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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!
Caprese Pasta Salad
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 562 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved if large
- 1 shallot, chopped
- salt, pepper, and chili flakes
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 2 cups mozzarella balls (use marinated, if you can find)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 2 avocados, diced or sliced
Dressing
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup peach balsamic or balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.2. Toss the oil, butter, 3 cups tomatoes, and the shallots in a baking dish. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Bake for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes burst.3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain. 4. To make the dressing. Add any juices from the roasted tomatoes to a bowl/glass jar. To that, add all the dressing ingredients. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.5. Add the pasta to a salad bowl and toss with half the dressing. Add the roasted tomatoes, remaining fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and avocado. Pour over the remaining dressing and toss well to combine. Serve warm or cold. The salad will develop more flavor as it sits.
This post was originally published on June 9, 2025
I love this Caprese Pasta Salad. My son who is a picky eater devoured it. I made it for the 4th of July and today for a BBQ.
Hey Jenny! Thank you so much for trying out this pasta salad! Happy to hear it was a hit for the fourth of July! xT
Not a fan of the all-spice. Too sweet. Might try it without!
Hi Julie,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear the all-spice was not enjoyed.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! The only thing I did different was to add some chicken. I had no problem with the allspice in the dressing, I thought it meshed very well with the peach balsamic vinegar . I appreciate you showing how easy it is to make homemade dressings and sauces, I hardly get the store bought ones anymore!
Hey Valerienne,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe. Love to hear it turned out nicely for you! Have a nice day!
I omitted the cayenne, shallot in the dressing, and allspice due to the preferences of the people I was serving and this went over so well! Everyone loved it, though most preferred it the day after I made it so I definitely recommend making it a day ahead and serving it after!
Hey Katrina,
Fantastic!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, I appreciate you making it! xx
The dressing has so much flavor from the roasted tomatoes! Next time I make it, I’m going to roast the tomatoes & shallots ahead of time, so when the pasta is hot & ready the dressing will have the super flavors from the tomatoes & shallots!
Also, I used fig balsamic instead of peach- it was delightful! I also omitted the allspice as I did not have any on hand!
Hey Jill,
Happy Sunday!! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it! xx
Family loved it! I made it according to the recipe. Allspice blended into the taste perfectly! I paired the salad with marinated tomato basil chicken breasts diced up after I cooked them in the air fryer.
I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks Tieghan !!
Kathy
Hey Kathy,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, love to hear it was a winner! xx
I ended up making a 2nd batch of dressing without the allspice. I tasted the dressing before putting on the salad and the allspice was such a weird flavor in the dressing. Sadly had to toss out the first dressing batch but the second was good, I doubled the garlic and the basil and added salt.
Thanks so much, Georgie! Glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed without the all spice and you were able to make it to your liking! xx
Made this tonight and added chicken – so good!
Hey Mariah,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was a hit! xx
All-spice seemed really out of place here, I didn’t care for that at all. I would leave it out if making again.
Hi Jane,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear the dressing was not enjoyed. Please let me know if you make again without the all spice! xx
How much is 1 serving?
Hi Gabrielle,
I would say about a cup or so. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
For a salad this size, does the 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne mellow out a bit? Or is this a spicy pasta salad?
Hi Jennifer,
I wouldn’t say this is spicy, but you could absolutely reduce the cayenne or omit it for your liking:) I hope you love this pasta salad! xT
Looks delicious, but I’m not a big fan of allspice. Can I sub something else or leave it out?
Hi Kristina,
Feel free to leave it out, no big deal:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
The pictures with the pots/dishes balancing off the counters make me so nervous! Haha. Do you just garnish with the whole leaves of basil for the photos, or do you actually serve it like that? I just can’t imagine getting a whole forkful of basil.
Hi Kelsey,
The basil leaves are pretty small so I just left them, but of course cut them to your liking:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I’m literally running out to buy everything to make this….yummo! Will report back!
Thanks so much, I hope you love this recipe:)
I didn’t enjoy the all-spice listed under ingredients for the dressing, next time I will definitely leave that out.
Hi Kara,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear the dressing what not enjoyed! xx
Hi Tieghan,
Made this yesterday for a family barbecue and it was terrific!! I made it ahead and let it rest at room temp, added the mozzarella & extra basil before serving. Everything was marinated so wonderfully 😍 A new favorite ♡
Hey Erin,
Happy Sunday!! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it! xx
All-Spice in the dressing ingredients but not in the recipe
Hi there,
Yes, all spice is in the dressing ingredients, the recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon and it is added in step 4. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx