Tortellini Pasta Salad with Grilled Peaches (Video)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

This Tortellini Pasta Salad is made with fresh grilled summer peaches, crispy fried pancetta, a deliciously sweet and tart white balsamic vinaigrette and topped with chopped pistachios and dollops of ricotta cheese. And it only takes about 20 minutes to make....

This recipe was originally posted in July 2018. It has been updated for content, photos and to add a video. 

Seriously though. This salad is so freakin' delicious guys. Cheesy tortellini, dollops of ricotta cheese, sweet and juicy grilled peaches, crispy bits of pancetta all drizzles in an amazing white balsamic vinaigrette....

Guys, you NEED this salad in your life. This is what life is about. This IS LIFE.

This is the summer salad of all salads. The boyfriend and I are just in love with this salad. And we are avid meat eaters, so that is saying a lot. It's so perfect on a hot day, and would be awesome to bring to a BBQ!

**You'll also LOVE this Israeli Couscous Salad and/or this Strawberry Spinach Salad.

Ingredients

Most of the ingredients can be easily found in your local grocery store, or purchased on Amazon using the links below (affiliate links - I earn a small commission if you buy through these links)

• Pancetta- Made from pork belly and cured with salt, this is similar to bacon without the smoky flavor.
• Pistachios- They add a crunchy texture to the salad and let's be real, pistachios are delicious!
• Honey- I like to buy honey from local stands, but this is a good store bought honey too.
• White balsamic vinegar- different than plain white vinegar, white balsamic vinegar has a mildly sweet flavor.
• Olive oil- use a good quality olive oil for any recipe.
• Ricotta cheese - The richness of the cheese balances the acidity of the dressing.

And guys, it's totally peach season so get out there and get you some peaches! Slicing them in half and grilling them really brings out their sweet flavor and juiciness.

Why This Recipe Works

1. The sweetness of the peaches, richness of the ricotta and tortellini, saltiness of the pancetta and acidity of the vinaigrette offer the perfect flavor combo.
2. The salad is super easy to make, perfect for bringing to a BBQ or serving at your own BBQ.
3. Grilling the peaches really brings out their flavor and sweetness.
4. The pancetta adds the perfect amount of salty deliciousness to the salad.
5. The ricotta cheese is optional, but balances the dish perfectly - plus ricotta cheese is incredible.
6. Pistachios add a crunchy texture to the salad, while also offering amazing flavor.

Step By Step Instructions

The salad is very easy to piece together. We grill the peaches, cook the tortellini and pancetta and make the dressing. Toss it all together at the end and you've got the world's best salad (maybe not the BEST, but you get my drift).

**Check out the video below showing you how to put the salad together

How to Grill Peaches

Once you heat your grill to medium heat (about 350-400 degrees) place the peaches, flesh side down, on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until it is soft and has grill marks.

Remove and let cool before slicing. Read this article on How to Grill Peaches from The Kitchn for more information on grilling peaches. 

Next, place the pancetta in a skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp. Remove from heat and drain the fat. Guys, keep the fat! This stuff is so awesome for cooking with.

While the pancetta is cooking, cook the tortellini according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside until we assemble the salad.

How to Make White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Add ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until all ingredients are combined in a dressing. It does not get any easier.

Place the pasta in a large bowl and add the pancetta, sliced grilled peaches and pistachios.

Pour the white balsamic vinaigrette over the top and mix, preferably with your hands to keep from crushing the pasta.

Serve with dollops of ricotta cheese. Now the ricotta cheese isn't mandatory, but really guys, why would you not want it?? It adds the perfect amount of decadence to this grilled peach tortellini salad.

Expert Tips

1. Make sure to buy more firm peaches for grilling (not unripe, just not too soft). Extra ripe peaches are more likely to burn.
2. Put as little or as much ricotta cheese as you'd like. The serving in the recipe is just a suggestion.
3. You can use a flavored white balsamic vinegar to add extra oomph to your vinaigrette. I like using a grapefruit white balsamic vinegar personally.
4. Make sure the pancetta get nice and crisp - it works better in the salad is it is crispy.
5. While I love pistachios, you can substitute sunflower seeds, toasted chickpeas, or croutons to get the same crunchy texture.
6. I recommend mixing the salad with your hands so you don't crush the peaches or tortellini.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What's the difference between pancetta and bacon? Bacon is typically brined and smoked, while pancetta is usually cured and seasoned with salt, pepper, herbs and spices. Pancetta is usually rolled in a casing, while bacon is cut in slabs.
2. Can I substitute bacon for pancetta? For this recipe, yes you can. Bacon has a smokier flavor than pancetta, but that flavor will work fine for this grilled peach tortellini salad.
3. Is there a difference between white vinegar and white balsamic vinegar? White balsamic vinegar is sweeter, and will continue to sweeten when cooked. White vinegar has a more sour, bitter taste, that continues to sour as it cooks for a more "vinegar" taste. White vinegar should not be substituted for white balsamic vinegar.
4. What can be used in place of white balsamic vinegar? You can substitute apple cider vinegar in a 1:1 ratio, or red wine vinegar in a 1:1 ratio plus ½ tsp. of sugar for each tbsp. of red wine vinegar used. For this recipe, I HIGHLY recommend using white balsamic vinegar.
5. Can I make tortellini pasta salad the day before? This salad can definitely be made a day ahead. Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the vinaigrette and ricotta cheese in a bowl with a lid and store int he fridge overnight. When you're ready to serve it, drizzle it with the vinaigrette and dollop on the ricotta cheese.
6. Does pasta salad need to be refrigerated? This pasta salad should be refrigerated when storing it. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

Serving Options

Make it a whole BBQ meal and serve it with these other dishes - your guests are sure to be impressed!

• Serve it with these Instant Pot BBQ Ribs or these Thai Grilled Cornish Game Hens;
• Jamaican Jerk Eggplant Skewers or Grilled Summer Squash are a great accompaniment;
• These Grilled Fruit Kebabs are a refreshing before or after dinner treat;
• Finish your BBQ off with this Homemade Strawberry Shortcake or stay with the peach theme and make this awesome Peach Cobbler Recipe.

More Summer Salads

• Strawberry Spinach Salad;
• Blackened Shrimp Salad;
• Israeli Couscous Salad;
• Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad;
• Browse ALL the Salad Recipes!!

Ways to Use Tortellini

• Creamy Shrimp Scampi Tortellini;
• This Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce from Culinary Hill sounds incredible;
• Tortellini Pasta Carbonara from The Chunky Chef;
• Ultra comforting Baked Tortellini in Meat Sauce from Dinner at the Zoo.

Did you make this grilled peach tortellini pasta salad? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!