Peach caprese salad is what you get when juicy peaches and red, ripe summer tomatoes team up with milky mozzarella and a super simple basil vinaigrette to a put a fruity twist on an old classic.
Oh man it’s getting hot in here. Maybe Nelly’s (in)famous face band-aid was a statement about feeling wounded by the oppressive heat of summer…just a working theory. But currently, as the mercury rises all over the country, I’ve got the inspiration to feel less perspiration. Which means, unless there’s some sort of fabulous, cash prize involved, I’d rather not turn on my oven.
In fact if I’m being honest, I’d rather not cook (in the traditional sense) much at all. So basically that means a healthy mix of Grubhub and easy to assemble summer salads. And while I’m sure it’d be a barrel of fun to take a deep dive into my personal delivery history (spoiler alert: it’s mostly mozzarella sticks and milkshakes), I think it’d be slightly more helpful to share one of my favorite new summer salad creations instead.
Peach Caprese Salad
This salad is bonkers amazing. Like seriously, if you saw it on a dating app you’d totally swipe right. It’s got the old school bona fides of your classic caprese salad, but this one ups the ante by adding juicy, sweet, ever so tart peaches, and a stupid simple, foresty green, basil vinaigrette. It’s fruity, savory, herbaceous, zingy, fun AND flirty. Best part? You won’t even break a sweat – no ovens, stovetops, toasters, grills, or anything remotely heat adjacent in sight.
And because this is such a simple recipe, it doesn’t stand to reason that I should blather on about it for days and days. So check out a few simple tips below to get you started and then go find somewhere with AC to zone out in for a few hours. Happy heatwave!
How to make a peach caprese salad
Well first of all, what is a caprese salad anyway? Let’s get a little terminology out of the way so we’re all the same page: Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad featuring tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil (chosen to represent the colors of the Italian flag). The bright, acidic tomato is perfectly balanced by the milky mozzarella, and verdant basil. There is a beauty in its simplicity, but I think a few minor additions can elevate it to even new heights. So let’s get on to those tips, shall we?
- Only make this during the summer. Seriously, peaches and tomatoes aren’t in season in November, and because they are the stars of the show here, they need to be of tip top quality.
- Peel your peaches, or don’t. I am honestly too lazy to peel my peaches, but if a little fuzz is a deal breaker for you, just drop the whole peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds and then submerge them in an ice bath for a couple minutes. Those peels should slip right off. Easier still? Just use nectarines which is basically just a fuzzless peach.
- Tear your mozzarella. Is this absolutely necessary? Of course not. But I think the hand torn look adds to the simple rusticity of this dish in the easiest way.
- If necessary, thin out your dressing. This dressing should be pretty loose, and depending on how tightly you pack your basil leaves, you may need a little extra liquid to get things moving. A splash of water is one of those little secrets that can really solve a lot of issues in the kitchen – so if you need a little bit, go for it.
Need more recipes for those summer days? Try these!
Peach Caprese Salad
Bright, juicy peaches put a spin on this traditional summer salad. Quick to assemble, but beautifully impressive, this peach caprese salad with basil vinaigrette is perfect for all of your summer get togethers!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
2 C packed basil leaves
1 tsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 T unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
3 large peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
8 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks
Flaky sea salt and torn basil to garnish
Instructions
In a food processor or blender, combine the basil, honey, kosher salt, pepper, and rice vinegar. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil until the dressing is a very pourable consistency. If you need you to you can thin it out with a tablespoon of water.
Assemble the peaches, tomatoes, and mozzarella on a large plate or platter. Drizzle the dressing generously over the salad and garnish with basil leaves and flaky sea salt.
Serve immediately.
Notes
In the height of summer I do not peel my peaches, but if the fuzz bothers you, feel free to use nectarines instead, or peel your peaches by dropping them whole into boiling water for 30 seconds and then immediately submerging them in ice water for a few minutes – the peels will slip right off.
Any ripe, summer tomato will work beautifully here, so find whatever is best at the market and use those.
Feel free to thin the dressing out with a splash of water. I like it to be pretty loose.
This salad can be prepped a few hours in advance. Cover the assembled salad tightly with plastic wrap, and store it separately from the dressing/garnish in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, dress, garnish and serve.
Keywords: peach caprese, summer salad, summer tomato salad, tomato salad, side dish
I’ve totally been enjoying the tomato/peach combo this summer, so adding peaches to a caprese salad is just my thing! I definitely need to make this before all the summer tomatoes and peaches disappear!
★★★★★
This is a total winner for summer! I haven’t been cooking much at all lately because of the heat. While I have no problems getting my hands on very good tomatoes here in California, peaches seem to be the one fruit that I can never find here that even approaches tasty levels. If I ever luck out though, I’m making this.
★★★★★