Save One August afternoon, my neighbor handed me a basket of peaches so fragrant they filled my whole kitchen before I even set them down. I'd been staring at wilted salad greens all week, uninspired, until I caught a whiff of those peaches and thought: what if I threw them on the grill? The combination of charred sweetness with peppery arugula and creamy burrata came together in about twenty minutes, and suddenly summer tasted exactly the way it smelled.
I made this for a casual dinner party last month where everyone was too tired to stand around the grill, but somehow watching the peaches char became the entertainment itself. The smell alone drew people outside, and by the time the first plates hit the table, I had four requests for seconds and one friend photographing it from three different angles.
Ingredients
- Ripe peaches: Choose ones that give slightly to pressure and smell sweet, not those hard pink things from February. You want them at that perfect moment when they're almost too soft to handle.
- Arugula: The peppery bite is what makes this whole thing work, cutting through the richness of the burrata and the sweetness of the peaches like they were meant to be together.
- Burrata cheese: If you haven't used burrata before, it's like the luxurious cousin of mozzarella, creamy and almost liquid inside. One ball costs what three heads of lettuce do, but one bite explains why.
- Shallot: Just a thin ribbon or two adds a sharp note that keeps everything from tasting one-dimensional.
- Toasted pistachios or walnuts: The crunch is what takes this from a side dish to something people actually want to eat. Toast them yourself if you can, the smell is incredible.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Don't waste your good oil on cooking the peaches, just use a light brush of regular oil for that. Save the fancy stuff for the final drizzle where you'll actually taste it.
- Aged balsamic vinegar or glaze: The aged stuff is thicker and more complex than regular balsamic, but a good glaze works too and is less likely to make the salad soggy.
Instructions
- Heat your grill or pan:
- Medium-high heat is your target. If you're using a grill pan on the stovetop like I usually do, give it a solid two minutes to warm up until a drop of water dances across the surface.
- Oil and grill the peaches:
- Brush just enough oil on the cut side so they won't stick. The grill marks matter here because that's where the magic happens, where the natural sugars caramelize into something almost jammy. Watch them closely, two to three minutes per side, until you see color but before they fall apart.
- Dress the greens:
- Toss the arugula and shallot with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. This is where people make mistakes, oversalting before the other components add their own seasoning.
- Build the salad:
- Spread the arugula on your plate first, then arrange the warm peach wedges on top. The heat from the peaches will just barely soften the leaves, which is exactly what you want.
- Add the burrata:
- Tear it gently with your hands rather than cutting it. This isn't about presentation as much as it is about protecting that creamy center from getting smashed.
- Finish and serve:
- Drizzle with balsamic and the remaining olive oil, then scatter nuts and a final crack of black pepper over everything. Serve right away while the peaches are still warm.
Save There was this moment at that dinner party when someone cut into the burrata and all that creamy center spilled onto the warm peaches, mixing with the balsamic. They looked up and said this tastes like summer. That's exactly what I was trying to do.
The Right Timing
This salad only works if you treat it as something to eat immediately, not something to prep in advance and cover with plastic wrap. The peaches need to be warm, the arugula needs to be crisp, and the burrata needs to be that perfect temperature where it's creamy but not melted into oblivion. Everything here is about a narrow window of perfection, which sounds stressful but actually just means you're eating dinner soon.
Shifting Seasons
I've made versions of this with nectarines when peaches weren't at their peak, and it works fine, but it's not the same. There's something about catching peaches at that exact moment in summer, that maybe two-week window when they're actually good, that makes you appreciate why this dish exists at all. Once fall shows up and the peaches disappear, I go back to other salads and stop thinking about this one entirely.
Variations and Swaps
I've seen versions of this with prosciutto draped over top, which adds a salty richness that actually works, or with fresh mozzarella instead of burrata if that's what you have on hand. Goat cheese is sharper and a bit different, but doesn't give you that creamy center moment that makes burrata special.
- Skip the nuts if you have a texture thing or a nut allergy, the salad still works because the balsamic and peach do enough heavy lifting.
- If your balsamic is thin and weak, reduce it in a pan for a couple minutes until it gets syrupy and more concentrated.
- This pairs with a cold Sauvignon Blanc or rosé, something crisp and light that doesn't compete with the fruit.
Save This is the kind of recipe that tastes like effort but barely is, which is exactly what you want when it's hot outside and you don't want to spend time cooking. Serve it to people and they'll think you're more accomplished in the kitchen than you probably are.
Recipe Questions
- → How do I grill the peaches properly?
Brush peach halves lightly with olive oil and grill cut side down for 2–3 minutes until charred and softened, then turn for an additional 1–2 minutes.
- → Can I substitute burrata with another cheese?
Yes, fresh mozzarella or goat cheese can be used as alternatives to burrata for a similar creamy texture.
- → What nuts work best for topping?
Toasted pistachios or walnuts add a nice crunch and complement the salad’s flavors well, but nuts can be omitted for allergies.
- → What dressing is used in this dish?
A simple combination of aged balsamic vinegar (or glaze) and extra-virgin olive oil is drizzled over the salad for a rich, tangy finish.
- → How can I make this dish more filling?
Add thinly sliced prosciutto for a savory boost or serve alongside a crusty bread for a more substantial meal.