Brimming with authentic Italian ingredients, this Capri-inspired summer dish is like a flavorful mini-vacation, whisking you off to sun-drenched Italian shores in mere minutes.
Recently, I shared a pasta dish from Sicily for the Mazzoni Wines blog. Feeling the island vibes, I decided to craft a recipe inspired by another Italian gem – Capri. Caprese Salad might be Capri’s most famous culinary export, but I wanted to share something a little different: a refreshing summer pasta salad, a dish I fondly recall from one of my trips there.
This recipe celebrates freshness, harmonious flavors, and vibrant colors. I incorporated ingredients imported from Italy: succulent roasted peppers, tangy marinated artichoke hearts, savory ham, protein-rich Italian tuna, and the finest extra-virgin olive oil. 
Traditional Caprese cuisine takes inspiration from local bounty – fresh, ripe tomatoes, just-caught fish, aromatic herbs, and silky olive oil constitute the core of many dishes. This salad is no different, echoing the spirit of the island’s traditional recipes. It’s the perfect summer dish, easy and quick to prepare, and highly portable. Take it along to the beach or your next summer gathering – it’s a crowd-pleaser that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds. Plus, it’s a beautiful way to celebrate the Italian tradition of using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Enjoy a little taste of Capri, no matter where your summer takes you!
Instructions:
Step 1:
Start by boiling a generous amount of salted water in a large pot. Once boiling, add the Cellentani pasta. Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the cooking time stated on the package to ensure an al dente texture. After draining, toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This helps prevent the pasta from sticking together as it cools. Cover the pasta with plastic wrap and set it aside to cool.
Step 2:
While the pasta is cooling, prepare the vinaigrette. In a medium bowl, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients: the extra-virgin olive oil, diced red onion, both balsamic and white balsamic vinegar, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until well blended. Adjust the salt to taste, if necessary, then set the vinaigrette aside to allow the flavors to meld.
Step 3:
Now, gather all your colorful salad ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the diced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, diced provolone, marinated artichoke hearts, diced ham, cut green beans, and diced carrot. Pour the prepared vinaigrette over these ingredients, ensuring everything is well-coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to marinate for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator. This brief marinating period helps the flavors to intensify and the vegetables to absorb the vinaigrette.
Step 4:
Before serving, allow the salad to sit at room temperature for about an hour. This takes the chill off the ingredients and helps the flavors meld even further.
Step 5:
Finally, toss the cooled, oiled pasta with the marinated ingredients and vinaigrette. Ensure everything is well-mixed, so every bite is a burst of Capri-inspired flavor. Serve and enjoy the vibrant taste of summer, Italian-style!
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Capri Summer Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
Brimming with authentic Italian ingredients, this Capri-inspired summer dish is a flavorful mini-vacation, whisking you off to sun-drenched Italian shores in mere minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Cellentani Pasta
- 2 4 oz. cans Italian tuna (packed in oil, drained)
- 8 oz. sliced ham (diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 1 12 oz. package heirloom cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 8 oz. provolone cheese (diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 12 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 12 oz. jar fire roasted bell peppers (diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 3/4 pound fresh green beans (blanched and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 carrot (blanched and diced into 1/4 inch pieces)
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus 2 tablespoons to coat the pasta)
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Start by boiling a generous amount of salted water in a large pot. Once boiling, add the Cellentani pasta. Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the cooking time stated on the package to ensure an al dente texture. After draining, toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This helps prevent the pasta from sticking together as it cools. Cover the pasta with plastic wrap and set it aside to cool.
- While the pasta is cooling, prepare the vinaigrette. In a medium bowl, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients: the extra-virgin olive oil, diced red onion, both balsamic and white balsamic vinegar, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until well blended. Adjust the salt to taste, if necessary, then set the vinaigrette aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Now, gather all your colorful salad ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the diced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, diced provolone, marinated artichoke hearts, diced ham, cut green beans, and diced carrot. Pour the prepared vinaigrette over these ingredients, ensuring everything is well-coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the mixture to marinate for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator. This brief marinating period helps the flavors to intensify and the vegetables to absorb the vinaigrette.
- Before serving, allow the salad to sit at room temperature for about an hour. This takes the chill off the ingredients and helps the flavors meld even further.
- Finally, toss the cooled, oiled pasta with the marinated ingredients and vinaigrette. Ensure everything is well-mixed, so every bite is a burst of Capri-inspired flavor. Serve and enjoy the vibrant taste of summer, Italian-style!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Marinating Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
