This Grilled Peach Salad recipe features fresh vegetables and basil, chewy little bites of fresh mozzarella, and sweet, juicy peaches that are grilled to caramelized perfection. Dressed in a bright lemon-honey vinaigrette, it’s a salad celebration of fresh color and flavor!
When the peaches are perfectly juicy and sweet, this Grilled Peach Salad recipe is on repeat. It’s the perfect side to grilled steak, grilled whole chicken, or super simple grilled shrimp. My family loves the gorgeously caramelized peaches, little bites of fresh mozzarella, and the tangy, sunshiny dressing. Repeat. Repeat. And Repeat!!
Why This Salad With Grilled Peaches is a Family Favorite:
Here’s why we adore this grilled peach salad:
- We ❤️ fruit in our salads! This grilled peach salad fits right in with other family favorites, like winter apple salad and strawberry salad. We like salads that pair fresh greens with both fruits and veggies.
- Makes the most of seasonal produce. From the peaches to the cherry tomatoes to the crisp greens and spicy basil, this is a salad that celebrates the late-summer harvest season.
- Mealtime versatility. We switch up how we serve this salad – as a smaller start to an al fresco meal, as a big side salad, or as a main salad with grilled shrimp tossed into the mix.
- Those GRILLED 🍑 peaches! There’s no denying the absolute delight of a perfectly sweet peach that’s been charred on the grill. (Tip: grill up some extra peaches and serve them hot from the grill with scoops of vanilla ice cream for dessert…heavenly!)
Recipe Ingredients
I’ve outlined below what you’ll need to make this salad with grilled peaches. Find the exact ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Dressing
- Olive oil – Grab your favorite extra-virgin olive oil.
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds bright, fresh flavor to the dressing.
- Red wine vinegar – This particular vinegar adds fantastic flavor to this simple dressing.
- Honey – Just a little bit of sweet honey helps to balance the acidity of the dressing.
- Salt & pepper – Super simple seasoning is perfection here.
Salad
- Peaches – Use peaches that are ripe yet still somewhat firm, perfectly sweet and juicy.
- Olive oil – To brush the peaches, to inhibit sticking on the grill.
- Spring greens – Or use salad greens of your choice.
- Cherry tomatoes – Feel free to use another small variety if needed.
- Fresh mozzarella – I always use fresh baby mozzarella “cherry-size” balls.
- Red onion – For some crunch and flavor contrast – and it’s pretty, too!
- Basil – Fresh basil leaves add a peppery deliciousness.
- Salt & pepper – Finish the salad with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
What Peaches Are Best For Grilling?
The best type of peaches for grilling are the ones known as freestone peaches. Why the name “freestone”? They’re called freestone because the pit doesn’t cling on to the flesh of the peach like clingstone peaches. For grilling, you want a round or oval peach with an easily removable pit, which is why later season freestone peaches are ideal.
Be sure to use peaches that are sweet and juicy, with tender flesh, for the most delicious experience.
How To Make Grilled Peach Salad
Here’s a quick look at how to make this salad. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Make the dressing. Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk well – or put everything in a jar, cover tightly, and shake!
- Prepare the peaches. Slice the peaches in half, remove the pits, and cut each half into wedges. Then brush them with olive oil.
- Grill the peaches. Heat the grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates with oil. Add the peaches and grill until charred marks form.
- Assemble the salad. Place the greens on a large platter and add the tomatoes, mozzarella, red onion, grilled peaches, and basil.
- Add dressing. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
- Serve! Sprinkle the salad with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, and serve right away.
Tips for Grilling Peaches
- Use ripe yet firm peaches. Use only ripe, sweet peaches that are firm, with a bit of softness and give. I like to buy them when they’re still a bit hard, then let them ripen on our kitchen counter. Here’s how I do it: place the peaches stem-side down inside a brown paper bag and fold the bag shut. Let the bag sit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1-3 days, checking every day to see if the peaches have become perfectly ripe.
- Go for bigger peaches. It’s always easier to handle larger pieces of peach when grilling, so choose larger peaches. Slice them in half first, then slice each half into 3-4 thick wedges. If your only choice is smaller peaches, you might want to slice the peaches into halves or quarters only.
- Clean the grill grates. Heat up the grill and then scrub the grates absolutely clean. This helps the peaches to not stick and to not take on the flavor of the previously grilled meal.
- Oil the grill grates as well as the peaches. Brush the grates well with vegetable oil. And brush the cut sides of the peaches with olive oil. This also helps you with that no-stick goal.
- Use medium-high heat. Peaches have a good amount of natural sugar and they’re tender, so they will naturally want to stick to the grates. Using a higher grill temperature helps to create char marks on the peaches faster, which will enable easier flipping.
- Refrain from flipping too soon. Let the peaches develop distinct charred lines before flipping. Depending on your peaches and grill heat, this usually takes 1-3 minutes. I also caution to not overcook peaches as this can cause them to become mushy.
- Use a thin spatula. I recommend grabbing a very thin metal spatula. If your peaches are sticking to the grill, this tool helps to lift up the peaches. Take care when flipping, so you don’t rip the peach away from the charred grilled marks.
Serving Suggestions
Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy a grilled peach salad:
- With grilled meat. I like to serve grilled peach salad with grilled main proteins, like simple grilled pork chops, honey mustard beef kabobs, or grilled chicken kabobs. You can explore many more options in my grilling section.
- Add more salads. Serve other salads alongside this salad with grilled peaches, such as creamy coleslaw, bacon ranch pasta salad or Hawaiian macaroni salad. Dill potato salad would also be good!
