Alright. Summer is officially here! And that can only mean barbecues, gatherings, potlucks- AKA: all sorts of events involving family, friends and good FOOD. If you’re anything like me, I am always asking- “What could I bring?” and then trying to think of something most people can enjoy and would be easy, hearty and healthy. You know what else I consider? Recipes that can be easily doubled to feed a crowd and go well with whatever food your host has prepared. Check and check! This recipe honestly goes well with pretty much, anything! I’ve yet to meet someone who’s tried it and turned away from it. It’s got the right mix of flavors and spices. It’s not spicy, it’s just flavorful and you can’t stop eating it.
For the longest time in my twenties, I single-handedly avoided pasta. I thought pasta was behind my inability to make my old jeans zip up. No joke. Little did I know my over-consumption of hidden white sugars was to blame. I somehow only focused on “carbs” and gave them a bad rep. I have gone back to pasta and am here to prove you can make your favorite pasta dishes healthy by using REAL food ingredients and a few, simple substitutions. Just remember; not all pasta is created equal. There’s plenty of options in the market now to make pasta work for you!
Let’s talk CAPRESE! Not salad or party skewers, but pasta salad. I am the first to admit most gluten-free breads in the market taste like damp cardboard. It took me a while to isolate the “good ones”. But gluten-free pasta? Friends: that’s a whole different story; and a happier outcome, indeed. Because you really, really can hardly tell the difference when comparing it to the regular durum, wheat semolina stuff. I love brown rice pasta, chickpea & lentil pasta. I can even fool my husband, and that my friends, requires skill. He’ll gobble it up and then realize he just had vegetable or brown rice pasta without actually noticing.
I love bocconcini too much, but I try to stay away from cheese (cow dairy) as much as possible. Mozzarella cheese being one of the unripened ones I tend to avoid. But my kids & husband love this recipe and if you consume dairy, this one is for you! 😉 You could also make it with goat cheese or goat feta (I do consume and love goat dairy!) but then it couldn’t possibly be called “Caprese”. You’ll have to name it something else. “Mediterranean Pasta al Pesto?” or something fancy like that. Oh, and did I say this recipe comes with a kick-ass homemade pesto recipe that you’ll literally be smothering on everything? You can thank me later.
Happy Summer, I hope you make this on repeat! x
Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bag of gluten-free pasta of your choice. I used rotini noodles for this one.
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 handful of sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 small garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1.5 cups of organic bocconcini (baby mozzarella balls)
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- A handful of fresh basil for garnish ( I ran out of basil after making the pesto, so I used fresh oregano. But basil is best!)
Your choice of pesto or balsamic vinaigrette, I enjoy mine with homemade pesto!
Homemade Basil and Avocado Pesto
- 2 cups of fresh basil
- 1 large avocado (peeled & pitted, only the flesh)
- 1/3 cup of pine nuts
- 3 cloves of garlic
- a pinch of sea salt
- a pinch of ground pepper
- 1/3 cup freshly grated cheese of your choice: grana padano, pecorino or parmigiana regiano. (optional if vegan or sensitive to dairy) OR try substituting for 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast which kind of tastes like cheese and is so good for you!
- 2/3 cup of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
OR, you can try my other (dairy-free) Creamy Basil and Avocado Pesto
Instructions
- Follow instructions on the pasta of your choice. I like to add sea salt, pepper & 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the water I cook the pasta in. Brown rice pasta can get sticky, so the extra virgin olive oil keeps it from clumping together as it cooks.
- While the pasta boils, let’s make the pesto! Throw in the pine nuts, garlic & basil into your food processor & pulse. Throw in the avocado, sea salt & pepper & cheese OR nutritional yeast, for vegan options. Through the top opening of your processor, slowly incorporate the olive oil and process until nice and smooth. Some people don’t process the grated cheese and rather add it at the end. I do process it.
- Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl or platter. Add 4 tablespoons of pesto (or more to taste) and toss. Add fresh tomatoes and garlic. Add the fresh bocconcini. Garnish with a sprinkle of oregano and sumac. Optional add: chili oil and cucumbers!
Enjoy every bite! It stays well in your fridge for 2-3 days. If the contents have thickened a bit, mix in 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil or add some more fresh pesto. I also have a habit of sometimes eating this with 1-2 tablespoons of hummus mixed in with 1 tsp of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. Odd, but so satisfying! Try it and let me know… x
By: Aleyda/The Dish On Healthy
