Grilled Peach and Blueberry Pasta Salad

  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 14 cups
  • Serving size: 2 cups
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Grilled summer peaches and blueberries in a pasta salad? Yes, please! The caramelized sweetness of the peaches contrasts nicely with the peppery bite of arugula. To prevent the peaches from sticking to the grill rack, be sure to preheat the grill for at least 20 minutes.

By Carla Christian, RD, LD,

Ingredients

  • 4 cups dried multigrain penne pasta
  • 4 firm, ripe peaches, halved and pitted
  • 3 lemons
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 5-oz. package fresh baby arugula
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 teaspoons pure maple syrup

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Chill until needed.
  • Place four peach halves, cut sides down, on grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium-high 8 minutes or until grill marks appear; cool. Cut remaining four peach halves into ½-inch pieces.
  • For dressing, remove 1 tsp. zest and squeeze ½ cup juice from lemons. In a large bowl whisk together lemon zest and juice, mustard, and garlic. Remove half of the dressing; set aside. Add pasta, chopped peaches, arugula, and blueberries to bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Top servings with grilled peach halves and drizzle with maple syrup. Pass the reserved dressing.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (2 cups): 286 calories, 62 g carbohydrates, 9.2 g protein, 1.5 g total fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 171 mg sodium, 5.7 g fiber, 18 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

Comments (10)

(5 from 6 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Kim

To add protein instead of whole-grain penne, I used chickpea spiral pasta, and it tasted just as good.

Lola

So, what’s the difference between bread and pasta? I thot we were sposed to avoid breads and other processed foods and eat more veggies 🥗 and beans, nuts and seeds.

Debbie

What protein could be added and keeping it vegan

Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support

Hi Debbie. To add heft to this salad, you could add beans—whichever are your favorite, but a mild-tasting bean such as butter beans (lima beans), cannellini pinto beans, or chickpeas might do well here. Or you could serve this salad alongside a more protein-heavy dish like veggie burgers or marinated grilled tofu. Hope you enjoy the salad!

Julie

We don't own a grill. Could I sear the peaches in a flat pan?

Megan Edwards

Hi Julie, Yes, absolutely! You could also bake them and turn on the broiler for a few minutes at the end to get them crisp and lightly browned. Let us know how it turns out!

Debbie Suniga

Questions: Can I substitute kale for arugula? And, I am following more of Dr. Esselstyn's regimen and am not adding sugar, oils and salts. Can I simply eliminate the maple syrup?

AJ

Ok, this was... interesting! With 7 ppl in my family, there were lots of opinions LOL but mostly good! My 9-yr old complained before trying it, saying he didn't like blueberries in salads. But after he finished it, he said, Not bad! My picky girls, 6- and 12-yrs, didn't like the noodles (!! ok they were brown rice noodles) and the latter said it was too lemony. My hubby liked it, surprisingly, and my 14-yr old daughter loved it, as did I. I simplified the dressing by blending up everything in the blender with the maple syrup, and poured the whole thing on the salad to mix up. I also grilled all the peaches then cut all into bite-sized pieces.

Fran

I couldn't find peaches, so I substituted pineapple. I love grilled pineapple, and it goes well with the blueberries and arugula. Loved this salad.

Linda Doepke

Thanks Fran for giving me the idea to substitute pineapple for peaches!!!

About the Author

Headshot of Carla Christian, RD, LD

About the Author

Carla Christian, RD, LD

Carla Christian received her associate’s degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America in 2006 and her bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Michigan State University in 2009. She finished her dietetic internship from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2010 and is a former chef in the Better Homes and Gardens® Test Kitchen. Find her on LinkedIn. Photo by Jason Donnelly.

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