Peach and Prosciutto Salad

When summer stone fruit is in season, I love to find ways to eat it in every meal! One of my favorite things to do is make a fruit-based salad (with peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries or other stone fruit) and then add in whatever else I have on hand. This Peach and Prosciutto Salad is one of these such creations and combines the flavors of summer peaches and figs with mouth-watering prosciutto and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

This Peach and Prosciutto Salad pairs incredibly well with Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes as a main dish, or with Black Pepper Focaccia for a mezze-style tasting table or appetizer spread.

Why you'll love this recipe

• This easy recipe comes together in just a few minutes!
• You can easily adapt this recipe to use other stonefruit or whatever is in season near you.
• Want to add some cheese? Add some burratta or mozzarella for some extra flavor.
• Using fresh peaches is wonderful, and you can also grill the peaches for a slightly different flavor.

Ingredients

The best thing about this recipe is you can use whatever is in season and what you have on hand.

• Peaches: Ripe peaches are perfect for this recipe. If you don't have any peaches, other stone fruit such as nectarines or plums would work well!
• Figs: These are only in season for a few weeks, but they're absolutely delicious to eat raw and in a salad like this! Since they're so delicate, make sure to gently rinse them, then de-stem and cut into quarters.
• Cherry tomatoes: You could also use regular-sized tomatoes, but I like cherry tomatoes for their size and flavor with this dish.
• Prosciutto: 1-2 ounces of prosciutto will be enough (just a sprinkling, really), but go ahead a crisp up a little extra! I promise you'll find a way to use it (or just enjoy it plain while you're prepping!).
• Balsamic vinegar: This will be paired with olive oil and honey to create a light and fresh dressing.
• Red chili peppers: You want just a little bit of heat in this recipe. Chili peppers are great, but you could use another kind as well. And if you don't have fresh peppers on hand, red pepper flakes work well in a pinch!
• Fresh basil: Just a little fresh basil will help really brighten this dish.

See full recipe below for detailed directions.

Substitutions & Variations

This recipe is very adaptable. Below are a few variations to try:

• Use other stone fruit: Instead of peaches, try nectarines or plums! You can even add some cherries here.
• Use different tomatoes: I like to use cherry tomatoes due to their size and sweetness, but you could use ripe tomatoes of any kind.
• Use a different pepper: To get a bit of spice, you can use any pepper you prefer or have on hand (jalapeño would also be really nice). You can also use red pepper flakes if you're searching for something in your pantry. Just remember, a little goes a long way.
• Try bacon or omit the meat: You could also try this recipe with bacon, or omit this ingredient completely if you're wanting to keep it nice and light.
• Add some cheese: Adding burratta or mozzarella is a great way to add some additional flavor!
• Add some crunch: Cripsy breadcrumbs would also be a nice addition to give a bit of crunch (especially if you aren't using any crispy prosciutto).

I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!

How to Make Peach and Prosciutto Salad

This recipe comes together in just a few steps and is mostly slicing fresh fruits!

Spread the prosciutto on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes until crispy. Set aside to cool.

Combine your dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and combined.

Wash and slice your fruits and peppers and spread on a large, rimmed plate (make sure it has a rim so the dressing and juices don't flow off).

Drizzle with the dressing and top with fresh basil, salt and pepper, and crumbled crispy prosciutto.

You can serve this dish right away, or cover it and keep in the fridge for a few hours until you're ready to serve. The longer you let it sit, the more the flavors will combine!

Expert Cooking Tips

1. Slice the fruits in bite-sized pieces: you don't want them to be too big here! Ideally you want to be able to get a few different flavors together in one bite.
2. Go light on the heat. The peppers add a little heat, but you don't want this to be overbearing. You can always add more, but it's not as easy to take out!
3. This is a very adaptable recipe, so feel free to adjust based on ingredients that are in season and on hand!
4. The crispy prosciutto is wildly delicious! You can always add a little more if you crisped up some extra!

How to Crisp Prosciutto

Crisping the prosciutto is the only true cooking you'll need to do with this recipe. Spread the prosciutto on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (yes, the parchment paper is important here. The prosciutto is very delicate and you want to make sure it doesn't stick to the pan). Make sure each piece has its own space and is not overlapping any others.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. Watch carefully as you get to the end - this will go from crispy to burned very quickly! Let it cool once you remove it from the oven, and then you'll crumble a few pieces on top of the salad before serving.

Also, be warned... the smell of crisping prosciutto in the oven is one of the absolute best smells in the world!

Equipment

This is one of the easiest recipes to pull together! All you'll need is a baking sheet (I like these Half-Sheet Pans from USA Pan) and parchment paper for your prosciutto. You'll also need a cutting board, sharp knife, and a large, rimmed plate for serving (this Dover Oval Platter from Crate & Barrel is one of my favorites).

Storage

The flavors of this Peach and Prosciutto Salad come together as they're sitting, so letting them rest can be a good thing! It's also a great dish to make ahead of time if you're entertaining and need to pull a few recipes together.

Assemble, then cover your platter with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, the fruits will start to break down and get a bit mushy.

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