserved pasta water like magic glue. Add it a tablespoon at a time to the pesto until it loosens and becomes silky, then toss with the pasta. It helps the sauce cling to every noodle without watering the whole salad down.
3. Don’t over-chill the salad. Let it rest in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes so flavors meld, but serving it too cold dulls the basil and tomato brightness. Room temp for 10 minutes before serving wakes everything up.
4. Cut the mozzarella into uneven chunks, not perfect cubes. The irregular pieces give little pockets of creamy cheese and make the texture more interesting. If the mozzarella is watery, blot it on a paper towel so the salad doesn’t get soggy.
Light And Creamy Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
I just tossed pasta in a silky basil pesto with fresh mozzarella and sun-ripe tomatoes and now every other salad looks boring.
4
servings
930
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large pot for boiling pasta (with lid)
2. Colander or strainer to drain pasta
3. Baking sheet or large shallow pan for cooling pasta quickly
4. Food processor or blender for the pesto
5. Large mixing bowl for tossing the salad
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board for tomatoes, basil and mozzarella
7. Cheese grater for the Parmesan
8. Silicone spatula or wooden spoon for mixing and scraping the pesto
9. Measuring cups and spoons (including a 1/2 cup measure and teaspoon)
Ingredients
12 ounces dry pasta (penne or rotini)
2 packed cups fresh basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
1/3 cup pine nuts (or toasted walnuts)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 tablespoons for tossing
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (for the pesto)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 ounces fresh mozzarella (small balls or one ball, torn or cubed)
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced (for the salad)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for tossing, optional)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Ice or cold water for cooling pasta (if desired)
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 ounces penne or rotini until just al dente according to package directions, then drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- If you like a quicker cool down, spread the pasta on a baking sheet and rinse briefly under cold water or dunk in a bowl of ice or cold water to stop the cooking, then drain well.
- While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: in a food processor combine 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves, 1/3 cup pine nuts or toasted walnuts, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, 2 large garlic cloves, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt to start, and a few grinds of black pepper. Pulse until a creamy but slightly textured sauce forms. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or lemon.
- If the pesto seems too thick, loosen it with a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches a creamy, spreadable consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl toss the cooled or warm pasta with most of the pesto, leaving a couple tablespoons for serving or stronger pockets of flavor. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil here if you want it silkier.
- Fold in 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or cubed, and 2 pints halved cherry or grape tomatoes. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan for extra cheesiness.
- Add 1/2 cup torn or thinly sliced fresh basil to the salad and season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If you like some heat, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- If the salad seems dry, stir in a little more reserved pasta water, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s lightly coated and creamy.
- Chill for at least 20 to 30 minutes to let flavors meld, or serve right away at room temperature. Give it a final taste and adjust lemon, salt or pepper before serving.
- Serve with the remaining pesto on the side or drizzled over top, and a little extra grated Parmesan if you like. Enjoy it as a side or a light main for warm weather meals.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 380g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 930kcal
- Fat: 58.8g
- Saturated Fat: 15.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 7.5g
- Monounsaturated: 33.5g
- Cholesterol: 47mg
- Sodium: 752mg
- Potassium: 390mg
- Carbohydrates: 71.5g
- Fiber: 5.9g
- Sugar: 5.9g
- Protein: 29.5g
- Vitamin A: 625IU
- Vitamin C: 16.5mg
- Calcium: 464mg
- Iron: 2.3mg