- With something to swipe up all the goodness. Enjoy grilled peach salad as a light lunch with a side of honey cornbread muffins or popovers, for swiping up every last bit of deliciousness. Add cinnamon honey butter, and watch everyone’s eyes light up!
- Try another dressing. I love the dressing recipe included in this post, but try something else if you like, such as this balsamic vinaigrette and lemon poppyseed dressing.
Make-Ahead Tips
This salad with grilled peaches is best eaten as soon as it’s made, but you can definitely prep some things in advance:
- Make the dressing 1-2 days in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container, such as a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cut the tomatoes and onion and store them in the fridge in separate containers.
More Salad Recipes To Try
Grilled Peach Salad
Yield: 6
This Grilled Peach Salad recipe features fresh vegetables and basil, chewy little bites of fresh mozzarella, and sweet, juicy peaches that are grilled to caramelized perfection. Dressed in a bright lemon-honey vinaigrette, it's a salad celebration of fresh color and flavor!
Print
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Salad
- 3 large ripe yet firm peaches (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing the peaches
- 3 cups mixed spring greens
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls or halved fresh mozzarella "cherry-size" balls
- ¼ cup thin slices red onion
- ¼ cup small fresh basil leaves
- Maldon sea salt flakes & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Dressing
- Place all dressing ingredients in a jar, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and shake vigorously to combine – or simply whisk everything together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Salad
- Slice peaches in half and remove the pits. Then cut each half into 3-4 thick wedges. Lightly brush all cut sides with olive oil.
- Heat grill to medium-high heat, then brush clean grill grates liberally with oil. Add peaches, cut-side down. Grill for about 1-3 minutes, undisturbed, until distinct grill marks develop. Depending on the ripeness of your peaches, grill either both cut sides or just 1 cut side of each peach wedge (do not over-cook, or they can become mushy). Use a very thin metal spatula to gently lift the peaches from underneath, to preserve those gorgeous grill marks, and transfer them to a plate. Let peaches cool a bit while you assemble the salad.
- Place greens on a large platter, in an even layer. Add tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and red onion.
- Shake or whisk the dressing to combine, then drizzle as much as you like over the salad.
- Top the salad with the grilled peaches, nestling them in here and there.
- Finish the salad with a sprinkle of small fresh basil leaves, plus a bit of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Serve right away.
Notes
How to prevent peaches from sticking to grill:
- Use ripe yet firm peaches. The peaches need to be ripe and sweet, or this salad is not going to be worth your effort! They should be firm, with a bit of softness and give. I like to buy them when they’re still a bit hard, then let them ripen on our kitchen counter: place the peaches stem-side down inside a brown paper bag and fold the bag shut. Let sit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1-3 days, checking every day.
- Go for bigger peaches. It’s always easier to handle larger pieces of peach when grilling, so choose larger peaches. Slice them in half first, then slice each half into 3-4 thick wedges. If your only choice is smaller peaches, you might want to simply slice the peaches into halves or quarters only.
- Clean the grill grates. Heat up the grill and then scrub the grates absolutely clean.
- Oil the grill grates & peaches. Brush the grates and the cut sides of the peaches with olive oil.
- Use medium-high heat. Peaches have a good amount of natural sugar and they’re tender, so they’re going to want to stick to the grates. Using a higher grill temperature will help to create char marks on the peaches faster, which will enable easier flipping.
- Refrain from flipping too soon. Let the peaches develop distinct charred lines before flipping. Depending on your peaches and grill heat, this usually takes 1-3 minutes. I also caution to not over-cook peaches so they become mushy!
- Use a thin spatula. I recommend grabbing a very thin metal spatula. If your peaches are sticking, this tool helps to lift up the peaches. Take care when flipping, so you don’t rip the peach away from the charred grilled marks.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
This post was originally published in 2012, then updated in 2024.
I love the dressing.
Such a gorgeous salad!! I’m obsessed with peaches right now.
I love putting fruit on the grill. It brings out their natural juices and sweetness.
Another fantastic excuse to eat peaches! I just looooove peaches!
gah… this looks and sounds amazing. I’ve been digging all things peaches lately so this is right up my alley!
Thank you, Katie – wonderful to meet you!
Gorgeous salad and I love those peaches!
what a perfect summer salad, sounds wonderful!
oh my this looks just heavenly!!! those peaches sound so luscious! and that dressing…I have to make this!
Thank you, Aggie! It’s so perfectly summer.
Fresh summer salads can’t be beat! Love the grilled peaches with that lemony dressing!
This looks delicious!!!
Thanks, Callye! xo
This salad looks heavenly!
Thank you so much, Monique!
Oh, man, this looks so good. Wish we could eat it for dinner … together!
Yes, peach salads together. And then we can share dessert again. Okey dokey? ;)
This salad is fabulous! Love it!
Thank you, Katrina! Always so nice to hear from you – hope you’re having a great week. :)
Oh Man…..!
Yes, it’s THAT good! ;)
Just shared this on FB…. PERFECT looking summertime salad. Can’t wait to try it!
I hope you like this, Kim – please let me know. And thank you for sharing – much appreciated! xo
This salad and the dressing sound simply amazing!
Hi Elissa! It is so good. My girls used the dressing as a dip for all their veggies one night. Yum!!
What a beautiful salad, Brenda! I can’t wait to try this – sure to be scrumptious with the grilled peaches and that fabulous dressing!
Thank you so much, Laura. :)