Food Recipes Caprese Pasta Salad 5.0 (1) 1 Review Glorious in-season tomatoes, creamy burrata, and satisfying pasta–what more could you want? By Jenna Helwig Jenna Helwig Jenna is the food director at Real Simple and the author of Bare Minimum Dinners, a cookbook featuring more than 100 low-lift, high-reward recipes. Previously, Jenna was the food director at Health and Parents. She is also the founder and operator of Rosaberry, a boutique personal chef services company, and the author of four other cookbooks, including the bestselling Baby-Led Feeding. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 23, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Carla Gonzalez Hart Prep Time: 30 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 8 Studded with creamy burrata and summer tomatoes, this pasta salad is ready in 30 minutes and guaranteed to please. It’s bursting with fresh and bright flavors thanks to juicy tomatoes and a combination of balsamic and white wine vinegar. Rich burrata adds creaminess to every bite, but fresh mozzarella torn into bite-size pieces will do in a pinch. Because this caprese pasta salad recipe calls for only a handful of ingredients, it’s key to shop for the best quality you can get your hands on to ensure peak freshness and flavor. Serve this salad at your next cookout or take it to a potluck. It won't last long. Why is it called a Caprese pasta salad? This caprese pasta salad is a riff on a classic caprese salad, which has roots in the Italian island of Capri. ("Caprese" means, roughly, "from Capri.") A caprese salad traditionally consists of sliced tomato, sliced mozzarella cheese, and sweet basil leaves, often drizzled with olive oil. Some versions also include balsamic vinegar. This pasta salad incorporates all the traditional elements of a caprese salad, plus satisfying pasta, a tangy vinaigrette, and pine nuts for crunch. Caprese Mac and Cheese What is burrata? Burrata is an Italian cow's milk cheese, although you may find versions made in the U.S. Shaped like a ball, it has a similar flavor to, but different texture than, classic mozzarella. The outside is soft, but solid mozzarella cheese; the center is filled with a mixture of curds and cream. When you tear the burrata, the inside oozes out in the best possible way. It's rich, creamy, and delicious on all sorts of salads or even pizza. Don't try to cook or cut burrata. Serve it torn into pieces, or split open the ball and let guests cut off a corner or just swipe some of the creamy center with a spoon. Nectarine-and-Burrata Salad Ingredients 1 lb. fusilli pasta 10 oz. cocktail tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved, or quartered if large (about 2 cups) 1 medium tomato (preferably heirloom), cut into small (half-moon or quarter) slices (about 1/4 in. thick) 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more for cooking pasta 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 8 oz. burrata cheese 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts Small basil leaves, freshly ground black pepper, and flaky sea salt, for topping Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. While pasta is cooking, place tomatoes in a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt; gently toss until evenly coated. Whisk oil, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl until combined. Transfer pasta to large bowl with tomatoes. Add dressing; toss gently to coat pasta and tomatoes. Transfer salad to a platter or serving bowl. Tear cheese into a few pieces and place on salad. Top with pine nuts. Drizzle with oil and top with basil, pepper, and flaky sea salt. Make-Ahead Notes Prep and refrigerate the dressing up to 3 days ahead. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before tossing with the pasta. The pasta, tomatoes, and dressing can be combined up to a day before serving. Add the burrata, pine nuts, and basil just before serving. Refrigerate leftover pasta salad in an airtight container for up to three days. Ingredient Substitutions Fusilli pasta - Try penne, gemelli, ziti, cavatappi, orecchiette, or any other short pasta instead.Tomatoes - Any combination of cherry, grape, or full-size tomatoes will work in this recipe. You can use red, orange, or yellow, but stay away from green since they tend to be more bitter.Burrata - Other options include torn or cubed whole-milk mozzarella cheese, small mozzarella pearls, or halved bocconcini or ciliegini (mozzarella balls).Pine nuts - You can skip nuts altogether, or use chopped toasted walnuts or chopped Marcona almonds.Basil - Without basil, it isn't really a Caprese salad anymore, but that's okay! Mint would also be delicious here, and flat-leaf parsley would work too. Rate It Print