RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
Summer Pick: Salads

Peach, Burrata, and Basil Salad

Ripe August peaches and creamy burrata over peppery arugula, with torn basil, toasted pistachios, sherry vinegar, and good olive oil.

Why you'll love Peach, Burrata, and Basil Salad

Late summer is when peaches are so ripe they drip, and this salad is built around that moment. Wedges of peach go over peppery arugula with torn basil, and the burrata sits in the middle of the platter, ready to be broken open so its soft, creamy center spills over the fruit. Toasted pistachios add crunch, and sherry vinegar, olive oil, flaky salt, and black pepper pull it all together.

Burrata is fresh mozzarella formed into a pouch and filled with stracciatella, soft shreds of mozzarella soaked in cream. It tastes best at room temperature, so it comes out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving, which loosens the cream and opens up its milky flavor. The peaches sit with salt and vinegar for a few minutes first, which draws out a little of their juice to mix with the olive oil into a light dressing right on the platter.

Sweet fruit, rich cheese, salt, and pepper are a classic Italian pairing, and here the cream, olive oil, and pistachios sit right beside the peaches, so the fruit comes with fat in every bite.

Quick overview: This Peach, Burrata, and Basil Salad takes 30 min of hands-on time and about 34 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 1 1/2 cups with half a burrata. You'll need a skillet.

Jump to recipe

Peach and burrata salad with arugula, basil and pistachios
Prep 30 minCook 4 minTotal 34 minServes 4Serving about 1 1/2 cups with half a burrataYou'll need Skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 balls burrata (4 oz each) Label: pasteurized milk and cream, enzymes, salt, and vinegar or cultures, with no gums or stabilizers
  • 1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
  • 4 ripe yellow peaches
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus flaky salt to finish
  • 3 cups baby arugula
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • a pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

  1. Bring the burrata to room temperature: Take the burrata out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving and leave it in its liquid. Cold firms the creamy center and mutes its flavor.
  2. Toast the pistachios: Toast the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Tip them onto a board, let them cool, and chop them coarsely.
  3. Season the peaches: Cut the peaches into 1/2-inch wedges, skin on, and toss them gently in a bowl with the sherry vinegar and the fine salt. Let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The salt pulls a little juice from the fruit, and that juice becomes part of the dressing.
  4. Build the platter: Scatter the arugula over a large platter and arrange the peaches over it, pouring the juices from the bowl over the greens. Tear the basil leaves by hand and tuck them in among the fruit.
  5. Add the burrata: Lift the burrata out of its liquid, pat it dry, and set the balls in the center of the platter. Tear each one open just before serving so the creamy center runs out over the peaches.
  6. Finish: Drizzle the olive oil over everything, then scatter the pistachios, a pinch of flaky salt, plenty of black pepper, and the red pepper flakes if you like. Serve right away, with a spoon for the burrata.

Storage and leftovers

This salad is best eaten as soon as it is assembled, since cut peaches soften and the arugula wilts. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Once opened, burrata keeps in its liquid in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Toasted pistachios keep in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Variations

  • Nectarines or plums: Use ripe nectarines, or a mix of red and black plums, in place of the peaches.
  • Grilled peaches: Halve the peaches, brush the cut sides with olive oil, and grill them cut side down for 2 to 3 minutes, until marked and warm, then slice them for the platter.
  • With tomatoes: Use ripe heirloom tomato wedges in place of half the peaches for a sweeter, more savory salad.
  • Fresh mozzarella: Tear a ball of fresh whole-milk mozzarella over the platter in place of the burrata.

Notes and tips

  • Choose ripe peaches: A ripe peach smells like peach at the stem and gives slightly when pressed there. Firm ones ripen in a day or two on the counter in a paper bag.
  • Check the burrata label: Look for milk, cream, salt, rennet, and cultures or vinegar, with no gums or stabilizers. Use it within a few days of buying, since its creamy center is at its best fresh.
  • Tear the basil: Basil darkens where a knife bruises it. Tear the leaves by hand just before they go on the platter.
  • Leave the skins on: Peach skin holds the wedges together and carries much of the fruit's fiber.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Burrata brings protein, calcium, and the real fat of whole milk and cream, which is why a few spoonfuls make a salad satisfying.
  • Peaches are a low-glycemic summer fruit with vitamin C, and the skin holds much of their fiber.
  • Eating fruit with fat, here burrata, olive oil, and pistachios, slows how quickly its natural sugars reach your bloodstream.
  • Arugula and basil add peppery, fresh greens, and pistachios bring crunch and more healthy fat.
  • As you eat, notice the cool cream against the sweet, juicy peaches and the peppery arugula, and check in later: served beside a protein like grilled chicken or fish, this plate should hold you steady for at least 3 hours, with no pull toward dessert.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Peach, Burrata, and Basil Salad? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

What is the difference between burrata and mozzarella?

Burrata is a shell of fresh mozzarella filled with stracciatella, soft shreds of mozzarella soaked in cream. Mozzarella is the same cheese, solid all the way through. Burrata is softer, richer, and creamier.

Can I make it ahead?

Toast the pistachios up to 2 weeks ahead. Slice and season the peaches and assemble the platter no more than 15 minutes before serving.

Can I make it a meal?

Yes. Add sliced grilled chicken, seared shrimp, or a few slices of grilled steak to turn it into lunch.

How should I serve the burrata?

Whole, torn open at the table, with a spoon, so everyone gets some of the creamy center along with the shell.

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Tags: Summer Pick, Salads, Italian-Inspired