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This grilled peach salad is THE salad of the summer! Fresh peaches sliced and grilled over a bed of arugula, with fresh burrata cheese and pine nuts. Don’t forget the homemade basil vinaigrette! This refreshing salad is perfect for a light lunch with friends or a summer dinner.
What is grilled peach salad?
This fresh summer salad features seasonal peaches grilled to smoky perfection. The char marks complement the peach’s natural sweetness for an incredible flavor combination.
These juicy grilled peaches are served on a crisp bed of greens, like spinach, kale, or arugula. (arugula is my choice!)
My recipe includes healthy fats like pine nuts, olive oil, and burrata cheese for extra deliciousness.
A bright and herby dressing pulls the entire salad together, with acidic lemon juice and red wine vinegar paired with olive oil and basil.
Why this grilled peach salad works
- Summer is a great time to test out new salad recipes. Between the heat of the sun and the abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, there are so many possibilities!
- This grilled peach salad is the perfect way to test out a delicious summer salad.
- The combination of sweetness from the grilled peaches, creaminess from the burrata cheese, and nuttiness from the pine nuts is a match made in heaven.
- Grilling the peaches on a cast iron skillet gives them gorgeous char marks and a delightful smoky flavor.
- The basil vinaigrette adds the perfect herby flavor to top it all off.
Ingredients needed
Here’s everything you’ll need for this grilled peach and burrata salad…
- Arugula
- Peaches
- Burrata cheese
- Pine nuts
- Basil leaves
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
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Ingredient Tip:
If you don’t have pine nuts, you can substitute chopped almonds or walnuts in this recipe.
How to make a grilled peach salad
Now that you have a list of everything you need, let’s get started with making this recipe for a light arugula salad with grilled peaches and burrata!
For the web story version of this recipe, click here!
Step 1: Prepare the peaches
- Pick fresh, slightly firm peaches.
- After you’ve picked out the perfect peaches for the summer arugula salad, gently rinse them under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Now, when it comes to slicing the fruit for grilling, there are two ways to properly cut peaches:
- You can cut around the pit and twist, like an avocado, then proceed to slice the peach.
- Or, for less ripe peaches that are hard to twist open around the pit, slice going around the peach (shown in the picture).
How to choose the best peaches to grill
The star of this salad! It all comes down to the freshness and ripeness of the peach. Choosing the best peaches to grill is key.
When selecting peaches for grilling, look for ones that are slightly firm and not too ripe. They should give just a bit when pressed with your finger. The skin should be unblemished and free from bruises.
If you choose a peach that is too soft, it will get too mushy on the grill.
Is there a certain type of peach that works best in this salad recipe?
You can use either a yellow or white peach for this grilled peach and burrata salad. However, yellow peaches are sweeter than white peaches, so they might be a better choice for this recipe.
Can I add different kinds of fruit to this salad?
Absolutely! Peaches are the non-negotiable stars of this dish, but other kinds of fruit can complement them.
Fresh pear, blackberries, and figs would all make a truly tasty topping for this salad.
Step 2: Grill the peach slices
- Heat up the grill to 450°F and add some oil to the grill grates. This will help keep the fruit from sticking.
- Once the grill is nice and hot, place your peach slices directly on the grates.
- Grill for about 3 minutes on each side until they are charred and have grill marks.
- Once they are finished cooking, transfer them to a plate and allow them to cool while you prepare the rest of the arugula salad.
Why should I grill the peaches?
Grilling peaches allows the sugars in the fruit to caramelize and develop a sweet and juicy texture with some added smokiness from the grill.
There are so many ways to utilize grilled peaches (my favorite way is halved with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream on top), but in a salad is my second (more healthy) favorite way.
Do I have to grill my peaches?
No, you don’t have to grill your peaches for this salad. If you’d like to skip the grilling step, simply slice them into ¼-inch thick slices and proceed with the recipe as usual.
I don’t have a grill. What do I do?
No problem. If you don’t have a grill, you can always use a grill pan on the stovetop or even roast them in the oven!
- To use a grill pan: Heat up your grill pan over medium-high heat and add some oil to prevent sticking. Place your peach slices flat on the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until they are lightly charred and have grill marks.
- To roast the peaches in the oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your peach slices on the baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through or until they are softened and lightly charred.
Can I meal-prep grilled peaches?
I wouldn’t recommend grilling these peaches far in advance. They have the best texture shortly after they’ve been grilled and cooled down. They’ll be pretty mushy if you grill them a day or more in advance.
Step 3: Make the basil vinaigrette
- Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until the basil is finely chopped.
- Taste it and add more acid (like lemon juice) if needed.
Dressing Tip:
If you’re not going to use it immediately, cover and store it in the refrigerator. Before serving, quickly whisk the vinaigrette because the oil may have separated!
What can I use in place of basil?
