The deli at one of our local markets makes a Caprese Pasta Salad that I cannot get enough of, but my wallet has certainly gotten enough of me buying it over and over and over again. And that usually means it’s time to make my own version at home. Here it is – a pasta salad with everything I love about that deli’s version, and that includes bite-sized pearls of fresh mozzarella, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a basil and white balsamic dressing that I’m head over heels in love with.

We all know what makes a caprese great – it’s that signature combo of tomatoes, milky mozzarella, and fresh basil. You get all that here, sure. But it’s all tied together with a dressing that I could write sonnets about and that’s really what makes this salad special.

I’m going to focus on the dressing for a minute, because you’ll want to put it on everything, I promise. You’ll need: lots of basil (like two cups), some garlic, a shallot, olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar. Now, the white balsamic isn’t absolutely essential, you could use traditional, but it keeps the dressing from looking muddy and it has a cleaner, milder flavor.

To make the dressing? Blend all those ingredients together. That’s it. It’s sweet, a little tart, and just tastes so vibrant and green. A fusilli, gemelli, or other curly pasta does a great job of catching all of it, and trust me, you’re going to want to capture as much of it as you can. It’s a show-stopper.