Peach Mint & Arugula Summer Salad

There is no end to the list of things I love about summer. The sun, warmth, the endless outdoor adventures, and the beginning of harvest for some of my favourite fruits. Hellloooo peaches! For 4 glorious months, we can enjoy the sweet and juicy deliciousness that is a perfectly ripe peach. 

This recipe is a great summer salad centered all around this delicious fruit.  Nothings says summer freshness like mint and arugula balanced against the sweetness of a perfectly ripe peach. The red onion in this salad also adds to that extra crisp zing. And for some healthy fat and protein, I add a bit of feta cheese and pecans.

When it comes to the cheese, I like to use goat feta instead of cow feta. Traditionally, feta is actually a sheep’s milk cheese, but now you can buy goat, sheep or cow-based (or some combination of these). Most greek feta is about 70% sheep’s milk and 30% goat. For salads, I prefer a full goat feta as I find it tends to have a creamier texture with fewer acidic notes. Also, generally speaking, the more goat milk a feta has the crummier it gets - which works really well for salads like this one. A quick side note for my dairy-free friends. I find this salad also works with a cashew-based feta (if you can find or make it).

For the pecans, I like to use just plain raw (and organic) pecans, but if you want more sweet notes in your salad you can also use candied pecans. Personally, I keep it simple because I don’t like when my salads start to taste like a desert and if you have good quality peaches in play, then that should already cover your sweet flavour profile.

Speaking of which I find that the quality of this salad really comes down to the quality of your peach - since the whole thing is centered around this one ingredient. You want it to be ripe but not too ripe - as it will fall apart and look messy in your salad. When tossing this salad, also be mindful. What I do is usually toss all the other ingredients and put the peaches in last and give it a final gently toss - or just place them on top.

When it comes to your base, you can sure different greens for this, but I personally prefer arugula for its light bitter notes. If you want (for the same reason) you can also top this salad of with some radish micro greens (not shown here) for a beautiful garnish and flavour balance. If you don’t like arugula you can use something more mild like watercress or just a mix of different baby greens.

For the dressing, you can get creative but I like to use a very light vinaigrette. Here I’ve used a white wine vinegar base, but this works also great with a white balsamic vinegar instead. (I would avoid stronger vinegars like red balsamic or apple cider as it will overshadow the other flavours).

This salad doesn’t store very long in the fridge (it’s best to sever right away) but if you keep the dressing separate, you can probably get away with enjoying it the next day without it getting soggy.

PEACH, MINT & ARUGULA SUMMER SALAD

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

For the salad...

• 3 large handfuls of arugula (or other greens)
• 1 peach
• 2 tbsp of feta (crumbled)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2/3 cup red onions (sliced)
• 1 small handful of fresh mind leaves (minced)

For the dressing...

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp honey
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Wash and dry all produce.
2. Prep all ingredients (and set aside into separate small dishes): Cut the peach and onion into slivers (or half moons), mince the mint leaves, crumble the feta cheese.
3. Combine all ingredients (except for the peaches) into a large salad bowl. Add the arugula and toss everything together (gently).
4. Make your dressing: In a small bowl, wist together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss the salad with the dressing. Once coated, add the peaches. You can lightly fold them into your salad or just leave them sitting on top.
6. Serve and enjoy!