Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese and Basil
Caramelized juicy and lightly smoky grilled peaches are simply adorned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. They are topped with honey, chili, basil and fresh goat cheese. This grilled peach salad takes only 15 minutes to make, and is a deliciously gourmet side dish to serve for peach season.
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Peaches: For grilling we suggest looking for freestone peaches, which are much easier to pit than cling stone varieties. Choose ripe peaches that feel heavy and give slightly when pressed with your thumb.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: To brush over the peaches for grilling, and to use as a dressing of sorts. Opt for a fruity olive oil if you have a couple to choose from.
- Balsamic vinegar: Aged balsamic vinegar is thick and syrupy and has no harsh notes. Buy it on Amazon or a gourmet grocery store. (That’s an affiliate link.) It is much more expensive than the regular balsamic of modena we find in the grocery store, so if you want an alternative use a balsamic glaze.
- Goat cheese: Fresh goat cheese or chevre adds a creamy note. You could use feta cheese if you prefer, or leave it off to keep it dairy-free.
- Basil: A favorite pairing for peach season!
- Honey: This helps bring out the natural sweetness of the peaches and balances the acidity in the balsamic vinegar.
- Salt: I like using Malden sea salt, but you could use another flaky salt or kosher salt. Just add a pinch or so to taste.
- Urfa chili pepper: This is a delicious smoky pepper you can get from Burlap and Barrel. Use red pepper flakes or coarse ground black pepper instead.
How To Make Grilled Peach Salad
Preheat grill to medium heat. Meanwhile brush 2 teaspoons oil over the cut the peaches.
Grill peaches, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large platter.
Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar over the peaches. Crumble on goat cheese, and sprinkle with basil. Drizzle on honey and sprinkle with pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.
Serving Suggestions for Grilled Peach Salad
- Serve with grilled lamb steak or Greek chicken.
- While I love a no-lettuce salad, you can easily add arugula to the base of this peach salad for a spicy leafy green element.
- For an alfresco meal, make our famous Island Chicken Marinade for chicken on the grill to go with these grilled peaches. The mint in this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad would pair well as another salad to round out the meal.
- We liked bakery sourdough with this salad because it was very juicy!
Chef Katie’s Expert Tips & FAQs
Choose ripe peaches that are not mushy or bruised. If possible, try to find freestone peaches instead of clingstone peaches as they are much easier to pit.
Grilled peaches are sweet and tart with complex caramel notes and light smokiness. Their texure becomes very juicy and soft once grilled.
Not really. We like it best when the peaches are still warm. The flavors are more pronounced and it helps to melt the chevre in the most delicious way! The peaches get very soft when they are grilled so they don’t transfer to a storage container well. We have tried! If you want to prep it ahead for company, you can cut the peaches into quarters and brush them with oil. Then wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to grill.
More Peach Recipes To Try This Season
While fresh peaches are in season try some more of our savory and sweet peach recipes!
Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese and Basil
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Caramelized juicy and lightly smoky grilled peaches are simply adorned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. They are topped with honey, chili, basil and fresh goat cheese. This grilled peach salad takes only 15 minutes to make, and is a deliciously gourmet side dish to serve for peach season.
Ingredients
- 4 free-stone peaches, cut in quarters
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons best quality balsamic vinegar, preferably aged*
- 1 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 Tbl sliced basil
- 1 Tbl honey
- Pinch coarse or flaky salt, to taste
- Urfa chili pepper, red pepper flakes or coarse ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium heat. Meanwhile brush 2 teaspoons oil over the cut the peaches.
- Grill peaches, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large platter.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar over the peaches. Crumble on goat cheese, and sprinkle with basil. Drizzle on honey and sprinkle with pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes
Aged Balsamic Vinegar: Balsamic glaze is a less expensive alternative that works great
Urfa Chili: Also known as urfa biber and is a smoky Turkish chile which is dried and ground. It has a moist oily texture and mild spiciness. Use red pepper flakes or black pepper as an alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: salad
- Method: grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 peach halves
- Calories: 156
- Sugar: 18 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
