Although the laid back days of summer are nearing the end with the arrival of Labor Day Weekend, there is still summer in the air when making this delicious Grilled Peach Salad with Pecans and Fig Balsamic Dressing. Try and buy your peaches when they are in season, which is when they are juiciest. Here on the east coast of the U.S., they are best July – September. I love to eat peaches whole or in appetizers, salads, desserts and even cocktails! Now’s your time to be creative and enjoy!
Making a healthy salad doesn’t mean giving up on taste – it’s actually quite the opposite. Look at it like an artist does when they create a painting. I love to utilize different shapes, textures, colors and of course taste. And with a salad, there are no limits to creativity. I especially love adding seasonal fruits into my salad like the peaches, blackberries and blueberries I used in this Grilled Peach Salad Recipe. You can use the raw peaches in the salad instead but grilled peaches brings the salad to a whole other level. I also add a little bit of crunch with the pecans and a kick of flavor. So go to town, get creative and enjoy a healthy salad for finish off your summer!
Tips on Grilling Peaches
It’s really important to preheat the grill to get the beautiful sear marks on the peaches. The ripeness of the peaches also makes a big difference. If they are under ripe, they will lack in flavor. If they are over ripe, they will stick to the grill pan. So try to grill them at their peak point which is optimal presentation. But no matter what, this salad will taste delicious!
Peachy Panzanella – Grilled Peach & Bread Croutons
Grilled Peach Salad with Pecans and Fig Balsamic Dressing
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Grilled Peach Salad with Pecans is a delicious summer peach salad recipe using a combination of seasonal fruits, greens, pecans and a fig balsamic dressing.
Ingredients
6 cups arugula
½ pint blueberries
½ pint blackberries
½ red onion, sliced thin
½ cup pecans
½ tablespoon maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dressing:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar
½ tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
salt & pepper
3 yellow peaches
olive oil spray
Croutons:
5 cups bread, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
olive oil spray
Instructions
- Clean and prep salad ingredients – arugula (or other favorite greens), blueberries, blackberries and red onions. Set aside.
- Prepare salad dressing ingredients in a small measuring cup.
- *Optional – bake croutons if adding to the salad to make “Peachy Panzanella Salad”.
- Spread pecans on a parchment lined baked°sheet. Coat with maple syrup using your hands to spread evenly. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper using more (up to ¼ teaspoon) if you want a bigger kick! Bake at 375 ° for approximately 5 minutes.
- Heat an iron cast grill pan or outdoor grill on medium heat. Cut each peach in half, removing the pit with a spoon. Spray the cut side with olive oil.
- Spray grill with olive oil. Place peaches on grill, cut side down, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn using a spatula or tongs and cook the other side for 3 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside.
- Arrange all of the salad ingredients in a bowl or on separate plates. Slice the peaches, top the salad with peaches and drizzle with fig dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
*Optional: I sometimes like to add bread for a “Peachy Panzanella Salad”. Cube, season & bake bread cubes at 275 ° for 10 minutes or until crisp.
Keywords: grilled peach salad, peach salad recipe
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