Here is a Summer Peach Salad with feta, baby greens, cucumbers, basil, mint, candied pecans, and chicken, drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette. It’s juicy, savory, salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy, and just what you want on a hot summer’s day.
Why you’ll love this peach summer salad recipe
Inspired by Sweetgreen! I have to admit, this salad is inspired by Sweetgreen’s early summer menu, but with a few of my own personal twists. The almonds are swapped out for super-addicting candied pecans and I stuck to sweet, tender baby greens without kale. The homemade balsamic dressing just takes it over the top.
Swap out the cheese or greens! This bowlful of goodness just gets that much better as the ingredients are super customizable. Swap out the cheese, greens, fruit or nuts for anything you already have on hand to create a flavor profile to call your own.
Light, healthy and crave-able! This peach salad recipe is anything but boring. It hits everything you want in a salad – creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, tender, juicy, tangy, bold … need I say more? Keep it all for yourself to enjoy throughout the week or serve it to a crowd!
Have extra peaches on hand? Make sure to make homemade peach cobbler, cinnamon peach bread, peach daiquiri, peach wine slushy and — one of my favorite recipes — s’meaches!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this peach and feta salad are broken down into two parts – balsamic dressing and salad. Here’s a list of what we need for each one:
Balsamic Dressing
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Salad
- Salad greens
- Peach
- Cucumber
- Basil
- Mint
- Candied pecans (I love the Trader Joe’s brand!)
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Chicken (Go for rotisserie!)
Ingredient substitutions and notes:
- Use a store-bought balsamic dressing if you are short on time.
- If making the dressing from scratch, add a touch of honey or maple syrup if you want it sweeter or…
- Switch out the balsamic vinegar for white balsamic vinegar for a milder and slightly sweeter flavor.
- Use your favorite clamshell of baby salad greens, like mesclun, spring mix, baby spinach or arugula.
- Swap out the peach for any stone fruit that looks ripe and delicious, like plum, nectarine or even cherries.
- Feta cheese can be swapped with goat cheese for a nice tang.
- Take a shortcut with store-bought rotisserie chicken, or use any leftover chicken you have on hand.
- Swap out the chicken for canned chickpeas or quinoa for a vegetarian meal!
How to make
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper. Whisk together until the dressing is smooth, silky and emulsified. Taste test for salt and pepper.
Prepare salad: Add the salad greens to a large bowl. Top with diced peaches, cucumbers, basil leaves, mint leaves, candied pecans, feta cheese and chicken. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette just before serving or serve on the side.
Serving suggestions
This salad with peaches is ideal for a light lunch throughout the week. It’s crisp and refreshing and gives you that boost of healthy greens, fruit and cheese to get you through long afternoons.
For a more elegant approach, feel free to serve this peach basil salad at plenty of summer dinner parties. I find it goes particularly well with lemon herb potatoes.
Meal prep and make ahead tips
I love a good salad that can get me through the week and this one hits the spot every time. Here’s how I like to store both the dressing and the salad so that it lasts for days in the fridge:
Dressing: Prepare as directed. Store in an airtight container or mason jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Salad: Prep all the ingredients with the exception of basil and mint. Place the salad greens, peach, cucumber, feta cheese and chicken together in a large airtight container or individual meal prep containers. The ingredients should keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Keep the nuts on the counter (this keeps them crunchy) and the herbs in a tall glass or bowl with a bit of water (Tip: Treat basil and mint like fresh cut flowers!). When ready to serve, top with the nuts and herbs and toss with dressing!
Looking for more salad recipes? Check these out!
If you make this Summer Peach Salad recipe, be sure to tag me on Pinterest and Instagram!
I seriously love seeing what you guys are making and sharing your creations with the College Housewife community!
Summer Peach Salad
ingredients
For balsamic vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt to taste
- Cracked black pepper to taste
For salad:
- 6-8 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 peach diced
- ½ cucumber deseeded and cut in half moons
- 2 tbsp chopped basil leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
- ½ cup chopped candied pecans I use the Trader Joe’s brand
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1 ½ cups diced cooked chicken I used rotisserie
- ⅓ cup balsamic dressing
instructions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper. Whisk together until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Taste test, and adjust seasoning accordingly.
- Prepare salad: In a large bowl, add the salad greens as the base. Top with diced peaches, cucumbers, basil leaves, mint leaves, candied pecans, feta cheese and chicken. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette just before serving. Or serve the dressing on the side.
notes
join elizabeth on the rocks
Join our newsletter to chat about all things food, cocktails, home decor, and more!