Our Blackberry-Peach Salad Is Your Next Summertime Centerpiece

Soli Zardosht
·3 min read

Packed with fresh fruits, cooling cucumber, and juicy tomatoes, this vibrant summer salad works as a colorful centerpiece to lunch or dinner, or as an accompaniment to fish or grilled meat. The combination of juicy peaches, tart blackberries, fresh herbs, and toasted walnuts piled over zesty honeyed ricotta packs an incredible punch. Read on for best tips on how to make this salad:

Sweet & savory:
With the summertime sweetness of the fruit, savory notes are needed in this salad. Enter: juicy Castelvetrano olives, which lend a mild brininess, as well as the shavings of blue Stilton that are scattered on top of the salad before serving.

The dressing:
We love this salad on its own so much that there's no real need for a fussy dressing. A generous drizzle of peppery olive oil and a big squeeze of lemon juice with some flaky salt is all that’s needed, but if desired, the addition of white balsamic vinegar would be lovely.

Substitutions:
The beauty of this salad lies in its versatility; you can change up many of the components with anything you love or want to use up. If you’re unable to get hold of fresh peaches, yellow mangoes or nectarines work just as well. The Stilton can also be swapped for another blue cheese, feta, goat’s cheese, or cotija.

Serving:
The salad is best served fresh and at room temperature. Serve as it is, or with some crusty bread to mop up any delicious leftover fruit juice and ricotta. It can also be piled up next to grilled chicken or lamb at a BBQ. Take out the cheese, and you have the perfect side to a beautiful piece of salmon or a seared tuna steak.

Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments.

Yields: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c.

    raw walnuts

  • 3

    ripe peaches, unpeeled, cut into 1/4"-thick wedges

  • 2

    Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/2" pieces

  • 2 c.

    baby plum or cherry tomatoes, quartered

  • 1/2 c.

    fresh blackberries

  • 1/4 c.

    Castelvetrano olives, pitted, coarsely chopped

  • 1/4 c.

    fresh basil leaves, chopped

  • 1/4 c.

    fresh mint leaves, chopped

  • 3 tbsp.

    extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

  • 1 tbsp.

    finely grated lemon zest, plus 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 8 oz.

    whole milk ricotta

  • 1/2 tsp.

    honey

  • 1 tsp.

    flaky sea salt

  • 1/4 c.

    Stilton cheese, crumbled

  • 2 tbsp.

    fresh oregano leaves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toast walnuts, stirring halfway through, until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.

  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine peaches, cucumbers, tomatoes, blackberries, olives, basil, mint, oil, lemon juice, and walnuts; generously season with kosher salt and pepper and gently toss to combine.

  3. Spread ricotta on a platter or divide among plates. Drizzle with honey and top with lemon zest; season with sea salt.

  4. Spoon peach salad over ricotta. Top with cheese and oregano. Drizzle with more oil.

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