If you don’t have fresh basil, you can use other herbs like mint or parsley.
What’s a great substitution for red wine vinegar?
If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.
Step 4: Assemble the grilled peach salad
- Place the rinsed arugula at the bottom of your salad bowl.
- Using your hands, tear the ball of burrata cheese into 3-4 pieces. Then, place the pieces of burrata cheese on top of the arugula.
- Arrange the grilled peaches on the salad and sprinkle the pine nuts on top.
- Drizzle the basil vinaigrette over the salad and serve the leftover dressing on the side for those who want to add some more.
Flavor Tip:
To add more flavor, you can lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet.
What other type of cheese can I use in this arugula peach salad?
If you don’t have burrata cheese, you can substitute it with goat cheese, feta cheese, or mozzarella balls!
I’m not a fan of arugula. What other greens can I use as the base of the salad?
If you’re not a fan of arugula, you can also use spinach, kale, or mixed greens.
Can I make this grilled peach salad vegan?
To make this salad vegan-friendly, all you need to do is swap out the burrata cheese. In truth, this salad is totally yummy without any cheese at all. But if you’re craving that extra cheesy flavor, try a dairy-free feta or blue cheese.
This Daiya Feta Flavor Block is surprisingly close to the real thing. And if you prefer a homemade version, I’m obsessed with this tofu feta recipe from Rainbow Plant Life.
How to serve grilled peach salad
This refreshing summer salad is great served as an appetizer or light lunch on its own!
For some added protein, you can serve it with some nut and seed chicken, crispy blackened salmon, or grilled marinated flank steak to make it a whole heartier meal.
You can also enjoy this salad with grilled peaches as a side to a heavier dish like cajun shrimp pasta, smash burgers, or mushroom risotto.
Finish your summer lunch with a slice of healthy banana bread!
What are the best toppings for grilled peach salad?
The flavor profile of this salad is perfectly balanced as is, though there’s always room for yummy add-ons.
To make your dish more feeling, try toppings like:
- Fruit – Berries, pear, fig, avocado, tomatoes
- Cheese – Feta, blue, goat
- Nuts and seeds – Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, pecans
- Protein – Grilled tofu, chicken, prosciutto
- Vegetables – Red onion, cucumber, sprouts
- Herbs – Basil, mint
How to store grilled peach salad
This grilled peach and burrata salad is best served fresh and right away because of the fresh burrata cheese. The longer you let it sit, the more soggy it will become.
If you want to make it ahead of time, refrigerate all the salad components separately until you are ready to serve. Store basil vinaigrette in an airtight container for 2-3 days, just shake or whisk it before drizzling over the salad.
Love salads? Try out these other recipes:
- Snap Pea Salad With Feta and Radishes
- Fried Goat Cheese and Roasted Beet Salad
- Grilled Corn Halloumi Salad
- Melon and Prosciutto Salad
- Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad
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Grilled Peach Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Peach Salad
- 2 1/2 cups Arugula
- 2 peaches (cut into slices (see notes))
- 4 ounces fresh burrata cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts (see note)
Basil Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (packed)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
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Instructions
Basil Vinaigrette
- In a food processor add all of the vinaigrette ingredients: 1/2 cup basil, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper.
- Blend in a food processor till basil is finely chopped, taste and adjust acid if desired. If not using right away, cover and store in refrigerator (oil will separate, give a quick whisk before serving).
Peach Salad
- Turn grill on to 450F and lightly oil the grill grates, this will help keep the peaches from sticking.
- Once to temperature, place each slice of peach on the grill. Grill for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through, till peaches have grill marks. Remove from grill and set aside.
- Place arugula at the bottom of the serving dish, take your ball of burrata cheese, and tear it into 3-4 pieces with your hands. Nestle the burrata cheese into the arugula. Place your grilled peaches around the salad and scatter the pine nuts. Spoon the basil vinaigrette over the salad and serve the rest on the side for those who want extra.
Notes
Peaches:
- Selecting peaches to grill: You want the peaches to be slightly firm and not too ripe, or else they will get mushy on the grill. Avoid peaches that are bruised, wrinkled skin, or give too much when pressed, these are too ripe. The perfect grilling peach gives slightly with a gentle squeeze.Â
- How-to cut peaches: There’s two ways to cut your peach: You can cut around the pit and twist, like an avocado, then proceed to slice the peach. Alternatively, sometimes less ripe peaches are hard to twist open around the pit, so you can slice going around the peach as shown in post.
Pine nuts:
- For an extra layer of flavor, you can lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet over low/medium heat.
Making ahead/storing
- This salad is best served fresh/right away because of the fresh burrata cheese. If you want to make ahead, refrigerate all components separately until ready to serve, the burrata and basil vinaigrette will wilt the arugula.
- Store basil vinaigrette in an airtight container for 2-3 days for optimal freshness, shake or whisk to reintegrate oil.
