Stone Fruit & Arugula Salad
If you have not tried stone fruit and arugula together, summer time is the best time!
Every summer, our local farmers’ markets explode with peaches, nectarines, and every variety of stone fruit imaginable. The beauty of this salad is that the ingredients do all the work! The varied textures and tastes of the stone fruits, tossed with peppery arugula and creamy fresh mozzarella, is truly a masterpiece.
The secret isn’t a complicated dressing—it’s using beautiful ingredients. Sweet, perfectly ripe fruit balances the peppery bite of arugula, while creamy mozzarella softens every bite. A good olive oil and aged balsamic tie everything together with surprisingly little effort.
Fresh basil is the finishing touch. If you’ve never tried making thin ribbons of basil, it’s worth taking an extra minute to chiffonade the leaves. Not only does it look beautiful, but it distributes the basil evenly throughout the salad so every bite gets a little of its fresh aroma. If you’re new to the technique, I have a simple guide on how to chiffonade basil that walks you through it step by step.
This is the kind of salad I love serving on warm summer evenings because it feels elegant without requiring much work. It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, steak, fish, or simply a loaf of crusty bread and a glass of crisp white wine.
Use the best oil and balsamic you can find
Recipes this simple let those ingredients shine, and you’ll taste the difference immediately. Around Northern California we’re lucky to have wonderful olive oil and vinegar tasting rooms, and this salad is one of my favorite reasons to bring home something truly special.
I hope this Stone Fruit Salad becomes one of those recipes you make every summer when peaches are at their peak. Here’s to eating the things we love!
Stone Fruit & Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ripe peaches
- 2 ripe nectarines
- 2 ripe nectaplums
- 8 ounces ciliegine mozzarella drained
- 4 cups arugula coarsely torn
- 2 tablespoons high-quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)
Instructions
- Cut the peaches, nectarines, and nectaplums into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle lightly with the kosher salt and let rest for 5–10 minutes.2 ripe peaches, 2 ripe nectarines, 2 ripe nectaplums, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Arrange the arugula on a large serving platter.4 cups arugula
- Scatter the stone fruit evenly over the arugula with their juices.
- Add the ciliegine mozzarella throughout the salad.8 ounces ciliegine mozzarella
- Sprinkle the basil ribbons over the top.1/4 cup Fresh basil leaves
- Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil followed by the aged balsamic vinegar.2 tablespoons high-quality extra virgin olive oil, 1½ tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- Finish with several grinds of black pepper and serve immediately.Freshly ground black pepper
