Caprese Pasta Salad: A Pressure Cooker Twist
This Caprese pasta salad recipe is easy, fresh, and delicious! A perfect summer side dish, it's filled with cherry tomatoes, basil, creamy mozzarella, and a light balsamic vinaigrette.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker For cooking pasta
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta those fun twisty little noodles that grab the dressing
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling because you can never have too much olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for that bright, zippy punch
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to give the salad a tangy boost
- ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese plus ¼ cup shaved for finishing
- 2 garlic cloves grated smooth to spread flavor evenly
- 1 teaspoon sea salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved because they hold up real good and taste so sweet
- 1 cup mini mozzarella balls also halved or ciliegine, those little fresh cheese gems
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion to add just a touch of savory crunch
- Heaping 1 cup fresh basil leaves torn, plus more for garnish — gotta have that fresh herb goodness!
Instructions
Instructions
- First, seal in that sealing ring on your pressure cooker and pour in your 8 ounces cavatappi pasta. Add enough water to cover the pasta by about an inch and salt it like you mean it. Lock the lid in place and set the valve to sealing.
- Hit the pressure cooker on manual high pressure for 3 minutes. Yes, just three! You’re gonna quick release right when it’s done, so keep that valve nearby to hear the hiss of steam escaping.
- Once you hear the valve hiss, turn it to quick release and let the steam out. When the steam stops and the pin drops, unlock the lid carefully. Drain your pasta, drizzle a bit of olive oil, and spread it out on a big plate or tray to cool. This avoids mushy clumps while you get your other ingredients prepped.
- Whisk together your dressing in a big bowl: olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, grated pecorino, grated garlic, salt, and pepper all mixing into a bright, flavorful sauce that tastes fresh and zingy.
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and give it a good toss with the dressing. Then fold in your halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, sliced onion, and torn basil leaves. Let everything mingle by tossing gently so you don’t squish those juicy tomatoes.
- Finally, sprinkle the shaved pecorino on top. Adjust salt and pepper if you feel like it needs a bit more kick. Garnish with extra basil leaves and get ready to dig in.