Caprese Pasta Salad

Bursting with summery tomato and fresh, bright basil leaves, this versatile pasta salad makes a delicious side dish or a satisfying main course. The best part: Even though it tastes fancy, it's ridiculously easy to make! Fun fact: orecchiette means "little ears" in Italian.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked orecchiette pasta (about 8 oz. Uncooked)
• 3 cups chopped halved cherry tomatoes
• 5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooked, chilled pasta with remaining ingredients. Mix well.
3. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.