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Home » Ingredients » Summer Vegetables

Easy Fresh Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe

Published: May 28, 2020 · Modified: Jul 29, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Recipe Jump to Video
This Pasta Caprese salad is a quick, fresh, light and delicious lunch you can make in minutes and this is how it is made in Capri. #yourguardianchef #italianfood #italianrecipe
This authentic Pasta Caprese Salad is a quick, fresh, light and delicious lunch you can make in minutes and this is how it is made in Capri. Look for the gigantic mozzarella called Zizzona, an amazing dish to feed a crowd.

This Caprese pasta salad is a quick, fresh, light, and delicious lunch you can make in minutes. This recipe is made with the traditional Caprese salad, exactly how it is made on the Island of Capri of the Gulf of Naples. Fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil and salt. A perfect light lunch for a hot Summer day.

Caprese Pasta Salad pouring extra virgin olive oil
Jump to:
  • Type of mozzarella
  • Which Tomatoes
  • The rest of the ingredients
  • Instructions
  • How to serve it
  • Top tips
  • No Balsamic on Caprese
  • Recipes you might also like
  • 📋Easy Fresh Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
  • Tips for making the original Caprese

Although, if you want to add even just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, you may as well look for another recipe, as this combination of flavors is certainly not from Capri.

Capri is an island off the coast of Naples, and the classic Caprese salad was created after the war to reflect the color of the Italian flag.

Red the tomato

White the mozzarella

Green the basil

So where the balsamic vinegar is coming from? I don't know!

Balsamic vinegar is from the North of Italy, not an ingredient traditionally used in Capri

You don't need to add anything else to a good Caprese salad if you have Naples's classic mozzarella and fresh tomatoes.

The colorful Caprese pasta salad is made with fresh produce and minimal ingredients

More authentic recipes from Naples you can find: Caprese cake, Lasagne di Carnevale, pizza Napoletana, fried pizza Montanara

For more Fake Italian Recipes on the web, check out my Web Story: This Is Why You Should NEVER trust Italian recipes online

Italian tomatoes sold at the market

Type of mozzarella

If you go to an Italian Pizzicagnolo (cheesemonger), you will be amazed to find such a wide variety of Mozzarella.

There are four main types of fresh mozzarella:

  • Regular cow milk mozzarella also called Fior di Latte
  • Buffalo mozzarella made with Italian buffalo's milk
  • Burrata which has a buttery creamy hearth
  • Smoked mozzarella also called Provola in Naples

The classic Caprese salad is made with Fior di Latte, but you can also use the Buffalo mozzarella.

There are also solid mozzarella blocks that are not stored in water, which are used for cooking for example pizza.

They cannot be used for Caprese salad as they are not juicy enough.

Fresh mozzarella can also have different shapes:

  • Regular: fresh mozzarella balls
  • Bocconcini: fresh mozzarella pearls, smaller in size
  • Treccia: large braid shape
  • Zizzona: gigantic shape
different types of mozzarella in at the cheese-monger

What Zizzona means

Yes, you see it right. It looks like a big breast; in the Neapolitan dialect, Zizzona means big breast.

Even if you may think it is a sexual reference, I see it more as a maternal allusion.

More than Sofia Loren, those mozzarellas remind me of the big ladies you find at the markets with such prominent breasts that if they need to put their hands on their chest (typical Italian hand movement to indicate themselves), their hand will have to be horizontally over the breast as there is no vertical space left on the cleavage.

..but then again, men might have other ideas!

Oil pouring over a zizzona caprese salad

Which Tomatoes

You can use summer tomatoes like Bull Heart or Fiascone from Capri.

You can also use sweet Cherry tomatoes or Pachino, but if you do that, you need to use the bocconcini mozzarella.

A simple rule is that the tomatoes should be the same size as the mozzarella.

Whatever you choose should be fresh, firm, crunchy, and juicy tomatoes but not watery.

