Caprese Orzo Salad (Printable)

A fresh mix of orzo, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, and balsamic dressing for a light, flavorful dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 cup orzo pasta (180 g)
02 - Salt, to season boiling water

→ Vegetables & Cheese

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

# How to Make It:

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 under 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 extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to enhance flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes flat, which means you can make it the morning of a gathering without stress.
  • The combination of warm pasta with cool, creamy mozzarella creates this gentle contrast that tastes far more special than the effort requires.
  • This is the kind of salad that gets better as it sits in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and let the flavors actually get to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the pasta—warm pasta will make the mozzarella start to melt in an uneven, greasy way that feels sloppy rather than intentional and creamy.
  • Add the basil right before serving or just a few minutes before if you must prep ahead, because bruised basil turns dark and bitter and loses all its fresh personality.
  • The dressing needs actual whisking to emulsify—just stirring it together leaves you with separated oil and vinegar that slides off instead of clinging to the pasta.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a mason jar, cover it, and shake it hard for 30 seconds—it emulsifies faster and you get a more stable, creamy result than whisking.
  • If you're making this more than a few hours ahead, dress only the orzo and vegetables, and add the mozzarella and basil in the final 10 minutes before serving so they stay as fresh as possible.
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