Farmers’ Market Pasta Salad

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Fresh-from-the-Farmers’ Market Pasta Salad is the answer to ‘what’s-for-dinner?’ with summer’s bounty from local farm stands or your own garden. Fresh, light, and on our summer rotation of easy meals for the summer!

You can adjust your ingredients for what’s in season or what you like.

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My June issue of Southern Living Magazine yielded a bumper crop of delicious recipes to try this summer! I bookmarked Farmers’ Market Pasta Salad to return to, timed with a visit to one of our local Farmers’ Markets when peaches were in season.

We are lucky to have a choice of two local Farmers Markets nearby to visit for garden fresh ingredients, one of our favorite Saturday morning pastimes.

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Don’t forget to bring your Radio Flyer wagon :)

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Part of the appeal of the Farmers’ Market

for me is the bounty of fresh flowers.

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This pasta salad is a quick-fix with a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store! I cook my pasta ahead, toss with the vinaigrette while warm for additional flavor, and refrigerate until I’m ready to put everything together. It will keep several days in the fridge and is great to pull out for lunch.

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Farmers’ Market Pasta Salad

Peaches seem like an unlikely addition to this pasta salad with zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper and corn, but they make the salad!

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Ingredients

2 cups halved baby heirloom tomatoes

2 small zucchini, thinly sliced into half moons

1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1 cup diced firm, ripe fresh peaches (about 2 medium)

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (I used 1/4 cup diced red onion instead)

Parmesan Vinaigrette

1 (8-oz.) package penne pasta (I used rotini)

2 cups shredded chicken

1/3 cup torn fresh basil

1/3 cup torn fresh cilantro

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Toss together veggies and peaches with vinaigrette in a large bowl, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking the pasta al dente (1 or 2 minutes shorter than package directions specify) so it holds its shape when tossed with the vegetables and vinaigrette.

Add hot cooked pasta and chicken to tomato mixture; toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving platter, and top with basil and cilantro.

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Parmesan Vinaigrette

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

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Preparation

Process Parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, pepper, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add basil and cilantro; pulse 5 or 6 times or just until blended.

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Parmesan Vinaigrette is a great dressing!

It’s similar to our favorite go-to bottled dressing, Newman’s Own Parmesan & Roasted Garlic that we use on our Orzo Salad in a Jar.

If you’re in a hurry, it would be a great substitution and you can add your basil and cilantro to the salad, instead of the dressing.

Farmers Market Flowers
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This would be a great salad to transport

in a jar and take along on a picnic too!

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You can find a printable recipe for Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad, courtesy of Southern Living, HERE.

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Hope you’re enjoying the bounty of the season!

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Thank you for your visit!

  41 comments for “Farmers’ Market Pasta Salad

  1. August 7, 2013 at 6:49 am

    You have one of the best blogs ever. Have I ever told you that? There’s such a variety here. I’m pinning this, but I’m doing to to my “secret” recipe board so I can spring it at a luncheon club and my luncheon club ladies won’t see it ahead of time. I’m sneaky like that.

  2. Sharon Howard
    August 7, 2013 at 7:14 am

    I feel like I have just been to a wonderful farmers market this rainy morning in Michigan! The recipe sounds wonderful can’t wait to make it!

  3. August 7, 2013 at 7:22 am

    Yummy! I love the idea of using rotisserie chicken in a salad!!! This is the perfect salad for a jar!!!! LOVE farm markets!

  4. Franki
    August 7, 2013 at 7:27 am

    This sounds good and I’m just eating breakfast!! franki

  5. August 7, 2013 at 8:34 am

    I love that there are so many wonderful Farmers Markets in our state…I love it when the peaches are in season…I use them in everything…Rotisserie chicken?..I make a chicken salad from it and have never gone back to making it the other way!…so easy and flavorful…your pics are stunning Mary…and I love the cute Farmers Market signs!! Have never been to Davidson…need to put that on our NC road trip list!

