This post is sponsored by Carapelli. All comments and opinions are my own.

It’s time to start pulling out all those easy recipes that you have collected over the years. The ones that I lovingly refer to as sanity savers. These are the ones that you turn to on a busy night when you barely have the energy to open the fridge, much less turn on the stove and cook for 30 minutes!

With the kids going back to school, I thought I would share one of my favorites that can be done in less than 10 minutes. In less time than it takes you to order and wait for fast food, you can serve up an amazing meal with almost no effort. The key to this one…good ingredients!

My guys love pasta and I happen to be a Caprese salad fanatic…so this gives us the best of both world. My Easy Caprese Pasta Salad relies on fully cooked pasta to keep the prep time quick and only a few key ingredients for amazing taste.

You’ll notice that there are only 7 ingredients plus salt and pepper in this recipe. That makes for a simple meal but the flavor depends on you choosing quality ingredients. There is no substituting for canned tomatoes or dried spices! You need fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella to pair with that pasta.

Finally, it’s the dressing that brings everything together. For that, you have to have a quality olive oil…that’s why I grab my bottle of Carapelli!

Carapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil offers you taste that you love and is deliciously pure, simple and natural. With the addition of a little fresh garlic some balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper…you have the perfect dressing to top your pasta. The whole meal can be done in just minutes making it the ultimate meal for your busy weeknight.

Pick up the ingredients you need the next time you shop. You can also make it your own by adding ingredients that your family likes. Maybe you have carnivores who can’t imagine a meal without meat? No problem, toss in some pre-cooked chicken before serving. Add an Italian flair by tossing in some mini pepperoni, black olives and pepperoncini. Make it your own and enjoy!

Easy Caprese Pasta Salad
Author: Michelle
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 cups fully cooked pasta (2 pouches of Barilla Ready Cooked Gemelli cooked according to pkg instructions)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls
  • 1/4 cup Carapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl add Carapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil, vinegar and garlic and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. Place pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and basil in a large bowl and toss with the dressing.
  3. Season as desired and serve immediately.