Peach Burrata Salad
This Peach Burrata Salad has grilled peaches and luscious burrata cheese that are paired with rustic pesto croutons that you’ll want to gobble up before they even reach the table.
This Burrata Peach Salad is the perfect balance of flavor.
Since I’m not the world’s biggest fan of peaches eaten on their own or in sweet dishes, my goal this summer was to make the best savory peach dish ever.
This Burrata Peach Salad lives up to those expectations and more.
While many peach burrata salads also include tomatoes or avocado for filler, or prosciutto, this one needs no filler or meat at all.
The co-stars of this show are lots of juicy grilled peaches and luscious burrata cheese.
The supporting players are a flurry of fresh herbs, pine nuts, and a sweet-savory dressing made with honey and shallots.
The special guest star is some rustic pesto croutons which you’ll want to gobble up before they even make it onto the salad.
Why you will love this peach salad
- It’s a versatile dish that pairs well with a wide variety of main courses, like chicken or steak.
- It can also be eaten as a meatless entree with some crusty bread alongside.
- Its memorable combination of flavors will have you craving peach season each year.
What is an Italian burrata?
Burrata is a creamy Italian cheese that got its start in the Puglia region.
It’s a combination of fresh mozzarella and cream, which gives it an indulgent, rich taste. When you slice into a ball of burrata, the creamy center oozes out. It’s magical.
Peach Burrata Salad ingredients
- peaches – you want just-ripe peaches that still maintain some of their firmness. If they’re just slightly soft to the touch, they’re good.
- burrata – opt for a high-quality burrata for the best flavor and texture. If you can’t get your hands on burrata, you can use fresh mozzarella cheese.
- herbs – you can use any combination of herbs you like best. Here, I’ve used basil, oregano and thyme from my garden, but you can use just 1 or 2, or include parsley or another herb you love.
- pine nuts – these add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to the salad.
- baguette – a small chunk of baguette turns into crispy, golden croutons. Any bread that you can rip into rustic chunks will work here.
- pesto – Use our recipe for the best homemade pesto, or a high-quality store-bought pesto to add a burst of herbal flavor to the croutons.
- honey – this lends a natural sweetness to the dressing for the peaches.
- shallot – to add a mild onion flavor to the dressing.
- garlic – just one clove will add a savory kick and depth of flavor to the dressing.
- cider vinegar – this brightens the dressing and adds a tangy flavor. You can also use white wine vinegar.
- olive oil – the backbone of the dressing for the peaches.
- salt and pepper – for seasoning the salad and the dressing. I also like to sprinkle some flaky sea salt (like Maldon) over the finished salad.
Should peaches be ripe before grilling?
Yes, it’s best to use just-ripe peaches for grilling. Ripe peaches are sweeter, juicier and have a softer texture.
It’s hard to grill overripe peaches without them falling apart, so be sure they are just-ripe, erring on the less ripe side if you need to. The heat of the grill will soften any slightly firm spots.
How to make Peach Salad
- Make the croutons by toasting the torn bread in the oven, and then tossing it with pesto.
- Toast the pine nuts in a small pan on the stovetop.
- Make the dressing that goes on the peaches.
- Cut the peaches (remove the pits) and grill them until they are slightly softened.
- Cut the peaches in large slices.
- Toss the warm peaches in the dressing.
- Assemble the salad platter!
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How to serve Peach and Burrata Salad
Grab a large platter and spread the dressed peaches over the platter. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peaches from the dressing while doing this, and leave any excess dressing behind in the bowl.
Tear the burrata into rustic pieces and arrange it over the peaches. Arrange pesto croutons over salad as well.
Sprinkle salad with herbs and pine nuts. Finish with lots of salt and pepper and serve right away.
Is burrata better warm or cold?
Burrata is delicious both warm and cold, but in this peach burrata salad, the combination of warm grilled peaches and chilled burrata creates a lovely contrast of temperatures.
The temperature contrast adds to the overall depth and flavor complexity of this peach and burrata salad.
