Peach Salad
This classic peach salad combines juicy fresh peaches with crisp cucumber, red onion, fresh mint, walnuts, and mixed baby greens. A simple honey red wine vinaigrette brings everything together for an easy summer salad that’s fresh, sweet, tangy, and ready in about 15 minutes.
This is where we add something you bring to the recipe rather than another description of it:
I was making two peach salads at the same time—this fresh peach salad and a grilled peach burrata salad—and I deliberately kept this one simple. I didn’t grill the peaches or add cheese because I wanted that fresh, juicy peach flavor to come through.
The cucumber turned out to be especially important. It gives the salad a crisp bite against the softer peaches, while the mint keeps everything fresh. And instead of balsamic, which I used with the grilled peach salad, I chose red wine vinegar here because its sharper acidity works really well with sweet, ripe peaches.
Why you’ll love this peach salad
- Ready in 15 minutes with no cooking required.
- Fresh and light with plenty of texture from peaches, cucumber, and walnuts.
- Easy to make ahead by preparing the dressing and salad ingredients separately.
- Versatile enough for a summer side dish or a light meal with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Peaches – Choose ripe but still firm peaches. Very soft peaches taste wonderful but can fall apart when you toss the salad. Nectarines would also work well.
- Mixed baby greens – I use a mixture of tender baby greens, including some arugula. You can use spring mix, baby arugula, baby spinach, or a combination.
- Cucumber – Adds the crispness that balances the soft, juicy peaches. Persian or English cucumbers are particularly good because they contain fewer large seeds.
- Red onion – Slice it very thinly so you get a little sharpness without overwhelming the peaches. If your onion is particularly strong, soak the slices in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain and dry them well.
- Fresh mint – Don’t skip this if you can help it. Mint works beautifully with peaches and makes the salad taste particularly fresh.
- Walnuts – Add richness and crunch. Pecans or sliced almonds would also work.
- Olive oil – Use a good extra virgin olive oil since there are so few ingredients in the dressing.
- Red wine vinegar – I prefer its clean acidity in this salad. Apple cider vinegar would be my next choice if you need a substitute.
- Honey – Softens the vinegar’s acidity and complements the natural sweetness of the peaches.
- Garlic powder – Just a small amount gives the dressing savory depth without the bite of raw garlic.
- Salt and black pepper – Season the dressing first, then taste the finished salad and adjust if necessary.
Step-by-step: How to make a classic peach salad
1. Make the honey vinaigrette
Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk until the dressing is emulsified.
Pro tip – Taste it before adding it to the salad. Peaches vary enormously in sweetness. If yours are exceptionally sweet, you may prefer a touch more vinegar; if they’re slightly tart, a little more honey balances them nicely.
2. Prepare the salad ingredients
Wash the greens and dry them really well.
This matters more than it sounds—a wet salad dilutes the dressing and prevents it from coating the leaves properly.
Slice the peaches into wedges. Slice the cucumber and red onion thinly and chop or tear the mint. Roughly chop the walnuts.
Pro tip – I prefer cutting the peaches shortly before assembling the salad rather than hours ahead. They stay firmer, fresher, and much prettier.
3. Assemble the salad
Place the mixed greens in a large serving bowl. Add the cucumber, red onion, mint, and walnuts.
Add the peach wedges last so they don’t get crushed underneath the other ingredients.
4. Dress and serve
Give the vinaigrette another whisk or shake just before using it. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and gently toss.
Add more only as needed. Both peaches and cucumber release moisture, so overdressing this particular salad can make it watery quite quickly.
Serve immediately while the greens are crisp and the peaches are fresh.
Storage and make ahead
- This peach salad is best assembled just before serving, but you can prepare most of it ahead.
- Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate it in a covered jar. Slice the onion and cucumber and store them separately. Wash and thoroughly dry the greens, then refrigerate them with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- I would wait to slice the peaches and toss the salad until shortly before serving.
- Once dressed, leftovers can be refrigerated, but the greens will soften and the peaches and cucumber will release moisture. For the best texture, enjoy it the day it’s made.
