Peach Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is an Italian classic. When you’ve got great ingredients (as the Italians so often have!) there’s no need to do very much to make them shine. Ripe summer tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fragrant basil leaves, and the best peppery extra virgin olive oil – who needs more? I wondered if I could use the same principle for getting the best out of seasonal stone fruits. And thus was Peach Caprese Salad born…

What is Caprese Salad?

Caprese salad is a classic Italian dish of sliced tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and basil leaves. The salad is lightly seasoned, always dressed with extra virgin olive oil, and sometimes also with garlic or a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Because of the way in which the red/white/green colors of the three main ingredients echo the colors of the Italian flag, it is also sometimes referred to as “Italian Salad”. However, the name Caprese refers to the island of Capri, rather than the Italian mainland.

How to Make Peach Caprese Salad

Peach caprese salad has all the regular ingredients, plus the addition of peaches. I also chose to make a basil oil for the dressing. Basil goes so well with sweet peaches that an extra boost of basil flavor was worth the extra five minutes work.

The salad is very easy to make, and doesn’t even require any cooking. The only thing to remember is to buy the best quality produce you can find. Pallid winter tomatoes won’t do. Wait for summer and buy the ripest and most flavorful ones you can find. If you’re lucky enough to have a vegetable garden or a friend who grows their own, this is the dish to save those special tomatoes for. The same goes for peaches. Use juicy, ripe peaches when they are in season.

Making Basil Oil

This is as easy as it gets. Simply blend the basil leaves with the extra virgin olive oil and any other flavors you want to add. I added a clove of garlic and some white balsamic vinegar.

You may have seen some recipes for basil oil that instruct you to blanch the basil leaves before blending. This is only important if you’re not going to eat it right away. Basil oil keeps well in the fridge for a few days, but without blanching, its color fades from bright green, turning sludgier and darker. If you want to make your basil oil in advance, blanch the leaves by putting them in boiling water for about 5 seconds, then immediately lift out and plunge into iced water. This process fixes the color, keeping your oil a vibrant green.

Assembly

You could just place everything in a bowl and toss it together. It will still taste great. But this dish is so simple, I like to spend a few minutes arranging it nicely on the serving platter. Alternating the slices of peach and tomato and dotting over the torn bits of mozzarella just makes it more beautiful. At the end, drizzle over the basil oil, and bring the rest to the table for everyone to add more as they want.

How to Serve Peach Caprese Salad

As I write, I am in the middle of a heatwave! I don’t have a lot of appetite for filling foods and still less for hot ones. So this is the perfect light salad for me to eat for dinner on a hot day. The salad will serve two people for a light meal. However, if you want it to go further, you can add some bread on the side, to mop up all those delicious tomato and peach juices that mingle with the basil oil on the plate at the end. It’s also a great side salad for steak or roast lamb, and you can serve it as an appetizer as well. (If serving as a side or appetizer, the quantity below will serve four people.)

And More…

Looking for more summer salad recipes? I’ve got your back!

• Cantaloupe Salad with Prosciutto
• Microgreen Salad with Peaches
• Potato, Green Bean and Sausage Salad
• Arugula Watermelon Salad
• Summer Quinoa Salad with Strawberries

Conclusion

If you’re sweltering in a heatwave and nothing sounds tasty, give my Peach Caprese Salad a try. With the best seasonal ingredients and a peppery kick from the basil oil, few things are more appealing on a hot day. What do you like to add to your caprese salad to perk them up for summer? Or do you have a tip for making winter tomatoes taste better? Let me know in the comments.