Healthy bruschetta salad with grilled peaches is a fresh and easy summer salad. With homemade garlic croutons and maple balsamic dressing, it's filled with bright flavors that are sure to impress a crowd. Plus, you can throw it all together in under 30 minutes!
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📋 About the Recipe
- This healthy bruschetta salad with grilled peaches is made from fresh fruits and vegetables. It is drizzled with a homemade balsamic dressing and garlic croutons to help you remain in control of what goes in your food.
- This salad is a unique twist on an Italian classic. It is easy to throw together and can be made in 30 minutes or less.
- Customize the salad with different varieties of tomatoes, adding arugula or spinach, and topping it all off with some avocado. This recipe serves as a guide, so feel free to get creative.
- The maple balsamic dressing gives it a slight caprese salad feel when it pairs with the cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese.
- Turn this bruschetta salad into a filling and flavorful dinner by topping it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak.
- With so many fresh components, this salad can be prepared as a main dish, side dish, or appetizer. Perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks, or any occasion! Looking for a fall inspired salad? Try this apple cranberry salad with candied pecans instead.
🛒 Ingredients
A few notes about the ingredients:
- Romaine and baby spring mix - this combination of lettuces provides for added texture and nutrients. The romaine is crisp and slightly crunchy, while the spring mix offers dark green and purple lettuces, which in turn offer different vitamins and minerals to the mix.
- Cherry tomatoes - cherry tomatoes are plump and juicy. They are just large enough to slice with a knife, while providing a great burst of flavor. Tomatoes are a key part of traditional Italian style bruschetta and are often marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Fresh basil - the fresh basil gets sliced thin and sprinkled throughout the salad. You can hardly tell it's in there, but it offers a bright fresh flavor to the salad.
- Mozzarella "pearls" - these little balls of mozzarella cheese are rich and creamy. Their creaminess counteracts the acidic balsamic vinaigrette and cherry tomatoes. You can find these in the fresh cheese section of your grocery store. They are often in a container filled with water to keep them fresh. If you can't find the "pearls," cherry sized mozzarella or "ciliegine" will work too.
- Peaches - fresh peach season is generally from May to September, depending on your region. You'll want peaches that are still a little hard, almost ripe so they hold up on the grill. Grilling peaches brings out their sweetness and helps to caramelize their natural sugars.
- French bread - a french baguette from the bakery in your local grocery store is suggested for this recipe. Cube all of it for extra croutons to snack on or use extra bread for other bruschetta-style recipes. Easily use up extra bread by substituting it for the sweet potato in this sweet potato, brie, and apple crostini recipe.
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder - traditionally, the toasted bread in bruschetta is rubbed with olive oil and fresh garlic. To resemble a traditional bruschetta appetizer, the croutons are seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to give them a similar flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar - balsamic vinegar has a rich and fruity flavor. It pairs well with the other tangy, creamy, and sweet components of the bruschetta salad.
- Olive oil - olive oil is used in the dressing to help it stick to the salad. The oil allows the dressing to coat each piece of lettuce instead of making it soggy.
- Maple syrup - maple syrup provides a caramel-like sweet flavor to the tangy balsamic vinegar. The two work together to create the perfect harmony for a delicious salad dressing. If you like it sweeter, add a touch more maple syrup. If you like it with more tang, don't use as much.
- Dijon mustard - mustard helps add flavor to salad dressings. It's combination of flavors makes the dressing more rich and appetizing.
- Garlic clove, salt, pepper - these also help add flavor to the dressing. Salt and pepper bring out all the other flavors, while enhancing those in the dressing itself.
📓 Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. While waiting for it to heat up, prepare a baking sheet and dice the french loaf into 1 inch cubes.
3. Place the cubed bread on the baking sheet, drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and season it with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to evenly mix the seasonings throughout the bread.
4. Bake the bread in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it's lightly toasted and golden brown, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.
5. While the croutons are baking, make the salad dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients, besides the olive oil, in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Slowly whisk the oil into the rest of the ingredients to make a thick dressing.
6. Preheat your barbecue grill over medium-high heat.
7. Prepare the salad by chopping the lettuce and slicing the rest of the ingredients. Combine the lettuces with the sliced basil and place the mixture in a large mixing bowl.
8. Place sliced peaches on the grates of the heated grill. They should sizzle as you lay them down. Let them cook for about 5 minutes before flipping and doing the same on the other side. Remove peaches to a clean plate and set them aside.
9. Assemble the salad by topping the lettuces with the sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and a handful of the garlic croutons, reserving a few extra of each for the top of the salad.
10. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the maple balsamic vinaigrette and toss to combine. Serve healthy bruschetta salad with grilled peaches in a large serving bowl. Top with the rest of the tomato slices, mozzarella, a few more croutons, and the grilled peaches.
11. Store any leftover dressing in a jar in your refrigerator. You can use it on other salads and it will last for a few months. Store any leftover croutons in an air tight container on your counter. They're great for snacking and will last about a week.
⁉️ Substitutions and Alterations
Instead of romaine and spring mix: you can use any lettuce you like best. Arugula will add a nice peppery bite, spinach adds a rich greenness, and other lettuces will all offer different flavors and textures.
