Caprese Bowtie Pasta Salad - A simple and delicious salad made with bowtie pasta, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and tossed in Italian dressing. It’s easy, fresh and perfect for summer parties!
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This Caprese Bowtie Pasta Salad is simple, delicious and made with only seven ingredients (not including salt and pepper)!
The best part is that the salad can be made ahead of time, so you can enjoy it without having to spend hours in the kitchen. It’s also incredibly easy to make, so you'll have a fresh side dish ready to serve in no time!
HOW TO MAKE CAPRESE BOWTIE PASTA SALAD
To make this fresh pasta salad, you'll need:
- Bowtie pasta
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mozzarella Balls
- Sliced black olives
- Basil
- Red onion
- Italian salad dressing
- Salt and pepper
Gather all your ingredients and follow the steps below for a delicious side salad or lunch!
Once your pasta is cooked, drained and cooled, add it to a medium mixing bowl with the tomatoes, olives, basil, onion and mozzarella balls. Mix everything together.
Drizzle on the Italian dressing and stir again.
Then, add salt and pepper to taste. THAT'S IT!
CAN I MAKE THIS SALAD AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, this salad actually gets better when it sits for a little while and the flavors have a chance to meld together. You can make it up to three days before you need it.
I would recommend making it at least an hour before you plan to serve it, so it can chill in the refrigerator.
CAN I USE OTHER KINDS OF PASTA?
Of course! I usually use bowtie or farfalle pasta for this salad, but you can really use any type of pasta you like. You can even use spiralized vegetable noodles to make it gluten-free.
IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THIS VEGAN?
Yes, you can easily make this Caprese Bowtie Pasta Salad vegan by omitting the mozzarella cheese. Or, you could use plant-based mozzarella shredded cheese instead.
Double check your Italian dressing as well to make sure there aren't any dairy products in it.
HOW DO I STORE CAPRESE PASTA SALAD?
The salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for 3-4 days in the fridge.
MORE PASTA SALADS YOU'LL LOVE
Caprese Bowtie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound bowtie pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 8 or 12 oz fresh or marinated mozzarella balls (cut in halves)
- 1 {2.25 oz} can sliced black olives (drained)
- ½ cup fresh basil thinly sliced
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¾ - 1 cup Italian salad dressing
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat; bring to a rolling boil.
- Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- When the pasta has finished cooking, drain immediately and quickly rinse under cold water until cool.
- Place drained and cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl.
- Add tomatoes, olives, basil, onion and mozzarella ball halves. Stir to combine.
- drizzle on the dressing. Stir again.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- This salad gets better with time! Let it sit for a bit in the fridge before serving.
- Feel free to get creative with your pasta, there are so many different kind of noodles to use for this recipe.
- Easily make this vegan by using plant-based mozzarella vs regular mozzarella.
Chef Paul
This salad looks great… and the bowtie pasta makes it look even more special. Very pretty.