Salad with peaches and blueberries is a delicious, nutritious recipe. If you saw this post on social media, Twitter, or some other source, you may already know how Blueberries and Salads would go together in a dish. To be honest I was skeptical that Blueberries could make normal salad into something delciious! Give it ago annd tell me what you think 🙂
Blueberry Peach Feta Salad
Blueberry Peach Feta Salad has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and fresh flavors! Tossed in a lemon basil vinaigrette, it’s an easy and delicious salad to serve this summer!
In the middle of summer it can be hard to find the motivation to cook, especially on a hot day. On days like those I gravitate towards using the grill to make my favorite chipotle maple grilled salmon or grilled pesto chicken skewers.
I always have to have some sort of refreshing salad to go with whatever I grill. During peach season, especially Colorado peach season, I love to make this Blueberry Peach Feta Salad. It’s sweet from the peaches and blueberries, a little salty from the feta and has a fresh crisp crunch from the Persian cucumbers.
The salad is tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette and is an absolute dream to eat on a hot summer day! It goes great with pretty much any grilled protein and is a wonderful side dish to bring to a barbecue.
Ingredients For Blueberry Peach Feta Salad
- blueberries
- peaches
- Persian cucumbers or an English cucumber
- feta
- lemon
- dijon mustard
- honey
- fresh basil
How To Make Blueberry Peach Feta Salad
Making this salad is as easy as making a simple everyday lettuce salad. Dice the peaches, slice the cucumbers, and add them to a serving bowl along with the blueberries.
Whenever I make a recipe with feta, I prefer to use block feta and crumble it myself. I feel that the flavor is better, it isn’t as dry and it doesn’t have any of the anti-caking agent in it that pre-crumbled and pre-shredded cheeses contain. For this salad recipe you can crumble or cube the feta cheese.
The final step is to make the lemon vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, dijon, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar. Thinly slice the fresh basil, otherwise known as chiffonade and add it into the mix. Screw on the lid and shake it until it’s well combined. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss everything together. You can eat the salad immediately or refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the salad vegan?
Yes. Simply omit the feta and substitute the honey in the lemon vinaigrette with maple syrup. You can also add a can of chickpeas to the salad to make it heartier.
How long will the salad keep?
The salad keeps for a couple days in the refrigerator. You will notice that the peaches will get softer and the feta will start to break down the longer it’s in the fridge, but it still taste great.
Can I make the salad ahead of time?
Parts of the salad can be made ahead of time. You can cut the peaches and combine them with the cucumbers and blueberries a day ahead of time. The vinaigrette can be made several days ahead of time. I would wait until the day you plan to eat the salad to add in the fresh basil, feta and toss the salad in the vinaigrette.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Peaches – If you aren’t a fan of peaches, substitute them with nectarines.
- Feta – Goat cheese is a good substitution for feta. You could also use queso fresco or ricotta salata
- Persian Cucumbers – I love to use Persian cucumbers, which may also be called snacking cucumbers, because they’re extra crunchy and you don’t have to peel them. If you can’t find these, use an English cucumber instead. You may want to scoop out the seeds if you go this route, but you won’t need to peel it.
- Blueberries – Strawberries or blackberries would be a good substitute for blueberries. As with the blueberries and peaches, make sure they are the sweetest and freshest ones you can find to have the best results with this salad. You may find that the strawberries don’t hold up as long in the salad and get soft.
- Honey – Substitute with maple syrup
SUMMER PEACH SALAD WITH BLUEBERRIES
Summer Peach Salad is filled with juicy peaches and fresh blueberries, and topped with a tangy and creamy blueberry peach balsamic dressing. It’s perfect as a side salad for summer grilling, and you only need 9 ingredients to make it, including the dressing!
This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated with new text and photos and a few recipe adjustments. Be sure to check out an original photo at the end of this post.
Peaches are a staple in our house this time of year, and one of my fave ways to enjoy them is in salads. I love how their sweet juiciness mingles with savory ingredients to create light and refreshing salads. And this blueberry peach salad is definitely refreshing!
It’s also topped with an easy balsamic dressing made with fresh peaches and blueberries. It’s creamy, without dairy, and the tanginess pairs well with the juicy fruit and salty feta in the salad.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE SUMMER PEACH SALAD
- Fresh peaches and blueberries
- Your choice of greens
- Cilantro
- Cooked quinoa
- Pecans
- Feta
- Balsamic vinegar and oil (for the dressing)
HOW TO MAKE PEACH BLUEBERRY SALAD WITH BALSAMIC DRESSING
- This is an easy recipe to make, and it can be served as a family style salad or in individual servings.
