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Home » side dishes

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Bacon Pasta Salad

Published: Jun 6, 2016 · Modified: Dec 11, 2024 by Kit · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

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Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Bacon Pasta Salad-7

Make room for this delicious Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Bacon Pasta Salad at your next barbecue or picnic. It's easy to prepare and it is the type of side dish that people just can't get enough of. I first made this on Memorial Day and brought it to my neighbor's party and people kept going back for more. It's all the flavors of caprese salad that people love - tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella, plus bacon and pasta, you can't resist it.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Bacon Pasta Salad 10

There are two schools of thought when it comes to pasta salad. Some people like to use a salad dressing, while others use a mayonnaise based dressing. I prefer to use salad dressing, and I used a roasted garlic vinaigrette that complimented the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Bacon Pasta Salad-9

You can certainly make this ahead of time, but if you do, I recommend sprinkling the bacon over the top of the salad, and not mixing it in so that it won't get soggy. Keeping the bacon crisp adds a fun texture to the side dish.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Bacon Pasta Salad

Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • ½ pound of Pasta
  • 3 Tomatoes
  • 5 slices of Bacon
  • 1 large ball of Mozzarella
  • 6 large Basil leaves
  • Salad Dressing such has Stonewall Kitchen's Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Instructions

  • Start by cooking the bacon. Heat an oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the bacon out in a single layer. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the bacon is crispy, and then blot off excess grease with a paper towel. Let the bacon cool.
  • Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.
  • Drain the pasta and let it cool for 5 minutes. Pour the pasta into a large bowl. Then add about ½ cup of the dressing and stir it into the pasta. I like to add the dressing while the pasta is still a little warm so the pasta soaks some of it up giving it more flavor. Let sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
  • Dice the tomatoes and place them in a bowl, and toss with a bit of salt and pepper.
  • Dice the mozzarella, finely chop the basil, and crumble the bacon.
  • Pour the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and bacon over the pasta. Top with another ½ cup of dressing. You can opt to toss the ingredients together, but I thought that it looked pretty layered.

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Comments

  1. Jenn Lake says

    June 06, 2016 at 1:00 pm

    Gah! This looks SO good Kit! It features so many ingredients that I love (and obviously, bacon is always a good thing!). Love it!
    Reply
  2. Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says

    June 12, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    Perfect salad! Thanks for linking up at What's for Dinner
    Reply
  3. Martie says

    June 14, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    YUM! I love caprese salad, and you're right...bacon and pasta can only make it better! Pinning!
    Reply
  4. AJ Grijalva says

    June 15, 2016 at 3:42 am

    Oh yum. This is a definite recipe to try. I am always looking for great recipes to make ahead for work lunches. I could see this one getting attention in the work lounge. :)
    Reply
  5. Martina says

    June 15, 2016 at 4:24 am

    yum, Looks good and great combination. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week ahead!
    Reply
  6. Chloe Crabtree says

    June 15, 2016 at 2:48 pm

    Looks delicious and perfect for summer! I am in the salad dressing camp, too! I am pinning this one so I don't lose track of it. I would love it if you have a spare moment and would stop by and share this over at the Celebrate Your Story! link party! Here is the link if you have a sec to join us: http://celebrateanddecorate.com/celebrate-story-30/
    Reply
  7. Ava's Alphabet says

    June 15, 2016 at 11:39 pm

    This looks amazing. And you totally had me at "bacon"! Ha! Great recipe. Thanks for sharing at Family Joy Blog Link-up Party. Have a great week!
    Reply
  8. Joanne says

    June 17, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    Sounds yummy! Pinned!
    Reply
  9. Meg | Hello Farmhouse says

    June 18, 2016 at 5:04 am

    This looks so delicious! Just pinned so I could try later :)
    Reply
  10. Kimberly Lewis (Lou Lou Girls) says

    June 20, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    Hello cute lady! I'm just stopping by to let you know that your yummy pasta salad will be featured at our party that starts tonight at 7 pm. Pinned and tweeted. We can't wait to party with you! Lou Lou Girls
    Reply
  11. Quinn Caudill (Dad Whats 4 Din says

    June 21, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    This looks so good and perfect for summer. Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday. Pinned and shared!
    Reply
  12. JDiGi says

    June 21, 2016 at 11:53 pm

    Oh my goodness gracious, this looks divine!!!! I especially your food-tography :) totally pinning, have a great day! xo
    Reply
  13. DearCreatives.com says

    June 23, 2016 at 5:49 am

    Sounds so yummy.Thanks for sharing at the #InspirationSpotlight party. Shared See you again soon.
    Reply
  14. Frugal Hausfrau says

    June 24, 2016 at 4:58 am

    This is one gorgeous salad and I love the idea of using a different vinaigrette than Italian!! Pinned and making it for my next potluck!! Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday! I peeked in earlier, but didn't get a chance to comment before now! Have a great weekend! Mollie
    Reply

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