If you are in Italy, I recommend looking for the Melinda or Zerbini tomatoes.

They are as crunchy as an apple and sweet. Perfect for a nice Caprese.

Although, if you grow your garden tomatoes, they would be your best choice.

tomatoes Melinda at the market

The rest of the ingredients

  • Pasta corta: meaning short pasta. It should be of the same size as the tomato and mozzarella bites
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • A simple dressing made of good quality extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly grated black pepper
Olive oil should be stored in a dark container and pour into bottles when needed

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and add the pasta. If you want al dente pasta cook it for 1 minute less than indicated on the package directions
  2. In the meantime, cut the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves in a large bowl. Add salt and extra virgin olive oil for seasoning. Stir them all together.
  3. Once the pasta is ready drain it, add it to the tomatoes and mozzarella salad immediately and stir well. The mozzarella will slightly melt with the heat from the pasta.
  4. Serve warm or at room temperature

If you want to cook pasta like an Italian, read the article: 38 tips to cook pasta like an Italian

Mozzarella and tomato sliced

How to serve it

This easy Caprese pasta salad recipe is perfect for a hot Summer day. It can be served as a primo piatto, a light main dish, or a side dish on a buffet table for a barbecue.

Traditionally in Italy, we do not serve pasta with chicken as the pasta was considered a peasant meal and chicken was too fine meat to combine it with.

This tradition still stands in Italy.

We wouldn't combine the classic caprese flavors with seafood, either.

Easy Fresh Caprese Pasta Salad

If you are serving a simple Caprese salad, you can serve it with some fresh crunchy bread.

...and the gigantic Zizzona? Well, you will not find tomatoes of the same size, so you serve it in a large plate surrounded by tomatoes and basil.

What a feast!

Zizzona mozzarella on a large plate with tomato

Top tips

Here are a few more things about Caprese salad:

  1. The mozzarella should be at room temperature
  2. The water from the mozzarella should be drained completely
  3. Use the best extra virgin olive oil you can find
  4. The size of the mozzarella bites/chunks should match the size of the tomatoes and the pasta shape.
Caprese salad in a bowl with fresh bread on the side

No Balsamic on Caprese

You can add balsamic vinegar, but if you do, it should not be called Caprese because Balsamic Vinegar is not a traditional ingredient from Capri.

Balsamic vinegar is originated from Modena in the North of Italy.

Italian cuisine is traditional, very regional, and uses only local ingredients. If you want to know more about Italian cuisine's historical background, you can read the article: Italian Ingredients

Tomatoes in the South of Italy already have a sweet flavor built naturally from the sun and the fertile volcanic soil. Adding a sweet dressing doesn't make sense for me ... and many others.

Balsamic Vinegar and Peaches on Caprese

For the majority of the Italian population, mozzarella and balsamic vinegar do not belong together, and neither do peaches.

Like pineapple does not go on pizza, same concept!

So please, feel free to add these ingredients if you like, but don't call it Caprese.

Caprese's colors represent our National Flag, and there is no purple or yellow in it!

Balsamic vinegar from Modena

Recipes you might also like

If you are looking for more pasta with vegetable recipes, you can check the category: Pasta

Also check the recipes below:

  • Pasta With Creamy Sicilian Pistachio Pesto Sauce
    Pasta With Creamy Sicilian Pistachio Pesto Sauce
  • Pasta and potatoes hold on a fork
    One Pot Pasta And Potatoes Recipe
  • Cavatelli and broccoli on a plate
    Italian Classic Cavatelli And Broccoli Recipe
  • Sicilian baked eggplant pasta Anelletti
    Vegetarian Baked Eggplant Pasta Anelletti

If you are making the Caprese pasta salad, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

