Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Peaches

This peach pasta salad recipe uses fresh peach slices, sweet corn, juicy grape tomatoes, pine nuts, and your favorite pasta for a bright, light, and refreshing summer salad. Boil the noodles, assemble your produce, and toss it in a simple homemade dressing, and you’re done! It’s easy, quick, and just what a hot summer day calls for. 

 

The Perfect Summer Side Dish Has Arrived

When that time of year hits, I can’t help but put peaches in everything! The tangy vinaigrette dressing, made with garlic and white balsamic vinegar, combines with the sweetness of the peaches for a super flavorful bite. Try using spiral pasta so that the salad dressing gets caught in the nooks and crannies, go with something fun!

Toss everything together in a large serving bowl for parties or store in small mason jars to snack on throughout the week. There’s no mayo making it perfect for picnics or outdoor gatherings. (Refreshing for a snack at the pool)

While simple, the fresh summer peaches and pine nuts make this salad seem much fancier than it is. This makes it a tasty option for special occasions and weeknight dinners alike. It’s great alongside grilled favorites like pork loin, skirt steak, or bbq chicken for your next cook-out. 

What I love about this summer peach salad recipe, and most pasta salad recipes, is its versatility. While this is already a perfect side dish, you could add crispy prosciutto and crumbled feta cheese. The saltiness would add a delicious contrast to the sweet peaches. Or try adding some grilled chicken and make it a meal.

Get ready to have every pasta salad lover beg for the recipe! Let me know what you think in the comments below. 

How To Choose The Best Peaches

Peach season has arrived! Whether you visit your local grocery store or hit the weekend farmers markets, picking the perfect peach is a critical life skill. Use your nose, if it doesn’t smell like a peach, keep searching for one that does.

Pro Tip: Learn how to ripen peaches once you’ve brought them home.

Why You Should Put Fresh Peaches In Your Pasta Salad

• Perfect Recipe – A few seasonal ingredients and pantry staples turn into something tasty and filling and it gets even better as it sits overnight in the fridge.
• Everyday Salad – Super light and refreshing, this salad is great for meal prep and is easy enough to whip together whenever you need a quick and easy meal. 
• Customizable – You can easily add in fresh herbs, baby arugula or spinach, and other veggies to bulk up the salad and make it your own. 

Ingredients For Peach Pasta Salad

SALAD

Pasta – This time around, I used Campanelle pasta. It has a fun shape, and the dressing gets into every nook and cranny.  You can also use bowtie or cavatappi pasta here! 

Produce – Peaches – they should be ripe but still on the firm side, cherry tomatoes, and fresh corn, please!

Pine Nuts – They add a nice crunch and have a creamy buttery taste. You can leave them out or try adding cashews for a similar texture and flavor!

DRESSING

White Balsamic Vinegar – It has a more subtle, floral, and tangy flavor than traditional Balsamic. You can use Champagne Vinegar here too!

Produce – Garlic and red onion. 

Pantry Staples – honey, olive oil and mustard.

How to Make the Perfect Summer Salad

Step One: Cook Pasta

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Remove and drain, and let cool slightly. 

Step Two: Prep Veggies

Cut cherry tomatoes in half and add them to a large bowl. Add peeled and chopped peaches. Remove corn from the cob and add it to the bowl, mixing to combine. 

Step Three: Make Dressing

There’s no need to chop that garlic and onion! Just throw them right into the food processor with the vinegar, honey, and mustard. Process until the onion and garlic are finely chopped, then slowly pour in the olive oil while it’s running. Salt and pepper to taste.

Step Four: Toss Salad

While the pasta is still warm, add it to the peaches, tomatoes, and corn and stir to combine. Pour the dressing over and mix it all up. If serving later, reserve some of the dressing to pour over right before serving. 

A Few Recipe Notes

• Slice peaches into fairly large chunks. I recommend around 1 ½ inch pieces. Feel free to peel or not peel them!
• You can substitute frozen corn for the fresh corn on the cob. It’ll have a similar texture!
• Add a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley to the final dish before serving.

If you like fresh yellow peaches with savory flavor, try adding them to baked taquitos or pork chops. If you’re looking for more of a sweet treat, these peach streusel muffins are just what you need. 

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.