Watercress Salad Recipe with Grilled Peaches

Watercress Salad with Grilled Peaches – Amazing salad loaded with toasted pecan, goat cheese, and fresh basil vinaigrette. A Grilled Peach Salad everyone will love!

Grilled Peaches in Salad

Our “Summer of Salads” continues today with a salad I just can’t get enough of.

Sweet southern peaches kissed by the sun are an ingredient I wait for all year long. Every summer is a gamble when it comes to peaches. Some years we are blessed with irresistibly juicy peaches bursting with vibrant color and tantalizing flavor. Other years we wait all season, only to find that the peach crop is mealy and bland.

Fortunately, this year the peaches are in rare form! Every single peach I’ve bitten into so far has been a flashback to the best of summer memories. Sweet, fragrant, and nostalgic.

Of course, we buy them up by the bushel and use these primo peaches in every form and fashion that comes to mind.

Yet, fresh peaches ever so slightly charred on the grill and then piled on a fresh green salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them!

Summertime Salad Recipes

With summer salads, focusing on fresh simple flavors is always the way to go.

Today’s Watercress Salad Recipe with Grilled Peaches and Basil Vinaigrette requires only four ingredients for the salad itself… plus a few more for the dressing. Plus it truly is a celebration of summer produce at its finest.

I made this Grilled Peaches and Watercress Salad on a Q Squared NYC Heritage Platter that is both beautiful and practical.

Q Squared dishes are thoughtfully made out of crack-resistant melamine and priced affordably to make all your summer salads the jewel of the table!

Our Watercress Peach Salad with Basil Vinaigrette will be on our table over and over this peach season.

We think it should be yours as well.

Peachy Watercress Salad Ingredients 

• Fresh Peaches – pick firm juicy peaches
• Bunch of Watercress – stems removed
• Pecan Pieces – toasted
• Crumbled Chevre Goat Cheese – for a soft tangy bite
• Olive Oil – divided
• Golden Balsamic Vinegar – a milder balsamic vinegar variation
• Honey
• Fresh Basil – Chopped
• Salt and Pepper

How to Make This Watercress Salad with Grilled Peaches and Basil Vinaigrette

The only thing that could perfect such a wondrously simple salad is a light herby vinaigrette… and maybe a pretty plate.

1. Grill The Peaches: Preheat the grill to high heat and cut the fruit into wedges. Drizzle the peaches with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then place on the grill, once it is hot. Grilling the peaches elevates their sweetness with a light smoky note.
2. Trim The Watercress Stems: Once you trim the bundles of watercress, arrange the watercress leaves on a platter. Then distribute the peaches evenly throughout the greens, along with the toasted southern pecans, and cool creamy goat cheese.
3. Make The Dressing: Mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and basil in a small bowl. Then salt and pepper to taste.
4. Drizzle the basil vinaigrette over top of the Peach Salad. Enjoy!

See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make Watercress Salad with Grilled Peaches and Basil Vinaigrette.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Can This Grilled Fruit Salad Last In The Fridge?

The peaches and the greens can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. However, once you mix the salad with the dressing, it should be eaten within 12 hours.

Can I Substitute Other Greens?

Watercress has a peppery flavor. If you prefer another leafy green instead, spinach, arugula, or baby kale would be great substitutions in this summertime salad.

Other Great Salad Recipes 

• Fresh Peach Salad Recipe with Basil
• Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad
• Grilled Romaine Salad and Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing 
• Fattoush Salad with Grilled Vegetables 
• Grilled Corn Salad with Smoky Vinaigrette 
• Grilled Romaine Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
• Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)
• Avocado Chicken Salad
• 3-Ingredient Almond Butter Balsamic Vinaigrette

Check the printable recipe card below for nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium percentages.

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Watercress Salad Recipe with Grilled Peaches

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes minutes

Amazing Grilled Peaches and Watercress Salad loaded with toasted pecan, goat cheese, and fresh basil vinaigrette. A Grilled Peach Salad everyone will love!

Servings: 6

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 3-4 fresh peaches
• 4 bunches watercress stems removed
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces toasted
• 4 ounces crumbled chevre goat cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil divided
• 1/4 cup golden balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the grill to high heat. Cut the peaches into wedges, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Once the grill is hot, grill the peaches for 1 minute per side, then remove and cool.
• Mix 1/3 cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and basil to a small bowl. Whisk well, then salt and pepper to taste.
• Trim the watercress and pile on a large platter. Arrange the grilled peaches, toasted pecans, crumbled chevre on top. Drizzle with the basil vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Notes

Also, try with nectarines and apricots! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 79mg, Potassium: 247mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 990IU, Vitamin C: 12.1mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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