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+ servings
Platter of Grilled Peach and Ricotta Salad.

Grilled Peach and Ricotta Salad

Course: Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Pacific Northwest
Season: Bounty (August - October), Evergreen (April - July)
Dietary: Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Preparation: Fast + Easy, Grill
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
Author: Pam Spettel
Warm, juicy, grilled peaches, cherries, tomatoes, creamy whole milk ricotta, and lots of herbs. Elegant summer eating with so little effort because the ingredients do all the work for you!
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Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 2 ripe peaches, quartered and/or halved
  • 1 cup fresh cherries, some left whole, some sliced in half
  • 1 cup cherry and or sungold tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 8 oz. ricotta, whole milk preferred
  • 2 oz. toasted hazelnuts, crushed with the flat side of a knife blade, or chopped
  • 4-5 lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry
  • Dressing, below
  • Summer Basil Sauce
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh thyme, oregano, and/or mint leaves use one or a mix, depending on what you have on hand

For the Dressing

  • tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 small shallot, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon apricot, peach, or cherry jam
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely minced
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Dressing

  • Place all ingredients in a small lidded recycled jam jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake until the salt is dissolved. Set aside.

For the Salad

  • Light a small section of your grill to high heat. When the grates are very hot, spray them with cooking spray. Place the peaches on the hot grate, cut side down. Leave for 2-3 minutes or until grill marks appear, then turn. Allow the peaches to grill another 3 minutes until they are very warm throughout and are nicely marked by the grill. (If you don't have a grill, use a stovetop grill pan of cast iron skillet for this step.)
  • Mound the washed and dried lettuce leaves onto a platter or individual serving plates and lightly toss with about one tablespoon of the dressing. Arrange the leaves as a base onto the platter. Arrange the grilled peaches on the lettuce. Use an ice cream scoop to make two mounds of ricotta on the platter. Arrange the cherries and tomatoes over the top. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the peaches, ricotta, and the whole salad. Sprinkle with the crushed hazelnuts and herb leaves. Place small dollops of the Summer Basil Sauce around all the elements of the salad. Serve!

Notes

This salad is great on its own, or as a side to simply grilled proteins.