Sweet peaches pair perfectly with herby basil, soft mozzarella, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a tangy balsamic dressing in this peach caprese pasta salad.
Pasta salads like this gem never go out of style in the summertime! Bonus points if peaches, caprese, AND pasta are all hanging out in the same bowl.
You’re about to be hanging out in the same bowl as well. Just you and a fork.
Yep, unfortunately for us all, this is 100% one of those salads you end up eating straight from the bowl completely unintentionally but dang if it isn’t worth every bite.
No fancy tricks or ingredients today! We’re keeping things classic with all the caprese fixins’ which means tomato, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic.
From there, we just spice things up a bit with pasta, lots of juicy peach action, a little fresh arugula, and call it a day. A very good day in salad land, that is.
This Pasta Salad features…
- Juicy peaches and cherry tomatoes
- Soft mozzarella and herby basil
- Tender pasta and leafy arugula
- A sweet and tangy balsamic dressing
Making the Pasta Salad
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Dried oregano
- Olive oil
- Pasta
- Mozzarella
- Peaches
- Cherry tomatoes
- Arugula
- Basil
Choosing Pasta Shape
This salad works great with a variety of pasta shapes! I typically like to go with a short cut of pasta to make it easier to eat such as farfalle (bowties), spiral, shells, rigatoni, or cavatappi.
Tips for Perfect Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta in salted water – make sure you salt your water very well (salty like the sea is a good rule of thumb) as this will add lots of flavor to the pasta.
- Rinse pasta in cold water – this will quickly cool the pasta and stop the cooking process.
- Choose ripe yet slightly firm peaches – this will give you a burst of peach in every bite that’s sweet, yet not so ripe that it will turn mushy.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this salad.
- Use a different fruit – try nectarines, plums, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries.
- Try a different cheese – sharp cheddar, gouda, burrata broken into pieces, goat cheese, or feta would be great substitutes for the mozzarella.
- Use a bottled dressing – if you want to speed along prep for this salad, skip the homemade recipe and use 3/4 cup bottled balsamic dressing instead.
- Add meat – add a few handfuls of grilled or roast chicken to salad.
Storing Instructions
This salad stores well in refrigerator up to 4 days which makes it great for bringing to cookouts or any type of potluck gathering.
If storing salad for longer than a few hours before serving, I recommend waiting to add the basil and arugula until just before serving as these ingredients tend to wilt and brown the longer they sit in the salad.
All the flavors in this pasta salad just compliment each other brilliantly! The herbiness from all that fresh basil paired with the sweet peaches, juicy tomatoes, and soft mozzarella works like a charm and the balsamic dressing pulls in just the right amount of tangy acidic flavors.
Definitely one of those salads you’ll end up getting a host of recipe requests for, just be warned!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Watch this pasta salad made step-by-step on Google web stories.
More pasta salads to try next!
Peach Caprese Pasta Salad
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
Balsamic Dressing
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta Salad
- 1 lb pasta (penne, cavatappi, spiral, etc.)
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella (pearls or a ball cut into 1/4-inch cubes)
- 3 medium peaches, pitted and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup firmly-packed arugula
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Balsamic Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk balsamic, mustard, honey, and oregano. Slowly drizzle in olive oil whisking constantly until dressing is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta, rinse in cold water to cool, and place in a large bowl.
- Add mozzarella, peaches, cherry tomatoes, arugula, basil, and balsamic dressing to pasta and toss well until evenly coated. Season salad with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply