This easy pasta salad recipe filled with fresh mozzarella, garden fresh tomatoes, basil and a homemade vinaigrette goes great with anything from the grill!
Fill a large pot with 2 quarts of water and add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, add pasta and cook al dente according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking combine all ingredients for dressing in a mason jar and shake vigorously to combine. Set aside.
Drain and rinse pasta with cold water.
In a large mixing bowl add pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella and Balsamic dressing and stir until well coated with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add fresh basil, stir and serve.
Notes
Be sure to season the pasta water with salt . It adds a ton of flavor to the pasta. Make sure to rinse the pasta with COLD water. This stops the cooking process and prevents gummy noodles.Use whatever shape of pasta you prefer. One with ridges will catch the dressing more than a smooth noodle.This Balsamic Dressing is a workhorse in my kitchen. It can be made ahead of time and stored in refrigerator until ready to use and it's great on any green salad.Make this pasta salad a main course by adding some grilled chicken or shrimp kabobs!