  6. Rettabug
    August 7, 2013 at 8:40 am

    Summer’s bounty at its best! I’ve never had peaches in a pasta salad before…very unusual but it looks AWESOME!
    We FINALLY got some Southern peaches up here last week. Soooo much better than the ones from elsewhere.
    Magnificent photos, Mary…they just make me want to jump through the computer…with a fork in my hand!!!!! LOL

  7. paula
    August 7, 2013 at 8:49 am

    ~Mary~
    Looks so good, I could eat that right now for breakfast!!
    The Farmers Market sign looks so inviting, I bet its a nice place to go to! The flowers are so very pretty and would look lovely on the table with this colorful salad!
    Have a good day
    Paula
    In.

  8. August 7, 2013 at 9:05 am

    Your recipes always hit the perfect spot! It’s what’s on the menu this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing. xo marlis

  9. Kim
    August 7, 2013 at 10:46 am

    Such a cute farmer’s market and I love your photos. Of course I always do.

  10. August 7, 2013 at 10:59 am

    Your farmer’s market looks like a great place to visit and shop. The pasta salad looks so colorful and full of fresh ingredients. I love fruit in salads and packing it in a jar for a picnic makes it totable and fun. Thanks for the yumminess, Mary. xo

  11. August 7, 2013 at 11:02 am

    Oh no, you have me absolutely drooling! The peaches! Never would have thought to add those to a pasta salad although I love them in a green salad. Your salad looks like it literally bursts with summer flavor…I can see that I won’t be able to concentrate until I go to the local farmers market today…we will have this for dinner tonight! Thanks for another great recipe idea,
    Jenna

  12. August 7, 2013 at 1:50 pm

    Such a gorgeous and colorful post!
    I love farmers markets and visit them quite often…we have almost 30 farmers markets on this island alone…and one of my ‘jobs’ is to write about them! Gives me chance to visit all around the island…check out all the farmers markets…meet all sorts of farmers…Love it!

    Although we have wonderful fruit available year around, I do miss good, fragrant juicy peaches!…The ones we get here are awful! Picked too early for shipping, they have no flavor and might as well be made of cardboard. I will be on the mainland (and the South!) in about a month & a week…but too late for good peaches!

  13. August 7, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    Well, first I have to say that YOUR Farmer’s Market looks ALOT nicer than the ONE near us! I am going to have to scout out some others. I Love, LOVE all the fresh produce in the summer and have been enjoying all the recipes you are posting. Your pictures are always beyond beautiful. Thanks again for another winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!! can’t wait to try this one too!!!! XO

  14. Bonnie Keearns
    August 7, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    Your Farmer’s Market is just beautiful and your blog featuring the produce is none other than fantastic. You made me hungry just reading and looking at those wonderful ingredients. I believe there’s going to be a road trip scheduled for this weekend to gather some produce to recreate that wonderful pasta salad. Keep doing what you do girl…You’re AWESOME!!

  15. August 7, 2013 at 6:24 pm

    Sounds like a great place to visit and a very tasty and healthy meal Mary! I love the shot of the colorful zinnias all lined up:@)

  16. August 7, 2013 at 7:29 pm

    Mary, adding peaches to a pasta salad is a new one on me but it sounds delicious! We’re still getting some tomatoes from the garden, especially cherry tomatoes so I will try your recipe this weekend. The dressing sounds scrumptious!

  17. August 7, 2013 at 8:45 pm

    That farmers market pasta salad looks so wonderful, (pretty good photos, I might add) all of the fruit and vegetables look so delicious…I have been wanting to make a peach cobbler and those peaches look like just the inspiration I need..Thanks for sharing all the wonderful menus…love the post and your blog…would love for you to come on over for a visit…

  18. August 7, 2013 at 9:32 pm

    wonderful, i have been up to my eye balls in produce, your post was perfect timing for all my senses. gorgeous photography goes a long way for me~

    i went and bot more antique fruit crates from the 30s today, some still have their original torn and tattered colored labels, just came online to start researching them, love love love all things fresh and homegrown… even when you have to buy them! the recipe is wonderful, but you could make shoelaces look tantalizing ;-)

  19. August 7, 2013 at 9:52 pm

    Oh yum…this looks like such a delicious summer meal! (And what beautiful pictures!) This would be great to link up to my Create It Thursday post…it’s live now!