- Start by making your dressing. Add your blueberries, half a peeled peach, oil and vinegar to a blender, and blend on high until thick and creamy with flecks of blueberry throughout.
- To assemble the salad, prep your greens and cilantro (washing and chopping as necessary). Toss them together and add them all to a large bowl or divide them onto 6 serving plates.
- Layer on the peach slices, blueberries, quinoa, pecans and feta.
- Drizzle with dressing and serve!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can you prep this peach salad in advance? Yes, you can prep most of the salad ingredients in advance and assemble when ready to serve. The balsamic dressing, however, includes fresh peaches and blueberries, so I find it’s best enjoyed fresh. I suggest waiting to make it until just before serving.
How do you store leftovers? If you have leftover salad without dressing on it, you can just place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Leftovers are best enjoyed within a day or two. The dressing should not be kept as leftovers, but enjoyed within a few hours of making it.
Can you make it vegan? Absolutely, just forego the feta cheese and ensure your balsamic vinegar is vegan.
RECIPE TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- You will need about 6 cups of greens for this salad. I usually make it with a mix of red and green leafy lettuce, but you can also make it with spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, kale, beet greens or Boston lettuce, or whatever you have on hand.
- I also add half a cup of fresh cilantro as I love the flavour twist it adds. If you’re not a cilantro lover, you can omit it or use fresh parsley instead.
- As mentioned, the balsamic dressing includes fresh peaches and blueberries, so it’s best enjoyed fresh. If you’re looking for a dressing that can be made and stored in advance, I’ve included the recipe for my honey basil vinaigrette in the recipe notes.
- This recipes calls for peach slices, but when I have extra time, I usually make it with grilled peaches. Instructions on how to do this are also included in the recipe notes.
- To keep it simple, I used raw pecan halves in this salad, but you can also use chopped pecans, or even candied pecans. Walnuts or sliced almonds would also work well.
- This salad is pretty hearty with the added quinoa, but if you want to make it an entrée salad, just add some grilled chicken, tofu or shrimp.
Grilled Peach, Blueberry, and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
Grilled Peach, Blueberry, and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad-the grilled peaches make this gorgeous summer salad extra special!
Oh, summer I am loving you and your fine produce! I can’t get enough. I am currently obsessed with grilled peaches. I make Josh grill up ripe and juicy peaches almost every day. I love eating them plain, with Greek yogurt, and in this Grilled Peach, Blueberry, and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad.
This salad has been my “go to” lunch this week. Not only is it beautiful, but it is fresh, tasty, and easy to make! You should add it to your summer menu ASAP!
This salad is great for an easy lunch or dinner. I also like to make it for summer BBQ’s and parties. Everyone always compliments on how pretty it is and after they taste it, they for sure want the recipe! It’s a winner all-around!
The grilled peaches are the star of the salad. I brush them with a little bit of the dressing and have Josh grill them until they are soft, sweet, juicy, and lined with grilled marks. I let them cool to room temperature and slice them so they are ready for my salad!
To make the salad, I start with a bed of arugula and then add grilled peaches, blueberries, crumbled goat cheese, and Marcona almonds. If you can’t find Marcona almonds, feel free to use regular almonds or your favorite nut. Pecans would also be good!
The dressing is light and simple to whisk up. It just gives the salad a splash of sweetness and flavor!
Take advantage of summer’s finest produce and make this Grilled Peach, Blueberry, and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad.
Grilled Peach, Blueberry, and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
Arugula salad with grilled peaches, blueberries, goat cheese, Marcona almonds, and a light honey dressing. This beautiful salad is the perfect summer salad!
PREP TIME15 mins
COOK TIME5 mins
TOTAL TIME20 mins
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white or golden balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 3 ripe peaches cut in half, pits removed
- Fresh arugula about 8-10 cups
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/3 cup Marcona almonds or regular almonds
- 2 oz fresh goat cheese
Instructions
- First, make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Lightly brush the peach halves with the dressing. Preheat the grill to high heat. Place peaches, cut side down, on the hot grill. Grill for about five minutes, or until the peaches are soft and have grill marks. Remove peaches from the grill, cool to room temperature, and slice.
- Place arugula, sliced grilled peaches, blueberries, almonds, and fresh goat cheese in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with salad dressing. Gently toss and serve immediately.