Enjoy this peach pasta salad without tomatoes as a fun summer side salad for outdoor dining or as picnic food! With sweet fresh juicy peaches, creamy mozzarella and peppery arugula, it's full of flavor and so easy to make!
Have a peek at my peach corn salad for another fresh summer salad idea!
Quick and easy salad recipes are just the thing for summer lunches, BBQs and picnics, don't you think? This peach arugula pasta salad joins my stone fruit caprese as a fun recipe combining fresh cheese, sweet fruit and fragrant basil leaves.
It's so easy to make this recipe with easy to find, affordable ingredients. Peaches are such a favorite of readers here come summer, so be sure to pick fresh sweet juicy ones to make this pasta salad!
For more easy salad recipes for BBQs and picnics, do check out my easy to make pesto orzo salad and my apple and kale slaw!
This recipe was updated on March 5, 2024 with an amended recipe, new tips and photos. Please note that it is no longer gluten free, unless using gluten free pasta.
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Summer flavors! Juicy peaches, creamy cheese and fragrant basil are perfect summer ingredients to make a flavorful salad.
Affordable ingredients. All the ingredients are easy to find in stores, and some are pantry staples.
Simple recipe. No complicated steps. We just cook some pasta and dice fruit and veggies!
🍑 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Peaches - of course, pick sweet juicy fresh peaches for the best sweetness!
- Pasta - I like to use orzo pasta, but you can also use fusilli, bow tie pasta or a gluten free pasta of choice.
- Cheese - we use a fresh mozzarella ball for this recipe.
- Basil leaves - of course use fresh basil leaves and not dried!
- Arugula - this gives a nice peppery flavor.
📖 Swaps and variations
Use pasta of choice. If required, use a gluten free pasta.
Swap mozzarella for another cheese. If it is suitable for you, goat's cheese will work so well in this peach pasta salad.
Swap apple cider vinegar. You can use white distilled vinegar (scores 0 on the SIGHI list), or if vinegar doesn't work for you, fresh pomegranate juice can be used. You will get a pink salad though!
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this peach pasta salad is super simple, uses basic ingredients and is perfect for summer BBQs and as picnic food!
All the instructions are set out in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: De-stone peaches
Slice your peaches into halves and remove the stones. Then use a sharp knife to dice your peaches into slices. Dice the English cucumber and tear basil leaves into small pieces (image 1).
Step 2: Cook pasta
Cook your pasta of choice in salted water according to package instructions (image 2). Drain, then set aside to cool. I like to drizzle a touch of olive oil over the pasta to help prevent it from sticking together.
Step 3: Make basil dressing
Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, honey, diced basil leaves, salt and optional black pepper to make a dressing (image 3).
Step 4: Make the peach pasta salad
Combine the cooled cooked pasta, mozzarella cheese, arugula, English cucumber, peach slices, basil leaves and toss through the dressing to serve (image 4).
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Make sure to use fresh juicy peaches for the best sweetness!
- Let the pasta cool before combining with the other ingredients so it doesn't heat the cheese, fruit or veggies.
- Adjust the amount of garlic in the dressing to taste, and use the amount of dressing you prefer.
- If arugula doesn't work for you, then kale or lamb's lettuce are both good swaps.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use regular or donut peaches. Or swap for nectarines if you prefer!
Cooked fusilli, bow-tie pasta or orzo all work well in a pasta salad.
You can add cooked shredded chicken or turkey, or perhaps pumpkin seeds or unsalted pistachios to the salad to make it more hearty.
🥗 More salads to enjoy
Whether it's for lunch or as a side dish, there are lots of fun ideas on my salads page, including my popular butternut squash and beetroot salad and these recent recipes to enjoy:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a ⭐ star rating ⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Peach Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 peaches stoned, sliced
- ½ cup English cucumber diced or sliced
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella torn into small pieces
- ½ cup arugula
- 1 cup pasta
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
For the basil dressing
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- ¼ cup basil leaves diced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ garlic clove minced or finely diced
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- De-stone the peaches and slice into small pieces. Dice the English cucumber, tear the basil leaves and tear the mozzarella ball into small pieces.
- Cook your pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Drain, then set aside to cool.
- Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, minced garlic, diced basil leaves, salt and optional black pepper.
- Combine the cheese, fruit, veggies, herbs and pasta, then toss through the basil dressing to serve.
Notes
- Make sure to use sweet juicy fresh peaches for the best flavor!
- I like to use orzo, but you can also use fusilli or bow-tie pasta.
- English cucumber doesn't need to be peeled, but you can do to preference.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be considered to be an estimate.
- apple cider vinegar and garlic, which score ‘1’.
- pasta (wheat), which scores 1 with a ? as a liberator.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
- arugula is not rated. Lamb's lettuce can be used as a swap.
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