Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad

This is such a good late-summer salad…..juicy peaches, ripe tomatoes, crisp toasted bread, creamy mozzarella, peppery arugula, and plenty of fresh basil. The bread soaks up all those wonderful peach and tomato juices without losing all of its crunch. This is pure heaven in a bowl, you will want to make this one over and over again!

You will need:

3 ripe peaches, cut into wedges

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

4 cups rustic Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces

2 cups arugula

¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced

½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bread

1½ tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

Heat oven to 400°F. Toss the bread cubes with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toast for 8–10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Let cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, a pinch of salt, and plenty of cracked black pepper.

Add the peaches, tomatoes, arugula, red onion, mozzarella, and toasted bread to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over everything and gently toss. Let sit for about 10 minutes so the bread can soak up some of those delicious juices.

Add the fresh basil just before serving and finish with another crack of black pepper.

Lowcountry Bella’s Tip: If your peaches are firm enough, grill them for a minute or two per side before adding them to the salad. That little bit of char makes this really special.