Grilled Peach Salad with Burrata
Looking for a perfect summer salad? This Grilled Peach Salad with Burrata is delicious and features some summertime favorite ingredients. Perfect for dinner or an appetizer, this arugula salad is ready in less than 30 minutes! Makes 4 servings.
Love a summery salad? Don’t skip Chicken Spinach Salad with Apples and Strawberries and Beef Taco Pasta Salad!
Texas peaches have become one of my favorite things about the summertime, and boy, are they delicious and juicy this summer.
We’ve found a local peach orchard, thanks to a dear friend, and every year, we make the trek to get our hands on the stone fruit.
We’ve also gone blackberry picking at the same farm, which is a blast with kids.
But since I like to bring home a giant box of peaches with me whenever we go, I have to find a way to use them. And this Grilled Peach Salad is my go-to recipe for the summer… so far.
Why I love this recipe:
This Grilled Peach Salad just sings of the summertime to me, and since it’s peach season, I’ve basically got this salad on repeat.
It combines so many of my favorite ingredients and flavors into one dish—fresh peaches! Toasted pecans! Arugula! Burrata! Red onion! Homemade balsamic vinaigrette!
It’s hard not to love, and it’s an awesome vegetarian salad you can serve for dinner or as a starter. Because this recipe is perfect to serve at a backyard barbecue or any gathering that happens outdoors.
Other peach recipes you might enjoy: Peach Overnight Oats | Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Peaches | Dairy Free Peach Cobbler | Homemade Peach Compote | Mini Peach Pies
Need meal inspiration, but don’t know where to start? Head on over to my Dinner Recipe Index.
What you need to make this Grilled Peach Salad
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- A gas (or charcoal) grill or a cast iron griddle
- Tongs
- Large mixing bowl
- 8 oz. mason jar
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need:
- Ripe peaches—we don’t want them to be too ripe. If your peaches feel soft, eat those as-is because they’ll fall apart when grilling if you’re not careful.
- Arugula—I love the peppery flavor of arugula, and it stands up to the sweetness of the grilled peaches. If you don’t like arugula at all, spinach would work here, too.
- Burrata cheese—this cheese is absolutely special and decadent!And a little goes a long way. :DIf you can’t find this, feel free to use any brand of fresh mozzarella you can get your hands on.
- Red onion—this gives our salad a bit of a punch without being overwhelming. A red/purple onion is what you want here because the other varieties will be too potent.
- Toasted pecans—pecans and peaches are one of my favorite flavor combinations. While you don’t have to toast the pecans, I highly recommend doing that because it adds an extra layer of deliciousness.
- Olive oil—for brushing the peaches and for the vinaigrette
- Balsamic vinegar—this is going to give the vinaigrette an acidic pop!
- Honey—we’re just using a little bit of this to give the vinaigrette a hint of sweetness. The salad has a lot of sweet components already, so we don’t need much.
Variations for this summer salad
- Greens: I chose arugula for this salad because it adds some peppery flavors to the salad. You could easily use a box of mixed greens or some spinach if you prefer.
- Cheese: Burrata makes this salad a total dream. However, you could easily use a fresh mozzarella, feta or goat cheese, too.
- Nuts: Pecans and peaches are so good together, which is why I use them here. However, if you want to switch this up, toasted slivered almonds would be awesome. If you’re nut-free or serving this to someone with a nut allergy, leave the pecans off.
How do you make a Grilled Peach Salad?
How to make Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
In a small mason jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey. Screw on the cap, and shake until combined.
Taste, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside until later.
You can make this salad dressing days or hours in advance. It will separate, so make sure to give it a good shake before you pour it onto your burrata peach salad.
How to Grill Peaches
Preheat the grill (or a grill pan) to 400°F. If you’re using a gas grill, fire half of the burners so the peaches can cook on indirect heat. If you cook them over the flame, chances are the sugars in the peach will cause the peaches to burn.
Cut the peaches in half, removing the pits. Don’t fret about the peach skin. We’re leaving it on because it adds both color and texture.
When the grill is at temp, brush the peaches with olive oil and place them flesh side down on the grill.
Cover the grill, then rotate the peaches once the flesh gets a good char. You want to see grill marks! This should take 3-5 minutes.
Remove the peaches from the grill and slice them as they cool.
