This nectarine and peach salad is perfect for the summer. It’s fresh, it’s vibrant and it’s so easy to alter to your liking. And it’s so easy to prepare you could legitimately do it blindfolded.
So, what is the difference between a peach and a nectarine? Well, apart from the fact that the skin from a nectarine is smooth and glossy. And the skin from peaches has a funny fuzzy feeling that’s nice to rub your face up against. Their flavour profiles are quite similar. I would say that peaches are more mango like and nectarines are more apple like.
I used white nectarines and yellow peaches mainly because I liked the variety and colour contrast, but please feel free to use whatever stone fruit you like. Plums, apricots, mangos you name it!!
Also, if you would like to add anything else to this salad. Prosciutto (parma ham), feta cheese and walnuts are also very popular with peach salad. It’s all about the balance between salty and sweet.
Now, I know the concept of grilling stone fruits may be strange to some people. But it makes the flavour go beautifully caramelized. As for the dressing, the balsamic glaze also gives a nice sweetness. All you do is put your balsamic glaze in a pot/pan and reduce it by half. That’s it, that simple. And I don’t recommend adding anything else otherwise you’ll just overpower the glaze.
I am really glad that I made this nectarine and peach salad recipe because it made me realise that I definately don’t have stonefruits often enough. They are great for so many different things. In fact, I have so much leftover cut up peaches and nectarines, and I want to do something with them before they go too brown. I was thinking of making a peach tart tatin. What do you think?
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Grilled Nectarine and Peach Salad
Fresh, colourful, healthy, vibrant. This grilled nectarine and peach salad recipe has it all!
Ingredients
Salad base
- 2 fresh peaches
- 2 fresh nectarines
- Some vegetable oil
- 50 g goats cheese
- 60 g baby rocket
- 60 g baby spinach
- 1/2 red onion sliced thin
- A handful of mint leaves
- 100 g pecans
Balsamic Glaze
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Balsamic Glaze
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Put your balsamic vinegar in a small pot or pan, then bring to a boil. Keep boiling until you have reduced the vinegar by half. It should start to slightly thicken and go syrupy.
Salad base
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Cut the peaches and nectarines in half and then remove the stone. Lightly brush the flesh of the fruits with vegetable oil.
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Pre-heat a griddle pan over high heat, then add the peaches and nectarines flesh side down. Grill for about a couple of minutes until they develop a nice char. Take off the heat and set aside.
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Get all of your other ingredients ready, (your goats cheese, rocket, spinach, red onion, mint leaves and pecans) then you can serve the salad how you want. You can cut the fruit up smaller and toss everything together. Or, you can serve it on a board or platter in a deconstructed way like I did. Get creative with it!
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Finally, drizzle your balsamic glaze over your salad and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Get the fruits when they are in season. Stone fruits are always best to buy in summer.
Want more salad recipes? Then check out this halloumi and chorizo salad. Or this Flaked salmon salad.
This is amazing. I like that you used both fruits; they are indeed different. What a beautiful salad. The last time I had roasted peaches was in a salad with octopus in NYC. To die for.
Omg wow, I have only had octopus a couple of times but that sounds amazing! Thanks for your comment (:
Oh, it was just perfection! This was at the rooftop restaurant Baita!
I love Peaches and Nectarines so much, it’s an awesome idea to serve it as a salad !
Oh yum, that sounds delicious! For some reason I love nectarines, but I’m not so fond of peaches, even though they’re so simliar, haha. 😅 I think it’s the fuzzy skin of the peaches, it kind of puts me off. But a peach tarte tatin sounds like a brilliant idea, I’m looking forward to that!
Thanks so much!! Love your blog by the way (:
You can use whatever stone fruit you like Jenny. And I made the tart tatin. It was ok but I think the peaches and nectarines were a bit too far gone lol. Thanks for your comment (:
That’s the great thing about cooking, I think: you can always change things round to suit you the best 🙂 Aw, that’s shame, haha.
Love you beautiful photography as always Nick!! This looks so inviting!
Thanks Rhonda! (:
Grilled stone fruit is amazing- it brings out the natural sugars and adds a smokiness to the flavor. I love simple, yet delicious, salads like this. Thank you for sharing!
No worries!! Glad you like it (:
Your recipes are made with love. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much Dali!!! So are yours (:
You’re welcome…Thanks
This looks amazing 🙂 I am definitely going to make it.
Oh awesome! I really hope you like it!! Have an awesome day! (:
You too 🙂