Caprese Pasta Salad
What do you get when you mash-up a classic Italian salad with carbs? Delicious caprese pasta salad! Perfect as a side dish or an new twist on a summer staple.
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- 12 oz mozzarella pearls
- ¾ cup basil julienned
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup balsamic dressing for reduction
- salt and pepper
Dressing
- 4 oz sun dried tomato pesto
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning or dried basil
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water, or until al dente, about 8-11 minutes. Drain but do not rinse, allow to cool
- While pasta is cooking, pour 1 cup of balsamic vinegar into a saucepot over medium heat. Allow to simmer, not boil, until the vinegar reduced down to about 2-3 tbsp
- In a large bowl, mix together pasta, mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.
- Mix together all of the dressing ingredients and pour over pasta. Mix to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Drizzle with balsamic reduction and serve immediately or place in the refrigerator or an airtight container.