Pasta Caprese salad

📋Easy Fresh Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe

This Caprese pasta salad is a quick, fresh, light, and delicious lunch you can make in minutes. This recipe is made with the traditional Caprese salad, exactly how it is made on the Island of Capri of the Gulf of Naples. Fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil and salt. A perfect light lunch for a hot Summer day.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
⏲️Total Time 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 5 people
Print Rate SaveSaved!
Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 lb penne rigate pasta or other types of short pasta (gnocchi shown in the picture)
  • 1 tablespoon sea coarser salt for cooking the pasta
  • 10 oz Fresh mozzarella
  • 2 large tomatos
  • 5 Fresh basil leaves
  • 3 tablespoon Olive oil extra virgin
  • ½ teaspoon salt for salad
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Equipment

  • Cutting board set
  • Pasta pan 8-Quart 3-Piece
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Instructions

  • Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and add the penne. If you want the pasta "al dente" cook it for 1 minute less than indicated on the pasta box.
    1 lb penne rigate pasta, 1 tablespoon sea coarser salt
    cooking Rotelle pasta De Cecco
  • In the meantime cut the tomatoes, mozzarella and the basil leaves in a large bowl. Add salt and extra virgin olive oil for seasoning. Stir them all together.
    10 oz Fresh mozzarella, 2 large tomatos, 5 Fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoon Olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Once the pasta is ready drain it, add it to the tomatoes and mozzarella salad immediately and stir well. The mozzarella will slightly melt with the heat from the pasta.

Video

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Notes

Tips for making the original Caprese

  1. Use either Fior di Latte or Buffalo mozzarella
  2. The tomatoes should be fresh, firm, crunchy and not watery
  3. The mozzarella should be at room temperature
  4. The water from the mozzarella should be drained completely
  5. Use the best Extra virgin olive oil you can find
  6. The size of the mozzarella slice should match the size of the tomatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 589kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1991mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 6.8mg | Calcium: 310mg | Iron: 1.6mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jacqueline Debono

    March 24, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    5 stars
    I love caprese salad with pasta and without! It's so simple yet super delicious! A favourite a casa mia in summer!

    Reply
    • Laura

      March 25, 2019 at 5:19 am

      ..and in Italy you have no problem getting the right ingredients

      Reply
  2. Julie @ Running in a Skirt

    March 24, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    These are my favorite things in a dinner dish! Caprese is my absolute favorite and I love the idea of eating it with pasta.

    Reply
    • Laura

      March 25, 2019 at 5:19 am

      Thank you Julie

      Reply
  3. Brian Jones

    March 25, 2019 at 7:55 am

    5 stars
    Such great classic flavours, it all looks delicious, sadly finding mozzarella of that quality outside of Italy is very much a rarity 🙁

    Reply
    • Laura

      March 25, 2019 at 9:04 am

      Thanks, yes I know

      Reply
  4. Corina Blum

    March 25, 2019 at 2:35 pm

    5 stars
    I love the ingredients in a caprese salad and you're right that if the tomatoes are lovely and ripe it definitely doesn't need anything else. I think it's great to put those ingredients into a pasta salad though to make it more of a main meal.

    Reply
    • Laura

      March 26, 2019 at 10:18 am

      Thank you. It is a very fresh and easy summer lunch.

      Reply
  5. Lesli Schwartz

    March 25, 2019 at 2:53 pm

    5 stars
    Capri is one of my most favorite islands. This salad is really reflective of this amazing place! I love the fresh mozzarella in this salad. Can't wait to try your recipe!

    Reply
    • Laura

      March 26, 2019 at 10:17 am

      Thank you, I love Capri too

      Reply
  6. Anthea

    May 31, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    You had me at Capri... This sounds fantastic! Al my favorite things...Buffalo mozarella, Basil, Tasty tomatoes, PASTA!! All things Italy...sigh. I don’t have the right tomatoes today but I may try it anyway. Also love how you have the 2x 3x ingredients for expanding the recipe thank you !!

    Reply
    • Laura

      May 31, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      Thank you Anthea, I knew you were going to like it

      Reply

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