Arugula Nectarine Salad

This arugula nectarine salad with fresh basil dressing is a gorgeous and delicious option for summer or fall! The colors and flavors will definitely brighten up your menu. It’s incredibly easy to make, and it all comes together in less than 15 minutes! {Gluten-free and vegetarian}

Summer Arugula Salad with Nectarine

I know I’m biased, but I believe this arugula nectarine salad is the best summer salad! Juicy nectarines add so much flavor and color, and all of the ingredients complement each other so well.

It’s such an easy way to sneak more veggies into your life, and you’ll definitely want to add it to your regular summer dinner plan. So refreshing!

For more refreshing salads, try out this Blueberry Walnut Salad and Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad too!

Why We Love this Salad

Gorgeous presentation – I absolutely love the beautiful colors in this amazing salad. The vibrant red and orange nectarines paired with the green arugula and pop of white from the feta makes for one beautiful and mouthwatering salad!

Nutrient-rich – Nectarines are a great source of fiber and vitamins A & C, while arugula provides calcium, potassium, and vitamin K. The walnuts add a dose of heart-healthy omega-3s and protein. Plus, the homemade basil dressing is made with fresh ingredients including fresh basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. So much better than store-bough dressings!

Simple ingredients – No fancy ingredients are required for this salad. It’s the perfect way to make use of those sweet nectarines when they’re in season, and you’d never guess it takes less than 15 minutes to prepare!

Crowd pleaser – This salad always gets rave reviews and for good reason! It tastes like a salad you’d get at a restaurant. With the peppery crunch from the arugula, the juicy sweet pop of flavor from the nectarines and salty feta, it’s one delicious combo. Perfect to serve up at those summer gatherings!

Ingredient Notes

ingredients with labels for nectarine salad on a rustic wooden tray

Nectarine Arugula Salad

Arugula: Baby spinach or kale are great alternatives, but I prefer the flavor of peppery arugula.
Fresh nectarines: Choose fully ripe nectarines. The skin should feel taut and smooth, and it should seem heavier than you expect. If you press with your thumb, it should spring back slightly. Check the farmer’s market for the freshest fruit and greens.
Walnuts: Pecans are also a great option. For a nut-free option, I like using pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Feta cheese: I personally love using feta cheese in fruity salads because the saltiness pairs so well with the sweet and juicy flavor of the fruit. You can use either light or full fat feta cheese for this salad.

Basil Vinaigrette

Basil: The fresh basil complements the balsamic vinegar and sweetness of the nectarines so nicely! We used fresh basil from our garden but feel free to sub in fresh store-bought basil.
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar: For a sweet, tangy flavor.
Maple syrup : For a touch of sweetness.
Salt and black pepper

What’s the difference between a nectarine and peach?

Both nectarines and peaches are part of the stone fruit family, however, the primary difference lies in their skin and flesh. Nectarines have thin smoother skin and firmer flesh, while peaches have thicker, fuzzy skin and softer flesh. Nectarines also tend to be smaller than most peaches.

Nutritionally, they are also comparable and tend to contain similar amounts of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

How to Cut a Nectarine

Before you can incorporate the nectarines into this salad, you’ll have to first remove the stone.

Here’s how to do it:

Insert the blade of a sharp paring knife into the stem end of the nectarine. Slice into halves lengthwise, turning the nectarine while slicing.
Carefully remove the knife blade. Twist the nectarine halves to pull apart.
Using the tip of the paring knife, cut around the pit and remove.
Now that the pit has been removed, you can proceed to cut the nectarine into slices or dice it into cubes.

How to Make the Salad

Step 1: Assemble the arugula, nectarines, walnuts and feta in a large bowl.

sliced nectarines, crumbled feta and chopped walnuts on a bed of arugula with nectarines. walnuts and fresh basil beside

Step 2: Add all of the ingredients for the basil dressing to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

ingredients for basil dressing in a blender cup

mixed basil balsamic vinaigrette in a blender cup

Step 3: Toss the salad ingredients together with desired amount of dressing. Serve immediately.

pouring basil dressing over nectarine salad in a blue and white bowl

Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!

Recipe Notes:

Choose nectarines that are ripe but still firm. If you use overripe nectarines, they will be too soft and it will be difficult to slice or dice them without them turning into mush. We want slightly firm yet still juicy nectarine slices for this salad!

I like to use my Ninja blender to make the basil dressing. It’s compact and easy to store, yet extremely powerful, so it’s perfect for breaking down those fresh basil leaves to form a smooth dressing. I use this mini blender all the time to make dressings and sauces!

The recipe for basil vinaigrette makes more than you will probably need. I didn’t use all of the dressing for this salad so feel free to use desired amount of dressing and save the rest for another batch of this salad or for another salad recipe.

For best results, put the dressing on the salad right before serving, otherwise the arugula will go soggy if it’s left to sit in the dressing too long.

You can also grill the nectarines to bring out a sweeter flavor before adding them to the salad. If you haven’t tried it, a grilled nectarine salad is super tasty!

If you’d like to make this salad more of a complete meal, add some grilled chicken or salmon for some extra protein!

How to Store

You can store the salad and dressing in the fridge tightly wrapped with saran wrap or packed in an airtight container for up to three days. For best results, leave the dressing off until ready to serve.

If you have extra dressing, store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for 3-4 days.

FAQs

Do you eat the skin of nectarines?

Yes, you certainly can eat the skin of nectarines. In fact, that’s where much of the fiber is found.

Additionally, since the skin tends to be really thin, it can be tricky to peel nectarines without bruising them, losing too much of the flesh, or getting the juice everywhere, so if peeling isn’t required, eat the nectarines with the skin on.

Do you put nectarines in the fridge?

Generally speaking, it’s best not to store nectarines in the fridge until they’re fully ripened since putting them in the fridge too early can delay the ripening process and impact their overall flavor and texture.

You can tell if a nectarine is ripe by pushing down on the skin with your fingers. If it’s soft and bounces back, then that typically means that it’s ripe. At this point, you can store the nectarines in the fridge.

Can nectarine salad be made in advance?

You can prepare and assemble the salad ingredients and dressing in advance, but I recommend leaving the dressing off until you’re ready to serve since it will make the arugula soggy if it sits on there for too long.

You can either toss the salad ingredients together in a large bowl and place it in the fridge or store them separately until you’re ready to assemble the salad and serve.

What to Serve with Nectarine Salad

The sweet, salty and peppery flavors of this salad make it the perfect side dish to serve up at a summer BBQ or potluck or along with some protein like chicken or fish for an easy weeknight meal!

It pairs especially well with the following recipes:

Grilled chicken (marinated in one of these healthy chicken marinades)
Walnut Crusted Salmon
Pesto Chicken Burgers
Grilled Chicken Nuggets
Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs
Chicken Feta Burgers
Zucchini Turkey Burgers

Or, you can also toss in some grilled chicken or salmon to make the salad more of a complete meal.

Recipe Variations

Try different cheeses: The flavors in this nectarine arugula salad would be well-suited to both blue and goat cheese.
Use a different stone fruit: Peaches, apricots, plums, and cherries would all taste great in this delicious salad.
Add more healthy fats: The olive oil and walnuts already add healthy fats, but a little creamy avocado would be a nice touch, too.
Use storebought dressing: I promise that my homemade dressing is easy peasy, but if you have a store-bought dressing you love, feel free to use that instead!

arugula nectarine salad topped with feta and chopped walnuts in a blue and white bowl

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