Summer’s bounty is really showing off in New Jersey this year. The tomatoes have been incredible and plentiful, the corn as crisp and sweet as can be and can we talk about these being the juiciest peaches we’ve had in years? I always hold onto summer a little tighter toward the end, and for me, that means using up all of the sweet summer produce in any way I can. I’ve always loved grilling peaches and this salad was the perfect compliment to a summer dinner out on the back deck. The peppery arugula, creamy mozzarella pearls, and tangy dressing balanced the sweetness of the peaches in the best way. We paired this with some grilled chicken thighs slathered in two of our favorite Trader Joe’s BBQ sauces- Carolina Gold and Sweet and Spicy Pineapple- and it was a dinner made for a sweet summer night.
Grilling the peaches is easy- just remove the pits and make sure to coat with a little oil ahead of time so they don’t stick to the grates. I brushed these with olive oil, placed them cut side down, and let the grill do its work for about 4-5 minutes to get a slight char before flipping.
Arugula Summer Salad with Grilled Peaches
ingredients
- 1 bag or carton of fresh baby arugula
- 4-5 medium ripe peaches (you want them to be ripe but not TOO soft that they will stick to the grill and get mushy)
- 1/3 cup small mozzarella pearls (they’re called ciliengini)
- 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp Kosher salt + fresh ground black pepper to taste
Steps
- Combine arugula and mozzarella pearls in large salad bowl.
- Halve the peaches and remove the pits, brush with EVOO and grill for 4-5 minutes per side.
- In small bowl, whisk together the mustard, balsamic vinegar, honey, EVOO and lemon juice and add in salt and pepper to combine.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss, top with grilled peaches and enjoy.
