Caprese Pasta Salad

This caprese pasta salad is fresh, easy and packed with flavor! It’s perfect for a summer barbecue with grilled chicken, and is ready to eat in under 30 minutes. The perfect make ahead recipe!

Nothing makes me happier than pasta salad season. I usually cook a big batch of one at the beginning of every week to have for easy lunches all week long. It’s a total crowd pleaser at a summer barbecue or picnic and pairs so well with grilled chicken, corn and all of your other summer favorites.

The base of the recipe is literally just four ingredients- pasta, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil and then a simple balsamic vinaigrette that takes two minutes to whip up. If you don’t have a grill you can serve with my air fryer chicken breasts or baked chicken thighs. For dessert, try my gluten free strawberry shortcake!

Tips before we cook!

• I suggest slightly over cooking your pasta since gluten free pasta can firm up a bit as it sits in the fridge. I’d add just one minute to the suggest cook time on the back of your pasta.
• I used rotini pasta here but you can use any type of smaller pasta shape. Elbows, shells, penne etc. will all work well with this recipe.
• If you plan on making this ahead, I suggest waiting to add the basil until you’re ready to serve. It can oxidize and turn brown easily so wait until the last minute to add that in.

How to make caprese pasta salad

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. For gluten free pasta salads, I find it helpful to actually over cook the pasta a bit so it doesn’t get too firm as it sits in the fridge.

Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

Once the pasta is done, rinse under cold water and add to a large mixing bowl. Add in the halved tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Toss with the dressing. Taste and adjust as desired. Feel free to add more vinegar, some crushed red pepper for spice, more basil etc.

Serve with extra basil or a drizzle of balsamic glaze and enjoy! Try my orzo pasta salad next!

Key ingredients & swaps

Pasta. When it comes to gluten free pasta, brown rice pasta is the absolute closest to the regular stuff. I love a good lentil or legume based pasta, but brown rice pasta just has the best texture! I specifically love Jovial pasta, I used the fusilli for this recipe. You can use a chickpea or legume based pasta if you prefer and want to up the protein content, but those pastas do tend to be a bit drier after they sit in the fridge.

Tomatoes. I suggest sticking with cherry tomatoes here but grape tomatoes will also work.

Mozzarella. I like to use “ciliegine” aka mini mozzarella balls. They’re the perfect bite size and mix well with the other ingredients. In a pinch, you can or tear or chop a larger ball into bite-sized pieces.

Olive oil. This is such a key ingredient here so for the best flavor I recommend sticking with a high quality extra virgin.

Balsamic. I like a mix of white and regular balsamic. The white keeps the salad a prettier color but the regular balsamic gives it a bit more of a classic flavor (in my opinion). You can definitely use all of one or the other.

Basil. You need a LOT of fresh basil here! You really can’t over do it IMO!

How to store

Once prepared, this gluten free caprese pasta salad will keep in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Keep it covered with foil or in an air tight container for best results.

Since it’s a salad, just eat it right from the fridge – there’s no need to heat it up so it’s perfect for an on the go lunch.

More summer eats!

• Mexican Three Bean Salad
• Peach & Quinoa Summer Salad
• Tomato Cucumber Salad
• Smashed Chickpea Salad

If you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below so I can see your creation!