Bruschetta Pasta Salad With Mini Mozzarella Balls
Every summer, I look for a dish that captures the essence of ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, and this Bruschetta Pasta Salad does just that. I developed this recipe after countless test batches, finding that toasting the bread separately keeps its signature crunch even after mixing with the pasta. It’s a vibrant, no-cook-sauce meal that tastes like peak season on a plate.
PrintBruschetta Pasta Salad With Mini Mozzarella Balls
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups small pasta shape, dry
- Approx. 24 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved ((roughly 680 grams or 5 cups))
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 a small shallot, chopped
- Approx. 6 ounces mini bocconcini (mozzarella balls), halved ((roughly 180 grams))
- Approx. 1 ounce fresh basil leaves, chopped ((28 grams or one standard package))
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- 2 large slices sourdough bread ((or other bread of choice))
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder ((optional))
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta once cooked.
- Prep salad: While pasta cooks, prepare the remainder of the salad ingredients. Add tomatoes, garlic, shallot, bocconcini, olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, and salt + pepper to a large salad bowl. Toss and let the ingredients sit.
- Make breadcrumbs: Toast bread of choice in the toaster. Then, tear bread into smaller pieces and place in a large food processor. Pulse until small crumbs form (you can keep various sizes to add texture).Next, heat 1.5 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add breadcrumbs and garlic powder. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, until toasted/crunchy, stirring frequently.
- Add drained pasta and breadcrumbs to the rest of the salad ingredients. Toss to combine, seasoning with additional salt + pepper as needed. Enjoy!
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