There’s nothing quite like a perfectly ripe summer peach — juicy, sweet, and bursting with flavor. But have you ever tried grilling them? The heat caramelizes the fruit, adding a smoky depth that takes peaches to a whole new level. In this recipe, I pair grilled peaches with fresh mozzarella, homemade pesto, chopped cherries, and crunchy pistachios for a dish that’s equal parts salty, sweet, creamy, and herby.
It’s the perfect way to celebrate the very best of summer produce and one of my favorite end-of-summer recipes to make when stone fruit is at its peak. Serve it as a simple appetizer, side dish, or light dinner and watch it disappear in minutes. If you’re looking for a fresh take on peach recipes that’s easy, elegant, and unexpected, this grilled peach dish is one you’ll come back to year after year.
Grilled Peach Caprese
Equipment
- Food Processor for the pesto
Ingredients
Pesto
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup pine nuts or nuts of your choice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- kosher salt
Peach Caprese and assembly
- 1 large peach sliced into 8 pieces
- 5 oz fresh mozzarella sliced into 8 pieces
- 3 bing cherries diced
- 1/4 cup pistachios chopped
- Maldon salt
- good olive oil
Instructions
- Make pesto by combining ingredients in a food processor. This recipe makes about 3 cups of pesto. I like to place the extra in small containers and freeze for when I need a quick hit of flavor for a pasta dish or grilled cheese sandwich.
- Drizzle sliced peaches with olive oil and toss to coat. Place on a preheated cast iron grill pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove peaches from the pan.
- Assemble your caprese. Lay fresh mozzarella slices on a plate, top with one grilled peach per slice. Drizzle a bit of pesto over each peach slice. Top with cherries, pistachios, another drizzle of olive oil and Maldon salt. Serve immediately.