Home Chef Tips
- Customize the dressing. Add a touch of Dijon mustard for heat, or lemon juice for extra acidity.
- Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction over the finished salad for an additional layer of flavor.
- Pair with a refreshing wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Rose. The bright acidity of the wine will complement the fruity flavors of the salad perfectly.
Grilled Peach Salad storage
This salad is best enjoyed immediately after it is assembled. Once the peaches are tossed with the dressing, the salt from the dressing will begin bringing out their moisture, making them not a great option for storing for later.
So, it’s ideal to make just enough of this salad for immediate consumption, even if that means making a half batch.
Peach Salad Recipe FAQs
Personally, I don’t think this is necessary. After grilling, the skin softens and is easy to eat. However, if you prefer, you can peel your peaches before grilling.
The creamy interior of burrata is called stracciatella. It’s a mixture of cream and strands of fresh mozzarella, and has such a decadent mouthfeel and flavor.
Do not drain the water (whey) from burrata until you are just about to eat it. You want to be sure to store the burrata in its water until you’re ready to make this peach salad recipe, because it helps maintain the creaminess of the cheese.
Yes! The outer u0022shellu0022 of burrata is simply fresh mozzarella, which is meant to be enjoyed along with the stracciatella filling in this grilled peach salad.
Yes, the heat from the grill will soften peach flesh, making them juicer and more tender. So it’s important to select just-ripe peaches so they can become soft and flavorful without becoming mushy.
Grilling peaches enhances their natural sweetness by caramelizing the sugars in the fruit. The grill marks also add visual appeal to the peach salad.
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Grilled Peach Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pesto Croutons:
- 4 inch piece baguette torn into small bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto
For the Dressing:
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 small shallot minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Salad:
- 1 ½ tablespoons pine nuts
- 6 peaches halved and pitted (or cut lobes off around the pit if it’s easier)
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 container burrata cheese 8 ounces
- ½ cup fresh herbs basil, oregano, thyme, and/or parsley recommended
- Flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to serve
Instructions
- Make the Pesto Croutons: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place torn baguette pieces on rimmed baking pan and bake 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp. Transfer warm croutons to medium bowl. Add pesto and toss until well combined.
- Make the Dressing: In large bowl, whisk garlic, shallot, oil, vinegar, honey and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Toast the pine nuts: Add pine nuts to small saucepan and cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently and watching carefully so they don't burn. Transfer nuts to small bowl and set aside.
- Preheat outdoor grill or grill pan for direct grilling over medium heat. Spray flesh side of peaches with cooking spray. Transfer peaches to grill, flesh side down and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until softened and grill-marked, rotating peaches by a quarter turn halfway through cooking.
- Transfer peaches to cutting board and cut into large slices, then add warm peaches to large bowl with dressing and toss to combine.
- Use slotted spoon on remove peaches from dressing, leaving excess dressing in bowl. Arrange peaches on large platter. Tear burrata into rustic pieces and arrange over peaches. Arrange Pesto Croutons over salad as well. Sprinkle salad with herbs and pine nuts. Finish with lots of flaky sea salt and ground black pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
- Customize the dressing. Add a touch of Dijon mustard for heat, or lemon juice for extra acidity.
- Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction over the finished salad for an additional layer of flavor.
- Pair with a refreshing wine like Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Rose. The bright acidity of the wine will complement the fruity flavors of the salad perfectly.
This salad sounds wonderful, although I would probably skip the croutons on my low carb diet. Of course, peaches aren’t low carb either, but I love them. I wish we could get really good fresh peaches – ones with flavor – but that’s pretty much a non-happening here in the desert. I would definitely add avocado, and perhaps some lettuce underneath, so I could get my veggies. I’ll have to think about doing this one.
Hi Susan! Love the idea of adding avocado here, or really, anywhere. I add avocado to almost everything at home. I hear you about not being able to get great peaches. I actually just placed my first order for The Peach Truck. I pick them up in a few weeks, and I’ll report back how that goes.