I love to use fresh mozzarella pearls in salads and pasta dishes especially because their adorable size makes it easy to capture one in each and every bite! This fresh pasta salad is made with rigatoni, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and the bold taste of balsamic vinegar-marinated heirloom tomatoes and sliced garlic. I like to let the tomatoes and garlic marinate in the oil and vinegar for at least 2 hours before adding them to the cooked pasta; this way, they become completely infused with the sweet, tart flavor of the vinegar and they macerate just a bit which makes them tender and lovely.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Balsamic-Marinated Tomato & Mozzarella Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. rigatoni pasta
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh basil
- Fresh mozzarella pearls
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 heirloom tomatoes, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain, run under cold water and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- About 1-2 hours before serving, place a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, the diced tomatoes, the sliced garlic, the balsamic and the oil in a mixing bowl. Season them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a grinding of black pepper. Tossing often, allow the mixture to sit for at least 1 hour.
- When you are ready to serve the pasta, toss the rigatoni with the tomato mixture, the mozzarella pearls, and some torn fresh basil.
Tagged: balsamic vinegar, balsamic-marinated tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, garlic, mozzarella pearls, pasta, tomatoes, vegetarian, vegetarian pasta
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