Serves 4
25 min
Summertime Macaroni Salad with Chèvre and Grilled Peaches
Recipe GLPR4fa39b7fd8adf7
A bright, herbaceous pasta salad featuring tender orzo tossed with juicy grilled peaches, creamy chèvre, fresh herbs, and pistachios. The peaches are marinated in a honey-balsamic glaze before grilling to develop charred edges and concentrated sweetness, then combined with the cooled pasta and finished with crumbled chèvre, parsley, and spearmint. Perfect as a refreshing summer side dish or light main course.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
3 freestone yellow peaches
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt to taste
10 ounces orzo pasta
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup fresh spearmint, chopped
1/3 cup roasted pistachios, chopped
6 ounces chèvre cheese (Humboldt Fog or similar), rind removed and crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Gently rub the peaches with a damp paper towel to remove any surface fuzz, being careful not to soak them as they absorb water easily. Using a sharp knife, cut each peach in half lengthwise along its natural crevice, working around the pit. Remove and discard the pits.
Place the peach halves in a resealable bag and add the honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt. Seal and toss gently to coat evenly. Let the peaches marinate for 10 minutes, reserving the marinade.
While the peaches marinate, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain through a colander and set aside to cool slightly.
Heat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Remove the peach halves from the marinade, reserving the liquid, and place them cut side down on the grill. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until they are tender and develop attractive dark grill marks. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo, chopped grilled peaches, reserved marinade, parsley, spearmint, and pistachios. Toss gently to mix all ingredients together.
Taste the salad and season with additional sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Add the crumbled chèvre and toss just once or twice, mixing only enough to combine without melting the cheese. Serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh parsley if desired.
