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Peach Salad Recipe With Walnut Dressing

This beautiful peach salad recipe puts those juicy ripe peaches of summer in the spotlight and is easy to prep ahead. Just add the deliciously rich, nutty walnut dressing before serving.

The two main components for this peach salad are fresh ripe peaches and the walnut dressing. Beyond that, build in whatever you like or have on hand.

peach salad with walnut dressing on white plate

I use mixed greens, shredded celeriac and radishes as the base. Then add a couple of other things like avocado and goat cheese if I have them on hand.

If you’re not familiar with celeriac, it’s worth a try. Celeriac is a mild white root vegetable that is eaten raw or cooked. It tastes like a cross between celery and turnip. For this recipe, I cut off the knobby outside and ends, then grate it with a box grater. It compliments the peaches nicely and looks pretty.

The walnut dressing is delicious. Full of texture, richness and a touch of sweet and tartness. I’m pretty sure you will be looking for other ways to use such as drizzled over grilled veggies. And, like the peach salad, you can vary it to your liking. I adapted recipes for walnut dressing from Food and Wine Magazine and Epicurious.

I love to serve this peach salad with Canadian maple cedar planked salmon, lemon butter herb baked trout or marinated flank steak.

Tips

  1. Hold out for ripe juicy peaches. Check out our peach halves on the grill post for how to tell a peach is ripe and how to ripen them quickly.
  2. Resist the temptation to substantially increase the peach salad without increasing the walnut dressing. You want to keep the proportions about right. No need to obsess though. A bit more or less is not going to matter.

Tailor To Your Taste

Forage through your fridge and pantry to make the changes or additions you like. Here are a few suggestions.

Salad green options

  • Try arugula, frisee lettuce, gem lettuce or spring lettuce mix. Actually, any greens will do.

Nuts

  • If you don’t have walnuts (or have an allergy to them), try pecans, skinned hazelnuts or macademia nuts instead. Toast them first.

Peach options

  • OK, this is a peach salad, so I do suggest peaches 🙂 but you can try substituting them with apples or pears (cut near serving time so they don’t turn brown).
  • You can also use grilled peaches. Now that would be amazing!

Garnishes/salad fillings

  • Try avocado, feta or goat cheese, shaved pecorino, pomegranate seeds (more color!), fresh parsley or thyme.
  • I recently added cooked quinoa to the peach salad and reduced the greens. I served this more substantial salad with spicy honey lime chicken skewers and called it a day.

How to make peach salad with walnut dressing

Ingredients: Salad – salad greens, peaches, radishes. Walnut dressing – walnuts, lemon zest, white balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper.
celeriac with sides and stems cut away
Peel the celeriac.
sliced peaches, sliced radishes, shredded celeriac on cutting board
Slice peach and radishes and shred a cup of celeriac using a box grater.
walnut dressing in a dish
Pulse walnut dressing ingredients in a food processor until walnuts are coarsely chopped.
peach salad with walnut dressing on a platter 2
Drizzle walnut dressing on the peach salad before serving.
peach salad with walnut dressing on white plate p

Shortcut

  • Skip the walnut dressing (if you must) and used a good quality bottled dressing like balsamic, pomegranate or honey dijon dressing.

Make Ahead

  • The peach salad can be prepped ahead. Just add the walnut dressing (which can be made several days ahead) before serving.
  • If you are using avocado, apples or pears and want to cut them up a couple of hours ahead, toss them with a bit of lemon juice to keep them from browning.
peach salad with walnut dressing on white plate
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4.80 from 10 votes

Peach Salad Recipe With Walnut Dressing

This beautiful peach salad recipe puts those juicy ripe peaches of summer in the spotlight and is easy to prep ahead. Just add the deliciously rich, nutty walnut dressing before serving.
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Cheryl

Ingredients

Salad ingredients

  • 2 -3 ripe peaches, sliced or cut in chunks no need to remove skin
  • 1 cup shredded celeriac (about 1/2 celeriac peeled and shredded with box grater)
  • 4 radishes, sliced
  • 6 cups lettuce greens Note 1
  • Garnish and other add-in ideas: chopped/sliced avocado, feta or goat cheese, pomegranate seeds, 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, herbs, etc.

Walnut Dressing

  • 3/4 cup -1 cup walnuts Note 2
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1 small lemon or 1/2 large)
  • 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar Note 3
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)
  • Optional: 1-2 tsp of chopped thyme or chives
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • TOAST WALNUTS: Do this first. While nuts are toasting, do your chopping and cutting. Heat oven or toaster oven to 350F. Place walnuts in pan. Roast for 8-11 minutes until fragrant. Let cool.
  • ASSEMBLE SALAD: Place greens on a platter or wide mouthed bowl. Scatter peaches and radishes on top and any other garnish/fillings you're using.
  • MAKE WALNUT DRESSING: Add all walnut dressing ingredients to food processor. Pulse until walnuts are coarsely chopped. If you don't have a processor, chop walnuts, add other ingredients except oil, then whisk in oil until well blended. Drizzle dressing over peach salad.

Recipe Notes

  1. Salad greens: some good options are arugula, frisee lettuce, gem lettuce or spring lettuce mix. Actually, any greens will do.
  2. Walnut alternatives: If you don’t have walnuts (or have an allergy to them), try pecans, skinned hazelnuts or macademia nuts instead. Toast them first.
  3. White balsamic vinegar alternatives:  white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
  4. Make Ahead: 
    • The peach salad can be prepped ahead. Just add the walnut dressing (which can be made several days ahead) before serving. 
    • If you are using avocado, apples or pears and want to cut them up a couple of hours ahead, toss them with a bit of lemon juice to keep them from browning. 
 
Nutrition values are estimates based on 4 generous portions and 3/4 cup walnuts. 

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4243IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg
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