A Caprese Salad has always been a favorite when it comes to healthy summer dishes. Making dinner or lunch on a hot summer day can be challenging and who really wants to sweat in the kitchen for a long time to prepare a dish. The best way to still provide a tasteful Summer Recipe with fresh, in-season ingredients, that both will be filling while not leaving you to full to cope with the heat, is to make a quick, refreshing Mediterranean pasta salad. Here is a great, easy recipe for exactly those summer days and it can even be part of a summer buffet or a side for your BBQ party.

Summer Recipe: Easy Caprese Salad with Pasta

 

Caprese Salad Ingredients:

1 pound fresh cherry tomatoes
2 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
¼ cup + 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 package dried pasta (16 ounce); you can use any kind small pasta you like
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
8 ounces fresh mozzarella; you can use either small balls or cubed mozarrella
½ cup fresh basil

Caprese Salad Directions:

1. Make sure to preheat your oven to about 450 degrees F.
2. Prepare you ingredients by halving the cherry tomatoes (tip: use yellow and red ones to add color to your plate), cutting the mozzarella, slicing the garlic and shredding the basil leaves.
3. Line a 15x10x1 inch backing pan with foil and arrange the tomatoes in it, taking care so the halves are with their cut sides up. Sprinkle them with the oregano, the salt and the slices of garlic. Next, drizzle the ¼ cup olive oil over them. Put the pan in the oven and let the tomatoes roast uncovered for about 25 minutes or until they get a light brown color and a shriveled look. Take the pan out and set it aside.
4. While the tomatoes are roasting, prepare the pasta following the directions on the package. Drain them and pour them into a large bowl. Add the remaining olive oil, the vinegar and black pepper. Toss to coat everything. Now you can let the pasta cool down to room temperature. Stir from now to then.
5. When the pasta has cooled down, you can add the tomatoes and the drippings from the pan, the fresh mozzarella and the basil leaves. Toss once again to combine well.

Serve up this Caprese salad with our yummy Sausage Lasagna Recipe!

For more healthy meals on Stagetecture, take a look at this delicious pear salad recipe!