This fruity caprese pasta salad is a summery, fruity take on the Italian classic. It's the perfect make-ahead meal for summer weekdays, picnics, barbecue side dishes, and hot summer days when you don't want to turn on your oven!
Caprese salad is normally made with tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil, and balsamic, but I've given this classic an unexpected fruity addition - grapes! Plump juicy red grapes provide additional sweetness and refreshing flavor that is straight up delicious with fresh summer basil. Make it all into a pasta salad, and you've got an refreshing and flavorful summer lunch or dinner at the ready.
Ingredients
This simple summer pasta salad comes together with just a simple list of ingredients.
- Pasta - I like to use whole wheat or chickpea pasta for extra protein and fiber. A smaller pasta is best (e.g. rotini or penne).
- Fresh mozzarella - A core component of caprese salad.
- Cherry tomatoes - You'll cut some small tomatoes in half. If you can find local cherry or grape tomatoes or even Sungold (my favorite of all time), the sweet bursts of freshly grown tomato will be mind-blowing!
- Red grapes - Plump and juicy red grapes add a sweetness to this salad that pairs well with all of the savory we have going on. The flavor of grapes with mozzarella and balsamic is spectacular.
- Arugula - Fresh arugula adds a peppery complement and helps you get in some extra veg.
- Fresh basil - Another core component of caprese, you'll add in some fresh basil ribbons to your pasta salad.
- Balsamic vinegar - Aged if you can find it; if not, any good balsamic vinegar you can find will work. This will go into the balsamic dressing.
- Extra virgin olive oil - For the dressing as well.
- Salt + pepper - To season the salad dressing, plus add more pepper on top of the salad.
How to Make This Pasta Salad
It's SO easy!
- Cook pasta. Boil your pasta according to package instructions, then drain and rinse with cool water (we use cool water because the pasta is going to be used in a chilled dish with fresh produce). Transfer your cooked and cooled pasta to a large bowl.
- Make balsamic vinaigrette. In a mason jar, combine the balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously to combine.
- Combine ingredients and toss. Add in the grapes, cherry tomatoes, arugula, mozzarella, and basil. Pour dressing over the top and toss to coat. Serve it up immediately or cover and chill in the fridge until you're ready to eat!
Storage
Store any leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This is a great pasta salad for meal prep and can be easily eaten for work lunches, or kiddos can easily dish up on summer days when they are home for lunch.
Top tip
This caprese pasta salad contains simple ingredients, which means the better quality of ingredients you use, the more they will shine!
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!
Print📖 Recipe
Fruity Caprese Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
A twist on traditional caprese pasta salad with the addition of grapes, whole wheat pasta, and arugula. Perfect for summer picnics, barbecues, and making ahead for healthy lunches throughout the week!
Ingredients
- 1 package dried rotini pasta
- 3 cups arugula
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
- 1 cup fresh basil, sliced into ribbons
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain and rinse with cool water. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Make balsamic dressing. In a mason jar, combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine.
- Assemble. Add cherry tomatoes, grapes, arugula, mozzarella, and basil to the bowl with the pasta. Pour dressing over the top and toss to thoroughly coat. Plate it up and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Combine
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 379
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 247.7 mg
- Fat: 10.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 56.3 g
- Protein: 15.2 g
- Cholesterol: 3.4 mg
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