How to make Peach Burrata Salad
Once the peaches have cooled off slightly, slice them into pieces. While you’ve got out the knife, slice the burrata cheese into bite-sized pieces. Cut the red onion into thin slices, too. Set these all aside.
Add the arugula to a large bowl. Place the sliced peaches, burrata cheese and red onion on top. Add the toasted pecans, too.
Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette on top of the salad, and toss before serving immediately.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Honestly, this vegetarian salad recipe would be summer entertaining perfection.
It’s simple to put together, lots of pieces of it can be done in advance and it comes together quickly.
Here are a few tips and tricks to transforming this salad into an entertaining stunner:
- Depending on the amount of people you’re serving, you can double this recipe. You can also half it if you’re not feeding a crowd.
- Prep the ingredients in advance. Slice peaches and get ‘em ready for grilling. Cut the burrata, and chop the red onion. Toast the pecans, too. Mix the balsamic vinaigrette. Basically, we want everything ready to go once guests arrive so all you’ve got to do is grill the peaches and then throw the salad together.
- Let guests help. One of the best things about casual entertaining is involving guests. So if someone wants to help you put it together, let them!
What can I serve this Grilled Peach Salad for?
Honestly, this is the best kind of side dish for any occasion where you’re outdoors and possibly grilling because it comes together quickly, while also being super refreshing and delicious.
- A backyard barbecue
- An at-home tailgate
- July 4th/Memorial Day Weekend/Labor Day party
- A summer birthday party
Frequently Asked Questions
It should smell amazing and very peach-like! We don’t want these peaches to be overripe, so make sure the skin and flesh are still a little firm (and not super soft) so that they keep their shape while grilling.
Yes! If you can’t find burrata or don’t like it, feel free to use a fresh mozzarella. You could also use the same amount of feta or goat cheese if that’s more your speed.
Cut it down the middle from the steam to the bottom of the peach, and circle around. Pop out the peach pit, and you’re good to go.
Quick tips and tricks to the best Peach Salad
- Use the sweetest peaches you can find! To choose the best peach, give them a good sniff. If they smell nice and sweet and are firm to touch, you’re selecting a good one.
- Make sure your grill is hot enough and also clean. If the grill isn’t warm enough, the peaches could stick to the grates. While the oil will help the peaches not stick, ensuring that the grill is hot and that the grates are clean will help them be easily pulled off the grill.
- Serve the salad with the peaches warm. The combination of the warm peaches paired with the cold arugula and burrata is so delicious.
Grilled Peach Salad with Burrata
Ingredients
Salad
- 2-3 peaches ripe
- 5 oz. arugula
- 4 oz. burrata cheese
- ¼ cup red onion sliced thin
- ¼ cup pecans toasted
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ tablespoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Make the Vinaigrette
- In a small mason jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey.
- Screw on the cap, and shake until combined.
- Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
- Set aside until later.
- Grill the peaches
- Preheat the grill (or a grill pan) to 400°F. If you’re using a gas grill, fire half of the burners so the peaches can cook on indirect heat. If you cook them over the flame, the sugars in the peach will cause the peaches to burn.
- Cut the peaches in half, and remove the pits. Leave on the skins.
- When the grill is at temperature, brush the non-skin flesh of the peaches with oil. Place the oiled side down on the grill.
- Cover the grill, and grill for 2-3 minutes, until grill marks appear. Turn halfway and grill for another 1-2 minutes for more grill marks, then remove the peaches from the grill.
- Let the peaches cool for 5 minutes, then slice when still warm.
- Make the Salad
- In a large bowl, add the arugula.
- Slice the burrata cheese into bite-sized pieces, and add those on top of the arugula.
- Slice the red onion thinly, too, and add it to the salad.
- Add the toasted pecans to the salad, too.
- Finish the salad with the sliced peaches.
- Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the salad, and toss before serving immediately.
Notes
Variations of ingredients for this summer salad
- Greens: I chose arugula for this salad because it adds some peppery flavors to the salad. You could easily use a box of mixed greens or some spinach if you prefer.
- Cheese: Burrata makes this salad a total dream. However, you could easily use a fresh mozzarella instead. You could also substitute feta or goat cheese, as well.
- Nuts: Pecans and peaches are so good together, which is why I use them here. However, if you want to switch this up, toasted slivered almonds would be an awesome substitute. If you’re nut-free or serving this to someone with a nut allergy, leave the pecans off and call it a day.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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