Caprese Orzo Fresh Salad (Printable Version)

A fresh, vibrant salad mixing orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a balsamic vinaigrette.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 cup orzo pasta (180 g)
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables & Cheese

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (150 g)
04 - 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls, halved (bocconcini) (125 g)
05 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced (10 g)

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the cooled orzo, halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and sliced basil leaves.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until emulsified in a small bowl or jar.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to enhance the flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make dinner without your kitchen feeling like an oven.
  • The flavors actually improve as it sits, so you can prep it ahead and let the dressing work its magic.
  • It's elegant enough to bring to a potluck but casual enough to eat straight from the bowl on your porch.
02 -
  • Cool the orzo before mixing it with the mozzarella, because hot pasta will wilt the basil and start melting the cheese into greasy clumps.
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour ahead of serving, or the orzo will absorb all the dressing and the tomatoes will release too much liquid, making everything soggy and sad.
03 -
  • Taste your tomatoes before you buy them if you can, because one mealy tomato will throw off the whole batch and you can't fix it once it's in the salad.
  • Make the dressing in a jar and shake it hard for a full minute, which emulsifies it better than whisking by hand and actually makes it taste richer and smoother.
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