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+ servings
caprese pasta salad with pesto vinaigrette gluten free vegetarian healthy summer side dish

Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad

Kelly Jensen
This Caprese pesto pasta salad with balsamic vinaigrette is a delicious and veggie-packed summer side dish, perfect for a BBQ, cookout, or holiday party.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Pasta, Salad
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 10 servings
Calories 279 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Salad

  • 1 lb pasta gluten free if GF
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 (16 ouce) container small fresh mozzarella pearls
  • 3 cups fresh spinach chopped

For the Dressing

  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar I used white balsamic
  • 1/3 cup olive oil more if a thinner dressing is preferred
  • Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain, rinse under cold water, and add to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and chopped spinach to the pasta, toss to combine.
  • Add all the dressing ingredients into a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.
  • Pour the dressing over the pasta, and toss together well, making sure all the pasta is evenly coated in dressing.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at 2 hours before serving.  Drizzle a little extra olive oil and balsamic over the pasta salad right before serving.

Notes

For a vegan version, use marinated cubed tofu instead of the mozzarella!  

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 8gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 21mgPotassium: 310mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1485IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg
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