Bruschetta Pasta Salad
A fun twist on a classic appetizer, this Bruschetta Pasta Salad is fresh, flavorful and ready for all those spring and summer gatherings!
A TWIST ON A CLASSIC APPETIZER
I’m a huge fan of Bruschetta! It has always been one of those flavors and appetizers that I love because of how fresh it tastes! WIth pasta, tomatoes, cheese and the perfect seasoning, this is the perfect salad to bring to any of your spring and summer gatherings. It is super easy to throw together with ingredients you can easily find at the grocery store. I also love how everything is perfectly bite-sized in this recipe. It just makes it so much easier for people to eat and enjoy! Want to switch it up your usual pasta salad? Then this Bruschetta Pasta Salad recipe is the one recipe you need!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Orecchiette pasta is from a region in Italy known as Apulia. The name of the pasta translates to its shape meaning “small ear”.
Absolutely! You can use any smaller pasta that you would like for this recipe like shells, penne, rotini, farfalle, etc. Just make sure that you use the same amount that is called for in the recipe.
If you are using orecchiette pasta you will need about 4 1/2 cups dry pasta to achieve 6 cups cooked. If you are using any other pasta this will change so you will want to look up exactly for the type of pasta you are using.
Do not worry if you cannot find the pearls, you can get a mozzarella ball and dice that up and it will work just as well!
The flavors of both are really similar but the dark balsamic vinegar has a sweeter taste and is a little thicker like syrup. You can absolutely substitute dark balsamic for the white if you cannot find it. The pasta will just be a little darker and sweeter.
If you aren’t a strong onion flavor fan, the red onion can be substituted with shallots which will be a great and more subtle flavor to go with this pasta salad.
Personally, I sometimes like to add homemade croutons just before serving this. It is a great ingredient to add as it adds that bread aspect to the recipe.
This pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will last for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- orecchiette pasta
- roma tomatoes
- red onion
- fresh basil
- shredded parmesan cheese
- mozzarella pearls
- garlic powder
- olive oil
- white balsamic vinegar
- salt
- pepper
HOW TO MAKE BRUSCHETTA PASTA SALAD:
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. While the pasta cooks, dice the tomatoes and onion and chop the basil.Once the pasta is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water. Add the pasta, tomatoes, onion, basil, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella pearls to a large salad bowl.
Pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle garlic powder on top, mix well to combine. Season to taste. Place in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour to chill and the flavors to marry. Serve cold.
WANT MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? YOU MUST TRY THESE!
Bruschetta Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked orecchiette pasta
- 4 Roma tomatoes diced
- 1 small red onion, diced
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 8 ounce package mozzarella pearls
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, dice the tomatoes and onion and chop the basil.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water.
- Add the pasta, tomatoes, onion, basil, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella pearls to a large salad bowl.
- Pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle garlic powder on top, mix well to combine.
- Season to taste.
- Place in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour to chill and the flavors to marry. Serve cold.
Notes
- You can use white or dark balsamic in this recipe.
- If you cannot find orecchiette pasta you can use any other smaller pasta.
- Add some of our homemade croutons before serving, gives a nice texture contrast.
- We do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This is absolutely delicious and light! I could not find the mozzarella pearls but was able to get a container of fresh mozzarella balls marinated in a seasoned olive oil. I diced them up and then used the olive oil that they were packed in for the salad. Outstanding!
I love those marinated mozzarella balls. I really love the flavors of the ones at Aldi – so good! So happy you enjoyed this one!