Amazingly Simple Peach Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
If you’re looking for the ultimate summer salad situation that feels a little fancy but takes five minutes to throw together, this peach caprese salad is it. It’s juicy, sweet, savory, salty, a little tangy and the perfect bite. An incredible summer side dish that goes with just about anything!
Erica’s Thoughts
One of my favorite summer routines that we’ve established over the past few months of living in Oregon is the Saturday morning farmers market. The caliber of farmers markets in Portland area blows Spokane out of the water. I was part of an incredible CSA (community supported agriculture) box in Spokane and that worked so perfectly in the whirlwind years of having baby/toddler. But now that my girls are just a little older and we have access to an incredible farmers market, we are taking full advantage!
Always on our list: strawberries, blackberries, plums, nectarines, peaches, tomatoes, corn and cucumbers. Man, doesn’t get much better than a summer produce haul!
I stocked up on heirloom tomatoes a few weeks ago with the intention of making a caprese salad and then thought… huh, I should add a juicy peach. Now I don’t think I can make a traditional caprese salad again, it’s gotta have juicy peaches or nectarines! Or even cherries? So good.
I’ve been serving this easy summer salad with:
- grilled steak or chicken thighs
- ciabatta garlic bread
- a light and bubbly rosé spritzer
There are no rules but may I strongly recommend a peach-tomato-mozzarella stack on a piece of ciabatta baguette, ermegerrrd. Divine!
Here’s your sign to take advantage of late summer peach season, grab a tote full of fresh peaches and fresh tomatoes and whip up this gorgeous side dish!
Simple Ingredients You’ll Need to Make this Peach Caprese Salad Recipe
Peach: One large, ripe but firm peach. The star of the show. Slice it thin and you can peel it but I don’t bother.
Tomatoes: Two ripe, juicy ones. Go heirloom if you want Instagram-level vibes, or any red tomatoes work.
Fresh mozzarella: You can usually find a soft fresh mozzarella cheese log in the ‘fancy cheese kiosk’ by the deli section of the grocery store. They whole or pre-sliced, I personally like to slice it myself.
Basil: Fresh basil leaves – you almost can’t have too much!
Extra-virgin olive oil: Good olive oil adds richness and brings out all the flavors.
Balsamic glaze: Balsamic glaze is a glossy, sweet-tangy drizzle that ties the whole thing together. You can find this with the vinegar and oils at any regular grocery store, I like the Nonna Pia’s brand.
Flaky sea salt + fresh cracked pepper: The simplest seasonings pack the biggest flavor punch. Find flaky sea salt here.
How to Make Peach Caprese Salad
Sprinkle slices with flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper.
How to chiffonade basil:
Wash and pat basil completely dry. Stack 10-20 leaves, largest on bottom.
Roll tightly into a little “cigar.” Hold with a claw grip; use a very sharp knife, and slice crosswise into thin ribbons (⅛ inch).
Gently fluff to separate.
On a large plate or platter, arrange in a repeating pattern: tomato → peach → mozzarella. Keep going until your platter is full of gorgeous tomato, cheese and peach slices.
Scatter the basil all over so every bite gets herby goodness.
Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, balsamic glaze, and a few extra pinches of salt and pepper.
That’s literally it. Eat immediately as-is, or pair with greens, protein of choice, pasta, or garlic bread to make it a full meal.
Variation Ideas
- Fruit: Try other stone fruit like nectarines, plums, or even cherries.
- Cheese: Use burrata instead of mozzarella for a dreamy creamy center.
- Crunch: Try toasted pine nuts or walnuts sprinkled over the top.
- Herbs: Use fresh mint or thyme in place of (or alongside) basil.
- Glaze: If you don’t have balsamic glaze, you can use a glug of aged balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar plus a drizzle of honey
- Make it a skewer! Use mini mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, chunks of peach and whole basil leaves on a mini skewer for an easy appetizer.
Expert Tips
- Use firm but ripe peaches – slightly firm means clean slices.
- Slice mozzarella and tomatoes about the same thickness so the layers look even. (This is why I like to buy the mozzarella log that is not pre-sliced!)
- Use flaky salt – it goes further and is the perfect finishing salt.
- You can make this a little bit in advance (like an hour), but it’s best fresh, so the tomatoes and peaches don’t release too much moisture.
FAQs
Sort of. You can slice everything and keep it separate, but assemble right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.
You can 1) make your own balsamic reduction: simmer 1 cup of balsamic vinegar with 2 tablespoons of honey in a small saucepan on the stove until it reduces by half and gets syrupy, it’ll take about 15-20 minutes or 2) use a splash of balsamic vinegar + drizzle of honey. This option won’t have the same drizzable consistency, but it will provide similar flavors.
I wouldn’t. Fresh sweet peaches or bust for this one!
It’s best eaten the same day. Leftovers get a little watery, but if you don’t mind that, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
What should I serve with Caprese Peach Salad?
I’m not above eating the whole plate of tomatoes and cheese as my main course but to be more reasonable you can serve with any of these delicious options:
Perfect grilled chicken thighs
Oomph. The sweetness of the peaches, acidity of the tomatoes, creaminess of the cheese and tang from balsamic, this is the bite you didn’t know you needed!
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
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Juicy Peach Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 side servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Slice and layer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Creamy mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, sweet peaches and fresh basil come together for the perfect bite in this fun twist on a classic caprese salad.
Ingredients
- 1 large peach, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 on-the-vine or heirloom tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
- 4oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 2oz fresh basil, chiffonade* (about 30-40 leaves)
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic glaze (I like this one)
- flaky sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Season tomato slices with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt.
- On a large plate or platter layer the fruits and cheese in a pattern: tomato-peach-mozzarella-tomato-peach-mozzarella. Sprinkle basil over the entire plate.
- Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze and big pinches of flaky sea salt and black pepper.
That’s it! This is a summer salad at its finest! Serve with extra greens like arugula or gem lettuce, your favorite protein and pasta or garlic bread.
Notes
Chiffonade is a fancy French term for how to thinly slice basil. See my notes and photos on ‘how to chiffonade basil’ in the above blog post!
This quantity is perfect for serving my family of four as a side dish, but you can easily scale up or scale down the quantity based on how many you’re feeding. If I’m making this for a party, I simply use 2-3x more tomatoes, peaches and mozzarella!
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 180.8 mg
- Fat: 10.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.2 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 7.2 g
- Cholesterol: 22.4 mg
A perfect summer salad, easy and delicious!