Variations
- Add protein – Grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or steak can turn this side salad into a complete meal.
- Add avocado – It adds creaminess while keeping the salad dairy-free.
- Add cheese – Feta or goat cheese works if you want a salty, creamy element, but the salad genuinely doesn’t need it.
- Change the nuts – Try toasted pecans, almonds, or pistachios instead of walnuts.
- Change the fruit – Nectarines are the easiest substitution and don’t need peeling.
Classic Peach Salad with Honey Vinaigrette
Fresh peaches, crisp cucumber, red onion, mint, and crunchy walnuts are tossed with mixed baby greens and a simple honey red wine vinaigrette. A fresh and easy summer peach salad that’s ready in minutes.
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Ingredients
- 4 cups (4 oz) Mixed baby greens
- 3 med (15 oz) Fresh peaches sliced into wedges
- 2 med Cucumber sliced
- 1 small Red onion thinly sliced
- 5 – 6 cup Fresh mint leaves chopped or torn
- ½ cup Walnuts roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Honey
- ¼ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
Method
- Make the dressing – Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until emulsified. Taste and adjust the vinegar or honey depending on the sweetness of your peaches.3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp Honey, ¼ tsp Garlic powder, ½ tsp Salt, ¼ tsp Black pepper
- Prepare the ingredients – Wash and thoroughly dry the greens. Slice the peaches, cucumber, and red onion. Chop or tear the mint and roughly chop the walnuts.4 cups Mixed baby greens, 3 med Fresh peaches, 2 med Cucumber, 1 small Red onion, 5 – 6 cup Fresh mint leaves, ½ cup Walnuts
- Assemble – Place the mixed greens in a large serving bowl. Add the cucumber, red onion, mint, and walnuts. Arrange the peach wedges over the salad.
- Dress and serve – Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and gently toss just before serving. Add additional dressing only as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Choose peaches that are ripe but still firm enough to slice.
- Keep the peach skin on unless you prefer it removed.
- Make sure your washed greens are completely dry before assembling.
- Start with less dressing than you think you need. The peaches and cucumber will contribute additional moisture.
- For extra flavor and crunch, lightly toast the walnuts and cool them before adding them to the salad.
- Don’t dress the salad until you are ready to serve.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for the best peach salad
- Use peaches that are ripe but firm. Save your extremely soft, dripping-down-your-arm peaches for something else. They tend to break apart when tossed with the greens.
- Dry everything well. This is especially important with the greens and cucumber. Extra water is one of the quickest ways to turn a good vinaigrette into a bland one.
- Don’t automatically use all the dressing. Start with less and toss. You can always add more, but you can’t take it back once the greens are swimming in it.
- Add peaches toward the end. Tossing them repeatedly with the other ingredients bruises the fruit and makes the salad look messy.
- Toast the walnuts if you have time. A few minutes in a dry skillet brings out their flavor and gives them a better crunch. Let them cool completely before adding them to the greens.
- Dress immediately before serving. This isn’t a salad I would dress and leave sitting on the table for half an hour. The salt draws moisture from the peaches and cucumber while the vinaigrette gradually wilts the baby greens.
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Frequently asked questions
No. I leave the skin on. It helps the peach wedges hold their shape and gives the salad more color. If you dislike peach skin, however, you can certainly peel them.
Use peaches that smell fragrant and give slightly when gently pressed but are still firm enough to slice cleanly. Extremely soft peaches are better for sauces, desserts, smoothies, or other recipes where their shape doesn’t matter.
You can prepare the individual components ahead, but don’t assemble and dress the salad until close to serving. Fresh peaches and cucumber both release moisture after they’re cut and salted.
I wouldn’t recommend them for this particular recipe. This salad relies on the firm, juicy texture of fresh peaches. Canned peaches are much softer and sweeter, while thawed frozen peaches tend to become too soft.
This makes an easy summer side for grilled chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, pork, or other grilled meats. You can also add one of those proteins directly to the salad and serve it as a light meal.
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