This grilled peach salad is packed with juicy peaches, creamy avocado and mozzarella and bright fresh tomatoes. A sweet maple olive oil dressing balances out the smokiness from the peaches and farro, an ancient grain, gives this salad enough body to be the perfect meal.
With summer still in full swing, I think it's really important to hang on to all these light and fresh meals a little while longer. This salad is more of a meal than a salad, really.
I know that fall recipes are filling my brain right now, but most people just aren't ready for all the apple recipes yet. And I totally get that. Mid to late August is always a little funny around my local supermarket. We've still got peaches and strawberries, but the first of the squashes are lining the produce section and the apples are looking as rosy as ever.
But around here, we're still firmly hanging on to the last few weeks of summer with this peach salad with tons of fresh produce and some ancient grains to make it all substantial enough be dinner. The perfect no-cook meal. Of course, you could also serve it as a side dish for a BBQ. There may still be one or two of those on the schedule over the next couple of weeks!
But let's talk about this salad in real terms. Like, let's talk about substitutions...
Peach Salad- This for That
- Switch the farro to brown rice.
- Use goats cheese instead of mozzarella.
- Use peppery arugula instead of mixed baby leaves.
- Instead of this maple dressing, you can switch to a creamy but healthy ranch dressing.
All things considered, this peach salad is one of my new favorites. Personally, I think it's down to the farro. The texture of it, the nuttiness of the flavor and the health benefits make this salad a go-to desk lunch for days when I'm at the computer all day. Or, they're perfect for days when I'm shooting client work and it involves products and ingredients, but no real food.
So, here's some things that you should know about this peach salad.
- It's a big salad. It can serve two as a main course with some leftovers and it can definitely serve 6-8 as a side dish.
- This salad would love to be your meal prep lunch for the week. Just keep your dressing separate and slice the avocados daily if you hate them discoloring. I personally don't really mind it, so I'd toss in all my avocado when I make it.
- This salad will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days like a dream. After that, you may find that the leaves go a little wilted and the peaches start to get a little too soft. So, make it on a Sunday and have it until Thursday for optimal peachy goodness.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING AND COOKING ALONG WITH ME! IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE A QUESTION, I’D LOVE IT IF YOU LEFT A COMMENT AND A RATING. YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO SEE WHAT WE’RE EATING, PINNING AND A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES TOO!
Grilled Peach Salad With Mozzarella and Farro
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro cooked according to the package instructions. *see notes
- 3 peaches 2 grilled one for slicing
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2 avocados 1 diced, 1 sliced
- 1 ball mozzarella
- 1 bunch basil
For the dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Cook the faro according to the package directions and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, cut 2 of the peaches in half and pull out the stone. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Heat up a grill pan or BBQ and grill the peaches cut side down for about 8 minutes, until the peaches have char marks. Turn over and grill the other side for about 4-5 minutes. You don’t need to remove the peach skin.
- Dice the grilled peaches and mix it through the faro. Add the diced avocado and mix well. Place the faro on a platter or in a serving bowl. Top with the baby salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, sliced avocado and sliced peaches.
- Add the basil leaves to the top of the salad. Tear the mozzarella into large chunks and place over the salad.
For the dressing
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl or measuring cup and whisk to combine, or use and immersion blender. Drizzle over the salad just before serving.
Leave a Reply