If you are looking for a new favorite summer salad recipe I am here for you with this Peach + Arugula Salad with Seed Brittle. It has all the flavors ~ peppery arugula, juicy ripe summer peaches, cucumbers, a spiced seed brittle and almond “ricotta”.
This salad is perfect for a light lunch, a picnic or to serve the next time you’re grilling outdoors. You could even add your favorite protein for a hearty main (more ideas on that below!). And like most of my recipes, I offer ideas for subs and variations.
What you’ll need for Peach + Arugula Salad:
- arugula
- peaches
- cucumber
- almond ricotta
- red wine vinaigrette
- spiced seed brittle (recipe below)
Salt your cukes before using to bring out the flavor
The peppery-ness of the arugula goes well with the sweetness of the peaches and seed brittle. But you can easily swap baby kale, spinach or mixed greens if you’re not an arugula fan.
With the peaches, be sure they are ripe but firm. That means they should be just soft to touch. I like to leave the skin on my peaches and slice them very thin. But feel free to peel and chop if you prefer.
And if you are finding this recipe outside of peach season (summer), sub pears or apples in winter, avocado or mango year round.
For the cucumber, I almost always go with english/hothouse cucumbers, which don’t have large seeds. Like with the peaches, you can keep the skin on or remove it. And also like the peaches, I slice mine thin here.
TIP: sprinkle a little fine pink salt on your cucumbers before adding to salad, which draws out the moisture and concentrates the flavor
I love Kite Hill ricotta for this recipe and more, it is the perfect dairy-free cheese any time a recipe calls for ricotta. It is almond milk based, and is creamy and fluffy all in one.
If you prefer traditional dairy then a soft goat cheese or feta cheese would work well here.
For the dressing you can make a quick 5-minute vinaigrette. A few extra steps, but homemade salad is way better than any store-bought dressing.
Bonus, you can whisk the dressing up in a bowl or add all of the ingredients to a jar and shake it up to emulsify. Recipe is below!
In the winter months sub apple or pear in this salad
I think the best part of this salad is the Spiced Seed Brittle. I’ve used this recipe in other salads and grain bowls, because it’s just so darn delish! A little sweet, a little savory, and super crispy.
For the seed brittle you’ll need:
- honey (or agave for vegan)
- cinnamon
- cumin
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower seeds
- sesame or hemp seeds
To make this easy brittle, first combine everything in a bowl, then cook over medium heat in a dry sauté pan to crisp it up. You might even want to double the recipe to have extra on hand for snacking ~ it’s that good!
This spiced seed brittle is also great for snacking
Serving Peach + Arugula Salad with Seed Brittle…
With salads, I have tips galore, as *interesting* salads are my favorite thing to make. Key word interesting.
But my top tips are that your salad is as only as good as the ingredients are fresh. So seek out the freshest ingredients with no wilted or yellowing greens.
Also, this salad (like most any salad) is best enjoyed as soon as you toss with the vinaigrette. This is because the acidity in most dressings start to break down the greens, veg and fruit in salads. And soggy salads are no bueno!
This salad is great as a side or light main dish, but If you want to make this a more substantial main you can add your favorite protein.
Add black lentils and/or quinoa for plant-based protein. Top salad with grilled chicken or shrimp for omnivores.
If you make this Peach + Arugula Salad with Seed Brittle I’d love to know what you think. Please drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram. And be sure to follow me there for more recipes and cooking tips!
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Like summer salads? Try these recipes…
Persian Shirazi Salad (vegan, GF)
Strawberry + Pine Nut Salad (vegan, GF)
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 2 tsp honey *plus more for dressing below
- 1/4 tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 pinch fine pink salt
- 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp raw sesame, hemp or flax seeds
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp minced shallot
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cups arugula
- 1 cup sliced cucumber such as english or persian
- 1 large peach pitted and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup crumbled almond ricotta or more to taste
Ingredients
Seed brittle ingredients
Dressing ingredients
Salad ingredients
|
|
- prepare seed brittle: in a small bowl whisk honey, spices and pinch of salt, add 1 scant tablespoon of water, stir in seeds and mix well
- heat a dry medium size sauté pan over medium heat, add honey-seed mixture and cook, stirring often, until seeds are lightly toasted and begin to clump together, about 3-4 minutes (liquid should be evaporated); spread seeds onto parchment paper to cool, then once crisp break into pieces
- prepare vinaigrette: in a small bowl (can use same bowl from seed mixture), whisk all dressing ingredients, then season to taste with salt + black pepper
- assemble salad: in a large bowl gently toss arugula, cucumber, peaches and ricotta with a little of the dressing, top with seed brittle and add a little more dressing if desired
Recipe serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com