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The traditional Pasta Salad has GONE WILD with a Caprese twist!!
Personally, I can never get enough Caprese, especially in the summer. There’s nothing quite like the tantalizing combination of creamy fresh mozzarella, perky slices of ripe tomatoes, and the herby kiss of fresh basil.
So what could possibly be better than combining those classic Caprese flavors with the reliable goodness of a pasta salad?!
(psst… nothing)
About this Recipe:
This Caprese pasta salad makes a TON and is an easy “one bowl meal”. Just chop everything up and toss it in a bowl! It’s also easy to tweak to your family’s preferences (with or without chicken, what veggies, how much sauce, type of noodle, etc.)
It makes a great side for BBQ’s or potlucks, but we use it for a light and easy weeknight dinner. The leftovers keep well in the fridge and make easy lunches throughout the week.
Bonus: Everything I’ve listed in this recipe I got from Sam’s Club. So it’s an easy “one stop shop” meal.
The Secret Ingredient:
I don’t know about you, but I can always use new ways to incorporate vegetables into my diet. This dish makes it SO EASY to add more and more veggies because of the secret ingredient… the basil pesto. Even though this pesto is from the store, it would be delicious on a flip flop. So I am betting good money that your whole family won’t mind eating their veggies with this magic pesto.
©Lauren Koch | My Slice of Joy
I hope you enjoy my take on Caprese Pasta Salad! If you have questions, please comment below. As always, I would love feedback and your reviews of the recipe!
"Caprese Gone Wild" Pasta Salad
This caprese pasta salad makes a TON and is an easy "one bowl meal". Everything listed here I got from Sam's Club. Tweak to your personal tastes!
Ingredients
- 3 c. Rotisserie Chicken, diced
- 1 lb Penne Pasta
- 4 Mini Cucumbers, diced
- 2 Bell Peppers, diced
- 6-8 (1 lb) Campari Tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 4 oz. (half package) Fresh Mozzarella, diced
- 1 c. Pesto
- 2-3 T. Balsamic Vinegar (or White Wine Vinegar)
- 4 T. Olive Oil
Instructions
- Cook the penne according to package instructions. Drain, cool, and toss the pasta in a bit of olive oil so it doesn't stick together. Make sure to use a LARGE mixing bowl.
- While the pasta is cooking, pull meat off the rotisserie chicken. Be sure to check for little bones. (I find it's easier to do this while it's still warm from the store, but do it whatever way works best for you.) Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Dice up the cucumbers, bell pellers, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Add the pasta and the chopped up ingredients to the bowl with the pasta. Mix together.
- Add the pesto, vinegar, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly.
- Taste test! Adjust pesto, oil, and vinegar content to your liking. You may like a little more "sauce" than this recipe recommends.
Notes
- All of the ingredients can be purchased from Sam's Club!
- You could make your own pesto instead of buying it. But I've found that the stuff from Sam's is delicious and significantly cheaper than making homemade pesto.
- You could also do a simple dressing of oil and vinegar and some fresh basil instead of pesto as the dressing.
Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 440Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 80mgSodium 442mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 28g
This Nutritional information was calculated by Nutritionix.com based on the above ingredients list, and is provided as an estimation. Actual results may vary based on brands of ingredients and measurement accuracy.
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