Summertime is salad time! I always like to eat fresh, colorful, and green salads in ever-changing creations. But especially in summer, sometimes there’s nothing better than a tasty salad. And this summer salad with grilled peaches is perfect for the longest days of the year.
Summer Salad with Grilled Peaches: A Wonderfully Fruity-Spicy Mix
This salad seems to be made for summer combining all the power of leafy greens with fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, and a light, quick dressing.
The stars of this recipe are, of course, the peaches. For this salad you’ll need to cut them into small pieces and remove their pits. Then you’ll briefly pan fry them, which will add a wonderfully rich element to makes this a signature element. Grilling the peaches for a few minutes will not only intensify the fruit’s natural aroma, but bring out their inherent sweetness. The heat will caramelize the fruit’s sugar and condense their juiciness at the same time. Ergo, they become all the more fragrant and flavorful. It’s no wonder we had to include peaches in this recipe’s name!
Sweet peaches make for a delicious contrast to the mild acidity of the spicy vinaigrette. The crunchy cucumber and fruity cherry tomatoes will give the whole thing a little bite, while the arugula and spinach add a subtly tart note. Topped with toasted walnuts and some crumbled feta, our summer salad with grilled peaches is a beautiful mosaic of flavors.
If you don’t want to use any animal products, just replace the feta with a vegan alternative. It’s a simple swap that will taste just as delicious. You can not only prepare this salad as a light summer dish, but also as a side dish for grilling or pack it for your next picnic. It always looks good, especially when you can enjoy it in the sun.
At Scrumdiddlyumptious, we provide you with delicious recipe ideas every day. Our homey homemade herb baguettes will have you falling in love. Our chickpea salad with sundried tomatoes promises summer romance. Plus, our strawberry chutney is a surprsinignly versatile sauce.
Summer Salad with Grilled Peaches
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3 ripe peaches
- 1 tsp neutral vegetable oil
- 1 cucumber
- 1 avocado
- 1 green onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or vegan alternative
For the vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp coarse-grained mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the peaches and remove their pits. Cut into wedges. Over a medium heat, preferably a grill pan, cook the wedges for 2-3 minutes until lightly caramelized and grill marks appear.
- Meanwhile, peel the cucumber and cut it into slices. Pit the avocado and dice it.
- Wash the green onion and cherry tomatoes. Cut the green onion into thin rings and halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Wash the arugula and spinach, spin them both dry.
- Coarsely chop the pumpkin seeds. Without any oil, toast the seed in a pan until they are lightly browned and fragrant.
- For the vinaigrette, combine olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place all prepared ingredients in a large bowl and pour the vinaigrette over them. Stir everything well.
- Serve the salad on plates topped with the peach wedges and crumbled feta.