Here’s a hot take—I find a classic Caprese salad a bit boring. More often than not, they just don’t satisfy my flavor and textural cravings. As a vegetarian, I’ll never turn one away as they’re often one of the few menu items completely in the clear for me, but I always wish there was more to it. Now that we’re entering summer produce season and, more importantly, tomato season, I thought it was time to take a look at how I could bring the Caprese flavors to life with a little upgrade.
Let’s call this one, an adjacent version of a Caprese salad. It leans away from the traditional; there are some fun extras to add lots of flavor, making it a pasta salad times ten. Covering all my cravings and more, the pasta gives it some heft and makes this recipe a full meal, with some sweet and savory additions from roasted red peppers, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes—plus, the arugula adds a nice peppery freshness. I promise this salad recipe will be on repeat all summer long.
Ingredients for This Roasted Red Pepper Caprese Pasta Salad
The ingredient list for this salad recipe is pretty simple and most can be swapped or left out if you prefer something else!
- Sun-dried tomatoes. We’re using both the oil and the tomatoes.
- Capers. Chopped up small, I like the briney bite they add.
- Lemon juice. To brighten everything up.
- Pasta. Use your favorite shape, but I like something with grooves and nooks to catch ingredients in.
- Arugula. You could also swap in spinach or kale if you like, but I find arugula tastes best in this salad!
- Tomatoes. And lots of them. I like small cherubs in red and orange varieties, but use whatever best tomatoes you can get!
- Roasted bell peppers. The jarred kind works perfectly here.
- Mozzarella. The tiny mozzarella balls are so cute and are perfectly poppable in a salad like this.
- Dill and basil. Lots of basil, and dill, which is optional and untraditional, but I love its lemony freshness in a pasta salad.
How to Prep This Pasta Salad
The best part of this recipe is that it is truly a make ahead meal. With salads like pasta salad, bean salad, or chopped salads, they generally taste best the next day so that the flavors all have a chance to marinate. So it really is recommended to make it ahead of time, though you can make and eat the same day.
For this salad, I like to prep the dressing in the bottom of the bowl first. Lots of the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, mixed with salt and pepper, lots of lemon juice, and a bit of honey to balance out the flavors. Add in the capers and chopped tomatoes, and then, while the pasta is still warm, add it to the dressing. Tossing the pasta in the dressing while it’s still warm will really help it absorb some of the dressing and make the flavor of the salad even better. Then just add the rest of the ingredients, toss together, and you’re good to go!
You could leave out the arugula until you’re ready to serve the next day if you’re making ahead of time, but I’ve found that the arugula still holds up pretty well the next day.
Other Pasta Salad Recipes to Love
If, like me, you have many impending summer barbecues coming up, then this pasta salad will be a crowd favorite. It’s savory, familiar in flavor, and the perfect recipe to pack up in a container to bring along to the park for a gathering or your pal’s house for dinner. We certainly have a thing for pasta salads here on the team, here are a few more that we really love.
Roasted Red Pepper Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 tablespoons oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 – 3 tablespoons honey
- Big pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons capers, finely chopped
- 3 – 4 servings pasta of choice
- 4 cups of arugula
- 3 cups tomatoes of choice, chopped
- 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
- 1 cup mini mozzarella balls
- 1/4 cup chopped dill and basil
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. In a large bowl, add the oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers. Mix.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the cooked pasta and while still warm, add to the dressing. Stir to combine and let cool slightly. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Let sit in fridge for about an hour, or in an airtight container overnight if preparing ahead of time. Enjoy!
