It’s tomato time! Colorful, ripe, juicy, and sweet have arrived. I cannot get enough of them this time of year. However, I am super excited because this Roasted Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad & Giveaway post combines two of my favorites. Firstly, pasta is my life. My husband calls me a “pasta monster”. Therefore, I confess I cannot live without it. Here, twisty Cavatappi pasta is tossed with creamy mozzarella pearls and fragrant basil. However, the star ingredient is seasonal slow-roasted tomatoes. Secondly, a Giveaway. I love to give things away.
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Like me, you might be able to cook pasta in this gorgeous Circulon 5.5-Quart pot. It’s a Hard-Anodized Nonstick Casserole with Locking Straining Lid.
Circulon Radiance is engineered with superior nonstick technology. Heavy-gauge cookware construction provides balanced heating for every cooking technique. Sturdy handles provide comfortable, confident handholds. Furthermore, the lid makes it easy to cook, strain, and drain.
Features:
- Shatter-resistant glass lid
- PFOA-free
- Metal utensil safe.
- Lasts 10 times longer than normal nonsticks
- Dishwasher-safe,
- Oven-safe to 350 degrees F.
- Suitable for all stovetops except induction
- Hassle-Free Lifetime Guarantee
- Hard-Anodized Aluminum
One lucky winner has a choice of the following colors: Chocolate, Merlot or Grey.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: Leave a Comment on this post by August 28, 2020, at 11:59 PM. A winner is chosen using an online random generator. USA Residents Only.
About the Pasta Salad…
Let’s go back to the Roasted Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad recipe. Be extra and make parmesan thyme crisps to serve with the pasta salad. These could not be simpler to create. Flatten a tablespoon of parmesan cheese on a Silpat. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 F. Use plain parmesan cheese or, alternately, mix with herbs.
Roast the tomatoes in the oven for two hours. You can do this the day before. Then, the next day, toss everything together. Roasting brings out sweet flavor. Consequently, this provides a nice balance to the savory pasta and cheese.
To roast the tomatoes, cut them up and spread them out on a baking sheet. Then, use a brush to coat them evenly with olive oil. Alternately, use a spray bottle. Finally, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper before roasting.
Meanwhile, make the pasta to al dente consistency and drain. Toss the pasta with mozzarella pearls with olive oil. Again, I like to use a spray bottle here. Then, set aside to cool.
After that, when the tomatoes are ready, roughly chop up or tear the basil with your hands. Then, gently mix the tomatoes and basil into the pasta. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
To sum up, this recipe makes a lot of pasta salad. However, you can easily halve the amounts for fewer servings.
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
- 4 cups mini tomatoes
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb Pasta Cavatappi #81
- 2 cups mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves plus some for garnish
For the crisps (makes 8):
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
Make the pasta salad:
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Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Cut the tomatoes in half and place them cut side up on the baking sheet.
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Brush with olive oil. Alternately, use a spray bottle.
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Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper
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Place in oven and roast for 2 hours.
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Cook the pasta in salted water. Drain and toss with the mozzarella pearls.
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Toss or spray with olive oil. Let cool to room temperature.
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Gently mix the cooled roasted tomatoes and basil into the salad.
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Serve with parmesan crisps.
Make the parmesan crisps:
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Line a baking sheet with a Silpat.
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Whisk together the parmesan cheese and the thyme leaves.
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Use a tablespoon to measure out rounds on the baking sheet. Gently flatten them with your fingers.
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Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet.
Like this Roasted Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad? Also, check out some of these other recipes starring tomatoes:
4 comments
Beautiful salad!
Several years ago there was an As Seen On TV product that was similar to this. I am glad a high quality company like Circulon has come out with one. It is a great concept, because having the lid attached to the pot makes it easier to pour some of the water in a separate container to use with the sauce.
Love the recipe. Thanks!
That means looks delicious! And what a nice piece of cookware.