    Leslie @ Lamberts Lately

  20. August 8, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    At the moment I am exhausted and wish this were waiting for me after a long day of trekking in Iceland.

  21. August 8, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    Had to pin this – looks so worth trying! Beautiful pictures, as usual :)

  22. August 8, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    The pasta salad looks yummy, but those bouquets of flowers are what make me smile. I hope to pick some fresh bouquets tomorrow. A local flower farms brings in flowers once a week to a local grocery. I’m hoping for zinnias.

  23. August 9, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    Love, love, love farmers markets! And pasta salads! Stop by my Friday’s Five Features and link up this post (and others)! http://diy-vintage-chic.blogspot.com/2013/08/fridays-five-features-no-3.html

  24. August 9, 2013 at 6:43 pm

    Such a pretty post, Mary! I get so sidetracked by the pretty flowers (especially the roses) at our market that I forget to look at the delicious fruits and veggies!

    Enjoy your weekend. I hope you’re able to go boating. I have a houseful of teenagers, so I hope it doesn’t rain this weekend. (We’re @ the lake cabin this weekend.)

    xo,
    RJ

  25. Amy Kellesvig
    August 10, 2013 at 11:10 am

    What a gorgeous blog!!! Can’t wait to see more of it. I am going to follow you on pintererst now and have pinned this receipe. I’m going to make it for my son’s 8th birthday party with family. I know it will be a huge hit!

  26. August 10, 2013 at 11:02 pm

    Mary, This is prefect timing! I went to our Farmer’s Market today and bought peaches and squash. I have a few other ingredients and plan to try this tomorrow! Your pictures are amazing. Dianne

  27. Pondside
    August 11, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    The colours of the farmers’ markets always attract me. This all looks so good, but its the Parmesan Vinaigrette that will get me into the kitchen! This salad looks like a great choice for taking to work for lunch.

  28. August 11, 2013 at 2:20 pm

    The farmer’s markets looks wonderful, so many fresh veggies, fruits and pretty flowers. Your pasta salad looks delicious. So colorful and pretty. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Have a happy week ahead!

  29. August 11, 2013 at 3:46 pm

    Absolutely gorgeous photos! IT all looks so healthy and yummy!

  30. August 11, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    How yummy! Nothing tastes as good as fresh! We are getting the best Southern peaches this year! Happy Mosaic Monday!

  31. August 11, 2013 at 6:52 pm

    This looks and sounds so good and also good for you. Some of the ingredients, I would have never guessed putting together, but I am thinking that I must try this. I also have never seen purple Okra before…that also looked very good. I adore roasted baby Okra~

  32. Lavender Cottage
    August 11, 2013 at 8:17 pm

    Thank you for sharing the recipes and photos of your salad, it sounds delicious. I just happen to have some peaches I can use.

  33. Valerie
    August 12, 2013 at 8:18 am

    I love the offerings at this time of the year at the Farmers Markets. Everything is fresh and colourful. The salad looks devine and your photos just make me want to reach in and grab a plate. Valerie

  34. debrapugh
    August 12, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    I’ll be going to our farm market within a day or so / will have to try something like this : )

  35. Judy P
    August 27, 2014 at 7:28 am

    It’s seems somewhat silly to comment since I can’t seem to think of anything original that others have not already said but compliments are always welcome, I guess. Your pictures are gorgeous.The composition is inspired. You are extremely talented apparently in both cooking and photography. Love your blog. I look forward to it and HP must love you since I’ve spent oodles of money on paper & ink to print your recipes. Thanks so much

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