This grilled peach salad with quinoa, arugula, and almonds is THE perfect summer salad and can be served along with grilled veggies, as a starter, or a light stand-alone summer meal.
It is truly one of the best summer salads I have ever eaten! It is bursting with flavor, fresh, and super healthy – one of my favorite go-to summer salad recipes.
If you’ve had enough of the classic green salads and would like to try something more fruity, this grilled peach salad recipe is perfect for you.
Grilled Peaches
Grilled peaches are truly a delight! By grilling the fruit becomes even sweeter, softer and gets a wonderful smoky aroma. Besides, they are a real eye-catcher with their distinctive grill marks – this summer salad won’t go unnoticed at the salad buffet! I promise!
Serve grilled peaches with quinoa, rocket, roasted almonds, and a super simple yet delicious dressing, and you have a perfectly balanced and tasteful summer salad!
Trust me, this grilled peach salad is so incredibly delicious and brings out completely new flavors. It is juicy, sweet, nutty, and also healthy. A welcome variety to the classic summer salads.
Fruity Summer Quinoa Salad Variation
If you love quinoa salad, this summer salad recipe is sure to please you! Adding cooked quinoa gives this salad a slightly nutty taste and enriches it with healthy carbohydrates.
Therefore, you can not only enjoy it as a side dish yet also as a stand-alone light summer lunch or dinner!
I prefer to use a tricolor quinoa blend, but this is up to you. Feel free to use white, red, or black quinoa. The darker it gets, the crunchier and nuttier it is.
If you don’t have any quinoa at hand, substitute it with bulgur or couscous. Also, feel free to omit the quinoa altogether for a light starter.
How To Grill Peaches?
- Heat your grill or a cast iron grill pan to medium-high heat and brush with vegetable oil.
- Cut the peaches in half and gently twist to separate. Release the pit using a spoon or knife. Cut each half into three wedges, place in a large bowl and toss peaches with oil.
- Grill the peach wedges 2-3 minutes per side. → Don’t move them while cooking for beautiful grill marks.
Feel free to use nectarines instead of peaches. It also tastes excellent with white peaches.
If you are a dessert lover, add a few more peaches on the grill and serve them with vanilla ice cream!
Recipe FAQ
Can I prepare this salad in advance? Yes, but you must store the salad and dressing individually in an airtight container in the fridge, for a maximum of one day. Toss right before serving. Otherwise, the arugula will become mushy.
Can I use other nuts? Almonds harmonize particularly well with this summer salad. If you don’t have any at hand, you can also use walnuts, pecan nuts, or hazelnuts.
Can I use leaf salad instead of arugula? Yes, that works too. Substitute it with loose-leaf salad or baby spinach. But be aware that this will alter the taste slightly.
Do you love cream of balsamic vinegar? Drizzle some over the salad right before serving.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Chopped Greek Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Italian Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
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Grilled Peach Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 g) uncooked quinoa
- ¼ cup (40 g) almonds
- 2 peaches, or nectarines
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3.5 oz (100 g) baby arugula
- a few sprigs fresh thyme, or dried thyme
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to the package instructions. Set aside to cool.
- Roughly chop and toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake or whisk them together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat your grill or a cast iron grill pan to medium-high heat and brush with vegetable oil. Cut the peaches in half and gently twist to separate. Release the pit using a spoon or knife. Cut each half into three wedges, place in a bowl and toss with one tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Grill peach wedges 2-3 minutes per side. → Don’t move them while cooking for beautiful grill marks.
- Arrange the arugula, quinoa, and grilled peaches in this order on a serving platter. Top with toasted almonds, stripped thyme leaves, and drizzle with the dressing.
Notes
- Peaches or Nectarines: You can prepare this salad with peaches or nectarines, whichever you like more. It also tastes excellent with white peaches.
- Quinoa: Add it warm or cold. Can be substituted with cooked bulgur or couscous. Also, feel free to omit the quinoa for a light starter.
- Tipp: Add a few splashes of balsamic cream!
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