Easy Peach Caprese Pasta Salad
Looking for the ultimate summer side dish? This Easy Peach Caprese Pasta Salad recipe is a must-try! It’s made from a few simple ingredients and tastes incredible. Plus, the entire recipe comes together in under 20 minutes too.
Simply wash and slice all your fruits and vegetables, then toss them with some cooked al dente orecchiette pasta and homemade red wine vinaigrette. It’s that easy! Plus, the fresh seasonal yellow peaches really take this caprese pasta salad to the next level. I can guarantee your family will fall in love with this simple summer side dish.
If you love pasta salad try my Creamy Street Vegetable Pasta Salad or this fresh Peach Tomato Orzo Pasta Salad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make. You only need a few simple ingredients and 20 minutes to make this recipe.
- Fresh and flavorful. The ripe peaches take this dish to the next level.
- Perfect to prep ahead of time. This recipe is great to make ahead of time. However, I would only add the dressing once you’re ready to serve. Otherwise the pasta can soak it all up!
Recipe Ingredients
- Pasta – You’ll need 6-8 ounces of cooked orecchiette pasta. Al dente is best. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Peaches – This recipe calls for 4 ripe peaches. White or yellow will work fine.
- Cheese – You’ll need mozzarella pearls for this recipe.
- Vegetables – This pasta salad calls for fresh tomatoes, cucumber and shallots.
- Seasoning – Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
- Basil – garnish with fresh basil leaves or torn basil.
- Dressing – Combine extra virgin olive oil with red wine vinegar, honey, dried oregano, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Whisk until well combined.
White vs. Yellow Peaches
For this easy caprese pasta salad I added ripe white peaches. White peaches are lower in acid than yellow peaches, so they always taste sweet whether they are perfectly ripe or not. Whereas, yellow peaches are higher in acid, they require more time to ripen before they’ll taste sweet. That said, some feel that yellow peaches have more of a peach flavor! You can use whatever peach you enjoy most.
Variations
Add some protein. Add grilled chicken or fish for an extra pop of protein.
Swap the herbs. If you’re not a fan of basil, you can try fresh mint or chives instead.
How to Make
Boil the Pasta
- Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package. Al dente is best. Drain the water, drizzle the pasta with extra virgin olive oil and set the pasta aside to cool.
Assemble
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced ripe peaches, diced cucumber, halved mozzarella pearls, halved cherry tomatoes, cooled cooked pasta, diced shallots, kosher salt, and few turns cracked black pepper. Add the dressing and gently toss to combine the ingredients.
- Top with fresh basil leaves and enjoy.
Storage
- Store this pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store any extra dressing separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days. Enjoy chilled with your favorite protein for a fun and healthy twist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try my Juicy Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts, or my Greek Chicken Souvlaki.
Yes! However, only add the dressing once you’re ready to serve this dish! Also store it covered in the refrigerator until it’s time to eat!
Other Pasta Salad Recipes to Consider Trying
Easy Peach Caprese Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 pasta pot
Ingredients
Easy Caprese Pasta Salad
- 6-8 ounces orecchiette pasta, cook al dente, once drained, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ripe peaches, skin on optional, white or yellow peaches
- ½ cup mozzarella pearls, halved
- ¾ cup English cucumber, core and dice small
- ¼ cup shallots, finely diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- pinch kosher salt, to taste
- few turns cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons basil leaves
Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
- pinch kosher salt, to taste
- few turns cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Boil the Pasta
- Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package. Al dente is best. Drain the water, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and set the pasta aside to cool.
Assemble
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced ripe peaches, diced cucumber, halved mozzarella pearls, halved cherry tomatoes, cooled cooked pasta, diced shallots, kosher salt, and a few turns cracked black pepper. Add the dressing and gently toss to combine the ingredients. Top with fresh basil leaves and enjoy.
One Comment on “Easy Peach Caprese Pasta Salad”
I didn’t really know what to expect with this combination, but I was blown away by how good this was. My husband put a little balsamic glaze drizzle on his. We have enough left over so a small dinner salad and I will be doing that on mine tonight.