Description
Celebrate summer with this vibrant Summer Pasta Salad with Peach and Creamy Feta! Juicy ripe peaches, creamy avocado, tangy feta, and crisp cucumber come together in a bright lemon-oregano dressing. Tossed with your favorite short pasta, this refreshing salad is sweet, savory, and utterly delicious. Perfect for picnics, barbecues, or a light vegetarian lunch — it’s a seasonal showstopper that comes together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces short pasta (conchiglie, casarecce, rotini, or any other fun shape)
- 3 peaches or nectarines (ripe but firm), diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 cup feta, crumbled
- ⅔ cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ¼ cup olives (Taggiasche, Kalamata, Castelvetrano, or other)
- ⅓ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt + 2 twists black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced peaches, diced avocado, crumbled feta, diced cucumber, quartered cherry tomatoes, olives, and fresh basil.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
Notes
Tips: Use ripe but firm peaches so they hold their shape when tossed. For best flavor, let the salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Substitutions: Swap peaches with nectarines or mangoes. Replace feta with goat cheese or dairy-free feta. Use gluten-free pasta as needed. Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving to refresh.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: B
- Method: Cold
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: summer pasta salad, peach, feta, vegetarian, easy