The basic (but Not So Basic) Caprese Pasta Salad. It’s fresh, flavorful, and just a little bit different—in the best way. A mix of roasted and raw cherry tomatoes, pasta, marinated mozzarella, creamy avocado, and a sweet peachy balsamic dressing. It comes together fast, with minimal effort, and always hits the spot. Serve it for dinner, pack it for lunch, or bring it to your next summer gathering. Add grilled chicken or steak if you want, but honestly? It’s perfect just as is.

As we ease into summer mode, I’m feeling that familiar spark of inspiration. New seasons always bring fresh ideas, but there’s something especially energizing about summer. It’s my favorite (along with fall, of course)—I always feel my happiest this time of year, with the sun out, produce peaking, and so many delicious things to cook.

This season, I’ve been leaning into the idea of elevated basics. Recipes that feel simple and doable, but still have something special. That’s exactly what this pasta salad is—familiar and easy, but with my own little twist to make it just a bit more fun.

Because the truth is, “basic” doesn’t mean boring. It means you can make it on a busy weeknight or bring it to a party. It looks beautiful (we eat with our eyes first, always!), it’s full of flavor, and most importantly—it’s just really, really good.

This Caprese Pasta Salad checks all the boxes: fresh, colorful, quick, and beyond delicious. A summer staple, for sure!

These are the details

Ingredients – for the salad

• olive oil
• salted butter
• cherry tomatoes
• shallots
• salt, black pepper, chili flakes
• short-cut pasta
• mozzarella balls
• fresh basil
• avocado

Ingredients – for the dressing

• olive oil
• peach balsamic or balsamic vinegar
• honey
• shallots
• garlic
• fresh basil

Tools 

For this recipe, you’ll need a baking dish, a large pot, a salad bowl, and all the usuals: a cutting board, a knife, and a spatula!

Steps

Step 1: Roast the Tomatoes

Start with the tomatoes. I like to roast half of the cherry tomatoes with a thinly sliced shallot, a drizzle of olive oil, a pat of salted butter, and a pinch of salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Roast until the tomatoes burst and become jammy and sweet—their flavor gets super concentrated and delicious.

This usually takes about 20 minutes in the oven.

Step 2: Make the Dressing

Once the tomatoes have roasted and burst, pour all those flavorful pan juices into a glass jar or bowl. These roasted juices are the base of the dressing and add so much depth.

To the juices, whisk in a bit more olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, finely chopped shallots, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. It’s sweet, tangy, and just a little garlicky—so good.

Step 3: Boil the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta. I like using a short-cut pasta with some ridges—it catches all that dressing beautifully.

Once cooked, drain the pasta and let it steam off for a minute or two.

Step 4: Toss the Salad

Add the hot pasta to a large salad bowl and toss it with half of the dressing to soak in all that flavor.

Then mix in the roasted tomatoes, the remaining fresh cherry tomatoes, marinated mozzarella balls, more shallots, lots of fresh basil, and of course—avocado. Don’t skip the avocado! It makes it extra creamy and summery.

Some Ideas

This is one of those recipes that’s perfect for prepping ahead—whether for summer parties, weekday lunches, or just to have something delicious ready to go in the fridge. The pasta holds up really well and actually gets more flavorful as it sits. Just wait to add the avocado until the day of, so it stays fresh and doesn’t brown.

As I mentioned above, if you want to bulk it up with some protein, rotisserie chicken or sliced steak are both great options.

What I love most about this recipe is how it uses the best of what summer has to offer—sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and lots of vibrant flavor. If you’ve got a garden full of tomatoes or just picked up a few too many at the market, this is such a great way to use them.

I hope you love this pasta salad as much as I do!

Looking for other great pasta salad recipes? Here are some favorites:

Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad

Avocado Caprese Pasta with Grilled Broccoli Rabe

Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad

Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad with Honey Mustard Bacon Dressing

Lastly, if you make this basic (but not so basic) caprese pasta salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

This Caprese pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer picnics! It’s super bright and fresh, filled with tomatoes, basil, and a light balsamic dressing.

This Caprese pasta salad recipe is practically summer in a bowl! As you can probably tell from its name, it’s a delicious fusion of two summer favorites: pasta salad and Italian Caprese salad.

If you ask me, it’s a match made in heaven. A classic Caprese salad is bursting with fresh summer flavor, thanks to the famous combination of creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic basil. But it isn’t as packable as pasta salad, a staple at picnics and potlucks.

This easy Caprese pasta salad recipe combines the best of both. You get all the fresh flavor of a Caprese salad in a picnic-friendly pasta salad form. And it’s not just good for picnics and cookouts—I also love meal prepping this salad for a fresh summer lunch!

How to Make Caprese Pasta Salad

You can find the complete Caprese pasta salad recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:

Caprese Pasta Salad Ingredients

• Unsurprisingly, this Caprese pasta salad starts with tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella—the star ingredients in a classic Caprese salad. Cherry or grape tomatoes are best in this salad—they hold their shape and have a delicious super-sweet flavor. They go well with “ciliegine,” or cherry-size, mozzarella balls.
• I also use red onion and pecorino cheese in the salad. They add nice savory depth.
• I round it out with pasta (of course!). I think screw-shaped cavatappi are really fun here, but another short pasta like fusilli or rotini would work well too.
• A simple dressing ties it all all together. Made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice, it adds bright, tangy flavor to the salad.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

To make the salad, start by cooking the pasta. Two big tips here:

1. Cook the pasta until it’s slightly past al dente. I will always tell you to cook your pasta just until al dente when you’re making a hot pasta dish. But for a cold pasta salad, it’s better for the pasta to be a little softer. That way, it will stay tender once it cools. (Al dente pasta would harden!)
2. After cooking, allow the pasta to cool. If you toss the hot pasta with the other salad ingredients right away, the fresh basil and onion will wilt.

While the pasta cools, make the salad dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic, grated pecorino, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Next, assemble the salad. Add the cooled pasta and toss to coat in the dressing, then add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, red onion, and basil and toss again. Top with shaved pecorino and gently toss.

Before serving, season to taste and garnish with more basil.

Enjoy!

What to Serve with Caprese Pasta Salad

This Caprese pasta salad is a great side dish for summer cookouts and picnics. Serve it with veggie burgers or black bean burgers and other summery sides like grilled corn, potato salad, and coleslaw.

I also love it for lunch. It pairs perfectly with a side of fresh fruit!

• Tip: Make this a heartier lunch salad by adding chickpeas for plant-based protein.

More Pasta Salad Recipes to Try

If you love this recipe, try one of these fresh pasta salads next: