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This is the summer pasta salad you did not know you needed until right now. Sweet, juicy peaches. Creamy, cloud-like burrata. Tender chicken, fresh basil, and fusilli pasta all tossed in a light white balsamic vinaigrette that ties every single beautiful element together. It is stunning to look at, incredibly easy to make, and tastes like pure summer on a plate!
I developed this recipe because I wanted a pasta salad that felt genuinely special — something beautiful enough to serve at a summer dinner party or backyard gathering, but also the kind of meal you can throw together on a busy Tuesday when you have no idea what to make for dinner. You know those summer days when it is too hot to cook, the kids have a game, and you just need something that works? This is that recipe. Make it earlier in the day, pack it up, and enjoy it at room temperature at the pool, at a sporting event, or straight from the fridge after a long summer afternoon.
No reheating, no stress, no last-minute scrambling — just a stunning, satisfying meal that travels beautifully and tastes incredible whenever you are ready to eat it. As a nutritionist, these are my favorite recipes to develop! We’ve been living on summer salads like my Steak Pasta Salad and Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. So easy to throw together, and doesn’t feel too hot to enjoy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Genuinely show-stopping. Golden peach slices, white creamy burrata, deep green arugula and basil — this pasta salad is one of the most beautiful things you will ever put on a table. It looks like it came from a restaurant.
- Ready in 30 minutes. Cook the pasta, make the dressing, cook the chicken, and assemble. That is it! An elegant dinner on the table in half an hour.
- High protein & satisfying. With 42 grams of protein per serving from the chicken and burrata, this is a pasta salad that genuinely fills you up. A complete summer meal!
- Perfect for entertaining. Make the pasta and dressing ahead, assemble right before serving. Zero day-of stress and maximum visual impact on the table.
- Flexible chicken options. Stovetop skillet, grill, or even leftover grilled chicken tenderloins from meal prep — all work beautifully. Use whatever you have!
How to Make This Summer Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta. Boil the fusilli in well-salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely (this stops the cooking and keeps the pasta from clumping). Toss with a small drizzle of olive oil and set aside.
- Make the white balsamic vinaigrette. Whisk together white balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified. The white balsamic is naturally sweet so no honey is needed. The dressing should be light, tangy, and just slightly sweet.
- Cook the chicken. Season chicken breasts or tenderloins with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Stovetop: cook in a hot skillet for 6 to 7 minutes per side until golden. Grill: cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes per side. Rest for 5 minutes then slice thinly on a diagonal.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl toss the cooled pasta with about two thirds of the vinaigrette. Add the arugula, peach slices, chicken, and torn fresh basil and toss gently once more.
- Top with burrata. Transfer to a large serving platter. Tear the burrata open and nestle the pieces over the salad, letting that gorgeous creamy center spill out. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over everything and finish with extra fresh basil and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips and Notes
- Chicken shortcut — Leftover grilled chicken tenderloins from meal prep work absolutely perfectly here. Just slice on a diagonal and layer over the top. Rotisserie chicken is another great shortcut that makes this salad even faster to pull together.
- White balsamic vinegar — This is the star of the dressing and worth seeking out! It is milder, sweeter, and lighter in color than regular balsamic — it keeps the dressing golden and bright rather than dark brown. Because it is naturally sweet, no honey is needed in this dressing at all. You can use traditional balsamic, but I would add in 2 tsp of honey if doing this variation.
- Burrata — Add the burrata at the very last minute right before serving and tear it open tableside if you can — that creamy center spilling out over the peaches is a genuinely dramatic and beautiful moment. Do not toss it into the pasta or it will disappear into the dressing.
- Fusilli pasta — Those tight spirals are perfect for pasta salad because they hold onto the dressing in every twist and curl. Cook it just to al dente so it does not get mushy after being tossed with the dressing.
- Making ahead – You can definitely make this earlier in the day, refrigerate, and enjoy later! Dress with only 1/2 the dressing, and add the other half, along with the burrata, just before serving.
Summer Peach and Burrata Pasta Salad with Chicken
This Summer Peach and Burrata Pasta Salad is fresh, elegant, and bursting with flavor! Fusilli pasta, juicy peaches, creamy burrata, tender chicken, and peppery arugula is tossed in a light white balsamic vinaigrette. The ultimate summer entertaining dish ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad:
- 12 oz fusilli pasta
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or tenderloins
- pinch of salt and pepper , (or seasoning of choice while cooking chicken)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 ripe fresh peaches, (pitted and sliced into thin wedges)
- 8 oz fresh burrata cheese, (two 4 oz balls)
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, (torn or chopped)
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic , (minced)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions (subracting about 1-2 minutes so the pasta is al dente). Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely. Drizzle with a splash of olive oil to avoid sticking.
- Cook the chicken (skillet or grill): Season with salt and pepper or seasoning of choice (cajun seasoning is also great here). For the stovetop skillet method: heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the chicken for 6 to 14 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. For the Grill method — preheat your grill to medium-high heat and grill for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly on a diagonal.
- Make the dressing by combining the balasmic vinegar, dijon mustard, oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a jar or bowl with a lid. Shake until completely smooth.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the pasta with about 2/3 of the dressing. Toss with peaches, arugula, torn basil, and chicken.
- Transfer the salad to a large serving platter. Add any extra chicken and basil. Tear the burrata open into about 4-5 sections and nestle pieces over the salad. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 734kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 113mg, Sodium: 461mg, Potassium: 668mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 661IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 346mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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