Instead of fresh basil: you can either leave out the basil or substitute it for fresh dill or parsley. Using dried basil is not recommended for this recipe.
Instead of mozzarella: you can use feta, goat cheese, or burrata instead of mozzarella for a rich and creamy cheese. If you're looking for a nondairy substitute, you can swap in white beans for that added creaminess too.
❄️ How to Store
To store: For the best results, store all of the salad components separately in the refrigerator. Grill the peaches just before you're ready to serve. Then, assemble everything right before serving. If stored separately, each part of the salad should remain fresh for a few days.
If the salad is already assembled, store any leftovers in an airtight container with a piece or two of paper towel to soak up any excess moisture. The salad will last about a day or two in the refrigerator.
To freeze: Freezing is not recommended.
To reheat: Reheating the peaches is not recommended.
🔍 FAQs
The dictionary defines it as: "thick slices of bread grilled, rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil, often topped with tomatoes and herbs, and usually served as an appetizer."
This salad is a twist on the classic bruschetta appetizer. It combines the garlic rubbed bread, with the olive oil, tomatoes, and herbs on top of a lettuce base instead of on slices of toasted bread.
Many English speakers pronounce it with a "sh" sound. However, it is properly pronounced as "broo-skeh-tuh."
Other fruits that would work well in this salad and taste great when grilled include: pineapple, watermelon, nectarines, pears, cantaloupe, and mangoes.
💭 One More Tip
To help emulsify the dressing, or keep the oil and vinegar in the dressing from separating, you'll want to slowly whisk the oil into the rest of the dressing ingredients, instead of adding it all together at the same time.
As you whisk, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Once all the oil is added, whisk the mixture more vigorously until it becomes thick and fully incorporated. This process will help keep it together for a little while.
As the dressing sits, it may separate. Simply place it in a glass jar to store and shake before using or pour it into a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously once again before adding it to salad.
You can also use an immersion blender, instead of whisking, if you have one on hand.
🍴 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Bruschetta Salad with Grilled Peaches
Equipment
- BBQ grill
Ingredients
For the Croutons
- ½ loaf of french bread (baguette) NOT pre-sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated garlic (about 1 small clove)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce (or 2 small) chopped
- 2 to 3 cups baby spring mix
- 5 to 10 leaves fresh basil sliced thin
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced thin
- ½ to 1 cup mozzarella pearls (can also use cherry sized or "ciliegine") cut in half
- 5 yellow peaches cut into 6 pieces each
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- While waiting for it to heat up, prepare a baking sheet and dice the french loaf into 1 inch cubes.
- Place the cubed bread on the baking sheet, drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and season it with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to evenly mix the seasonings throughout the bread.
- Bake the bread in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it's lightly toasted and golden brown, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.
- While the croutons are baking, make the salad dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients, besides the olive oil, in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Slowly whisk the oil into the rest of the ingredients to make a thick dressing.
- Preheat your barbecue grill over medium-high heat.
- Prepare the salad by chopping the romaine and slicing the rest of the ingredients. Combine the lettuces with the sliced basil and place the mixture in a large mixing bowl.
- Place sliced peaches on the grates of the heated grill. They should sizzle as you lay them down. Let them cook for about 5 minutes before flipping and doing the same on the other side. Remove peaches to a clean plate and set them aside.
- Assemble the salad by topping the lettuces with the sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and a handful of the garlic croutons, reserving a few extra of each for the top of the salad.
- Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the maple balsamic vinaigrette and toss to combine. Serve healthy bruschetta salad with grilled peaches in a large serving bowl. Top with the rest of the tomato slices, mozzarella, a few more croutons, and the grilled peaches.
- Store any leftover dressing in a jar in your refrigerator. You can use it on other salads and it will last for a few months. Store any leftover croutons in an airtight container on your counter. They're great for snacking and will last about a week.
Storage
- To store: For the best results, store all of the salad components separately in the refrigerator. Grill the peaches just before you're ready to serve. Then, assemble everything right before serving. If stored separately, each part of the salad should remain fresh for a few days.If the salad is already assembled, store any leftovers in an airtight container with a piece or two of paper towel to soak up any excess moisture. The salad will last about a day or two in the refrigerator.To freeze: Freezing is not recommended.To reheat: Reheating the peaches is not recommended.
Notes
- Shop for the highest quality ingredients you can afford for the best flavor. Higher quality balsamic vinegars and olive oils are more authentic, while lower quality cheaper varieties are imitations of the real things.
- Mozzarella balls can be found in the fresh cheese section of your grocery store. They are often in a container filled with water to keep them fresh.
- Fresh peach season is generally from May to September, depending on your region, with peak season in July and August. You'll want to find peaches that are still a little hard, almost ripe so they hold up on the grill.
- If you can't find fresh peaches, you can try using frozen ones instead. Do not thaw them before placing them on the grill. You can also opt to use other fruit, like pineapple, watermelon, nectarines, pears, cantaloupe, or mangoes instead.
Nutrition
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Anna
Delicious salad! The grilled peaches are a great touch and become wonderfully sweet on the grill. Definitely don’t skip that step!
Alana Lieberman
Thank you! So glad you liked the peaches. It's definitely a great addition.