Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe
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Caprese Pasta Salad

By: Pepi-Rainbow 
"The dynamic trio of fresh basil pesto, mozzarella cheese, and juicy tomato are reunited once again in an American favorite- pasta salad. This light and fresh salad is great for a lunch, a side dish, or even a snack."

This Kitchen Approved Recipe has an average star rating of 4.2 Rate/Review | Read Reviews (18)

Prep Time:
25 Min
Cook Time:
15 Min
Ready In:
1 Hr 25 Min

Servings  (Help)

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Original Recipe Yield 8 servings
 

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) package fusilli pasta
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into strips
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the fusilli, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
  2. Place basil, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and garlic into a blender or food processor; cover and chop to a coarse paste. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Continue processing until a soft paste has formed. Set pesto aside.
  3. Combine the cooked pasta, tomatoes, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, mozzarella, and pesto in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover bowl, refrigerate to chill for 45 minutes, and serve.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 354 | Total Fat: 14.6g | Cholesterol: 15mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

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 view all reviews »  

The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Jul. 16, 2009 by pinkypink   view full review
The real caprese salad is my all time favourite salad, so this idea seemed good too. The...
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 28, 2009 by jodiann4   view full review
This is delicious! You can't go wrong with basil, tomato and cheese. One thing I didn't...
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Jul. 15, 2009 by Sierra Nevada Mom   view full review
I made this recipe for a cool dinner dish tonight after a hot day here in the Sierra Nevada's...
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on May 17, 2010 by Muffin Mom N Garlic Girl   view full review
This was awesome! I did make a few changes that didn't really affect the taste. I used...
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Sep. 10, 2010 by Cecile   view full review
I've made these a few times and it always turns out so yummy! I haven't made it without the...
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Jul. 14, 2010 by RMELVIN   view full review
It was wonderful. I doubled the fresh mozzarella cheese and added feta because I had some. I...
The reviewer gave this recipe 2 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Aug. 30, 2010 by STOLLIE   view full review
This was so disappointing!
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Jun. 28, 2010 by pomplemousse   view full review
This is good, but a lot more pasta than I would use, so I'd probably use half the amount next...
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Jun. 15, 2011 by Kellie   view full review
Tasted exactly like Caprese Salad. Thanks for sharing this. I did not use pine nuts and it...
The reviewer gave this recipe 3 stars. This recipe averages a 4.2 star rating.
Reviewed on Sep. 20, 2010 by Carol S.   view full review
The pesto sauce gave good flavor but the salad was very dry and uninteresting . Had lots of...

 

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