Grilled Peach Salad with Curry Pecans & Honey Vinaigrette
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Life’s about to get a whole lot peachier thanks to this summery grilled peach salad! Have you tried grilling peaches before? The natural sugars caramelize, making the peaches smoky and extra sweet. They meld with peppery arugula, bursting blueberries, candied curry pecans, and a honey vinaigrette. Add some goat cheese or diced avocado, and you’ll be counting down until peach season all year long!
This grilled peach salad tastes like summer on a plate. The peaches become even sweeter on the grill as their natural sugars caramelize and pick up a subtle smoky flavor, making them completely irresistible. Paired with peppery arugula, juicy blueberries, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy pecans, every bite feels bright, fresh, and full of contrast.
One of my favorite parts of this salad is the candied curried pecans. They add a slightly unexpected warm spice that works so well with the sweet peaches and creamy goat cheese. It’s subtle, but it gives the salad a little something extra that makes people stop and ask what’s in it.
The key here is using perfectly ripe peaches that are still firm enough to hold together on the grill. Once everything gets tossed together, you end up with a salad that’s sweet, smoky, creamy, crunchy, and tangy all at once — exactly the kind of summer salad I never get tired of making.
Also, make sure to try my prosciutto-wrapped peaches!
Pro tips for how to grill peaches for a salad
Grilling peaches sounds fancy, but it’s super simple! One warning: don’t give in and try one of those grilled peaches before you put them in the salad. If you do, chances are you won’t be able to stop yourself from eating all of them! Here are some other pro tips to keep in mind:
- Grilling peaches: Cut your peaches in half (like an avocado!) and twist the halves off of the pit. Slice each half into three pieces and toss them in a tiny bit of oil. Grill the peaches for a few minutes on each side.
- Grill mats: Have you used grill mats. before? If not, prepare to make your peach grilling life even easier. Nothing sticks to them, making your BBQ stay clean and making clean up a breeze! You can definitely make this grilled peach salad without a grill mat, but you’ll want to make sure that your grill is well oiled before putting on the peaches so they don’t stick.
- Warm peaches: If you throw your peaches in when they’re hot off the grill, you’ll risk wilting the salad, so it’s best to let them cool for a few minutes and serve them warm. If you want to make the salad ahead of time, they’re tasty served cold, too.
Variations
This grilled peach salad works as there is delicious contrast: sweet and smokiness from the peaches balances the peppery bitterness from the arugula! If you’re thinking of making any variations, think about how they’ll complement those flavors. Here are some top picks:
- Other cheese: Goat cheese can be polarizing – I love the tangy creaminess of it but understand it’s not for everyone. An easy and delicious substitute is feta cheese, avocado, or burrata.
- Protein: If you’d like to add some protein you can throw in some prosciutto, shredded chicken, bacon bits, or roasted chickpeas as a salad topper.
- Greens: Add or sub some other greens, like kale or baby spinach!
- Nuts: If you can’t get your hands on some pecans, other nuts work well, too. Walnuts are an easy swap, or you can sprinkle some pine nuts into the salad, too.
Your questions answered
Should I peel peaches before grilling them? Unless you really don’t like the peach skin, I suggest leaving it on, as it helps them retain their shape better when they’re grilled.
Should I use raw or roasted pecans? Go for roasted pecans, if possible!
Can I make grilled peach salad ahead of time? You can make the various parts of the salad ahead of time, but don’t combine them until you’re ready to serve.
Grilled Peach Salad with Curry Pecans & Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
The Honey Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (use 1 tablespoon mayonnaise for dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- A pinch of sea salt
The Candied Curry Pecans
- ¼ cup pecans
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon butter
The Salad
- 4 ripe but firm peaches
- ½ teaspoon avocado oil (or another neutral-flavored oil)
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- ½ cup blueberries
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese (sub a diced avocado for dairy-free)
Instructions
- Place all the vinaigrette ingredients into a 1-cup mason jar and shake until mixed.2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, A pinch of sea salt
- Place the pecans, honey, curry powder, and sea salt in a small frying pan and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the pan is dry, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter to prevent the pecans from sticking together.¼ cup pecans, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon butter
- Preheat your barbecue to high. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pit. Then cut each peach half into three wedges. Place the peaches in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the oil. Grill the peaches for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove them from the grill using an offset spatula – this works better than a regular spatula and helps prevent the grill marks from being left on the grill.4 ripe but firm peaches, ½ teaspoon avocado oil
- Place the arugula in a large bowl with goat cheese, curry pecans, blueberries, and grilled peaches. Toss with the dressing and serve immediately.5 ounces baby arugula, ½ cup blueberries, ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
This salad was Perfect!!!!
My husband loved this! Full disclosure, our grocery store did not have fresh peaches, so I could not grill them ( I WILL though). I made the pecans as written and the dressing exactly, but I used shredded gruyere bc it is better for my lactose intolerance. I replaced the peaches with pear, but DID used fresh blueberries. This was AMAZING and I’m sure it will be even better as written! My husband commented on the LAYERS of flavor and said that it was the best salad he had ever had! Thank you for an awesome new salad to add to my repertoire!
You’re very welcome!!
Really appreciate the way you made this. I hope this will make my mom happy. Looking for more such delicious recipes in future,
Simply amazing
Wow, what a great recipe! I made it last night for company and everyone loved it (and asked for the receipt). I used nectarines instead of peaches, as the peaches in the store weren’t ripe and it turned out great. I also added some “Spring Mix” lettuce to the arugula and grilled the lettuces slightly – to the point where they were just beginning to wilt a bit – which added a touch more smokiness. Will definitely make this again!
This is really good! I used feta instead of goat cheese because it’s what I had, but I think goat would have been even better. I also had just turned the last of my blueberries into jam, so I used blueberry jam in place of the honey in the vinaigrette and it was very nice!
My pecans stuck to the pan when they cooled, even with the butter, so I think turning them into parchment paper to cool would have been a better idea.
This salad is amazing. My favorite!
Excellent combination! Omitted the goat cheese and it was still very flavorful.
Do you peel the peaches?
Unless you really don’t like them, I suggest leaving the skin on the peaches. It will help them retain their shape better when grilled. 🙂
The dressing really compliments the peppery, nutty arugula! I love the grilled peaches alongside the creamy goat cheese. This is a really well thought out recipe and something I think everyone will enjoy! Definitely make it this summer!
Thank you for the comment, Alixx! So happy that you liked the recipe!
Made the salad twice and absolutely loved the flavours. It paired perfectly with cheese, pate de foie and Port wine. Our guests enjoyed it very much. Trying it is adopting it.
Great pairing suggestions! So happy you like the recipe!
Is it okay to make the dressing a day ahead of time and keep on fridge?
Yep! The dressing will keep well for several days in the fridge!
please add the pecan directions into the body of the recipe you print!
Done!
ok to grill, then chill the peaches several hours ahead of time?
It is!
It was really amazing ! Nice to change from basic salads
I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe!
Would feta be an OK alternative to the goat cheese? I will eat almost anything in this world, but I really hate the taste of goat cheese. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Oh absolutely!