This Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze is a summer twist on the classic, pairing ripe peaches, juicy tomatoes and mozzarella with fresh basil and a simple homemade balsamic glaze.
There’s something about the combination of ripe summer fruit, good tomatoes and fresh mozzarella that feels effortless in the best way. This Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze takes the bones of a classic caprese and leans into what’s in season, adding in sweet peaches and finishing with a tangy, homemade balsamic glaze.
It’s unfussy, seasonal cooking, the kind that relies on good ingredients and lets them shine without much interference, fitting just as easily as a starter, a side or the centre of a shared summer table.
In this post:
Cook with me
Why You’ll Love this Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
There’s a reason Caprese-style salads keep showing up on summer tables, and this peach-forward version is no exception.
- Easy summer cooking. Minimal prep, no stove, no oven and very little washing up. It tastes like summer, plain and simple.
- The balsamic glaze brings balance. It’s not traditional, but the sweet and tangy dressing works beautifully with ripe peaches and creamy mozzarella, giving the salad a little extra depth.
- Eat it as a side or a light main. Add bread or grilled protein and it’s suddenly dinner.
- You can scale it up easily. Perfect for entertaining, grazing tables or casual summer lunches.
- It’s adaptable. Burrata instead of mozzarella, nectarines instead of peaches, a splash of olive oil if you feel like it.
What is Caprese Salad?
Caprese salad, or Insalata Caprese, comes from the Italian island of Capri and is traditionally made with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, its colours mirroring the Italian flag. The long-lasting appeal of the Caprese Salad lies in its simplicity: there’s no heavy dressing, no complicated technique; just good ingredients treated with a light hand.
One of the more popular Caprese Salad origin stories is that it was a response to the traditional, heavier Italian fare, much in the same way nouvelle cuisine was for the French in the 1960s-70s. Indeed, the first Insalat Capreses is said to have been created at the Hotel Quisisana, and served to the founder of the Futurist movement, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.
Over time, Caprese has become less rigid and more of a framework. Burrata replaces mozzarella, stone fruit stands in for some of the tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar (once controversial, now common) makes an appearance in many recipes.
This Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze sits comfortably in that modern interpretation. It keeps the spirit of the original, think fresh, simple and ingredient-driven, while leaning into the sweetness of summer peaches and the tangy richness of a homemade balsamic glaze.
Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze Ingredients
This peach salad uses a short list of fresh seasonal ingredients and pantry staples. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Peaches. Use ripe but not mushy peaches, they bring sweetness and a gentle floral note. They should smell fragrant and yield slightly when pressed (which also makes them easier to pit!).
- Tomatoes. Juicy, ripe tomatoes add acidity and freshness, balancing the sweetness of the peaches and glaze. Use whichever type you prefer or can get, but ideally, they would be about the same size as the peaches.
- Mozzarella. Soft, milky mozzarella brings creaminess and acts as the neutral base between the other strong flavours. Try to use full-sized mozzarella balls so they are similar in size to the peaches and tomatoes.
- Fresh basil. Slightly peppery and aromatic, basil adds brightness and that unmistakable Caprese flavour. Use the biggest leaves you can find, and layer them between the tomato slices.
- Balsamic vinegar. If you don’t have a little (and expensive!) bottle of balsamic glaze in your pantry, you can easily make some at home by reducing balsamic vinegar gently to create a glaze. As a dressing for this Peach Caprese Salad, it adds tang, sweetness and a contrast of flavour.
- Honey. Just enough to soften the sharp edges of the vinegar and help create a thick, glossy glaze.
How to Make Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
This salad comes together in two simple parts: the glaze and the assembly.
- Make the balsamic glaze. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan. Simmer gently until reduced and syrupy, and it coats the back of a spoon. Set it aside to cool.
- Prepare the produce. Pit and slice the peaches, tomatoes and mozzarella into similar sized rounds.
- Assemble. Arrange the peaches, tomatoes and mozzarella on a serving plate or platter, in an alternating pattern, tucking in whole basil leaves here and there.
- Finish. Drizzle over a little of the balsamic glaze, and serve with extra glaze on the side.
Recipe Tips and Tricks for the Best Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
- Choose ripe peaches. Underripe peaches won’t give you the sweetness you need and are harder to pit. Overripe, soft peaches will be too mushy to enjoy.
- Don’t overdress. A little balsamic glaze goes a long way. Serve the rest of the balsamic glaze on the side for people to add more to their own plates.
- Let the glaze cool. It thickens as it cools and will sit better on the salad.
- Slice just before serving. This keeps everything looking fresh and prevents excess juices pooling.
How to Serve Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
This Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze is best served fresh, at room temperature. It works beautifully as a side for grilled chicken, fish or seafood or part of a summer spread with crusty bread and olives. It’s also the perfect light lunch in warmer weather, served with a hunk of focaccia or sourdough.
Because of the fresh fruit and mozzarella, this salad doesn’t store particularly well once assembled. If needed, you can prep the glaze ahead of time and slice everything just before serving.
Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can make the balsamic glaze in advance, but the salad itself is best assembled just before serving.
Can I use nectarines instead of peaches?
Yes, nectarines work beautifully in place of peaches in this caprese Salad.
Is balsamic glaze traditional in Caprese?
Traditionally no, but it’s widely used in modern variations and works well here, blending all the flavours together.
What tomatoes work best?
Any ripe, in-season tomatoes. I used truss tomatoes because they were the closest in size to the peaches I had. Heirloom varieties are especially lovely.
Love salads? Try these recipes too:
Or explore all our salad recipes!
Whether you’re serving it as a side or building a summer table around it, this Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze is the kind of recipe you’ll come back to each peach season. If you’ve made this salad be sure to leave me a comment and let me know! Or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram, I always enjoy seeing what you guys are cooking from the blog!
Recipe
Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 peaches, large
- 2 tomatoes, large
- 2 mozzarella balls, full sized
- 8 basil leaves
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and honey. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, and reduced to about ¼ cup. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey
- Pit the peaches, then slice the peaches, tomatoes and mozzarella into similar-sized rounds.2 peaches, 2 tomatoes, 2 mozzarella balls
- Arrange the peach, tomato and mozzarella slices on a large serving platter, layering and alternating them, with fresh basil leaves tucked in between.8 basil leaves
- Drizzle the cooled balsamic glaze generously over the salad and serve immediately.
