Stone Fruit Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette
on Aug 12, 2021, Updated Jun 24, 2026
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The perfect time to make this stone fruit salad is when peaches, plums, apricots and cherries are in season. Ready in 15 minutes, this summer salad is savory first even with all that sweet fruit. It also has crumbled gorgonzola, baby arugula, pistachios and chives. Serve this easy salad as a side dish with grilled entrees.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Salad
This is a savory fruit salad that celebrates the best of summer stone fruit. In season, I can’t get enough different kinds, and I want to do more than just snack on them or eat them with yogurt. They are fantastic in salads like this balsamic peach tomato salad.
It takes inspiration from the accompaniments on a cheese board. Yes, cheese is the star of the plate, but those supporting players like fruit, fresh or dried, and nuts elevate everything else. Each bite of this salad layers in strong flavors that all work together.
Delivering on taste and looks, the salad has vibrant color. It’s the kind of can’t-miss dish that you’ll want to serve at a summer dinner or barbecue.
The Ingredients
This is what you need:
- Stone fruit: My preference is to use a mix of plums, peaches and apricots, cut into wedges, and halved cherries, all pitted, of course. This gives me a good range of sweet and tart flavors, but don’t hesitate to make the most of whatever you have in your kitchen. For example, it’s fine if you use all peaches.
- Baby arugula has a peppery bite. This is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the fruit. You can use a blend of spinach and arugula and toss in additional greens if you want more lettuce than fruit. (I also love arugula in this watermelon & peach salad).
- Gorgonzola: This Italian blue cheese is buttery, salty and pungent. I know it can be a love-it or hate-it cheese, but as mentioned, that bold flavor is fantastic with fruit.
- Pistachios add their soft crunch and personality. You can substitute with toasted walnuts or almonds.
- Chives: Even though there are plenty of herbs in the pesto dressing, chives do something different. They are delicate and oniony.
- Pesto vinaigrette: Fresh basil pesto is the base of the dressing. I like making my own and having a constant supply in my fridge during summer. If you do buy pesto, try to find it refrigerated and fresh and not jarred because it will taste so much better. The vinaigrette also has garlic, whole grain mustard, white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper.
How To Make This Stone Fruit Salad
1. Combine the salad ingredients. That includes the peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, gorgonzola, pistachios, chives and arugula.
2. Make the vinaigrette. Stir the pesto, mustard, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Drizzle the dressing into the salad. Toss everything together, so the fruit and greens are lightly coated in the vinaigrette.
Serving
I crave this kind of salad during the heat of summer for lunch or dinner. It tastes even better sitting outside with a glass of rose. Pair it with this roasted cherry tomato pasta or these balsamic grilled veggie skewers. To turn this recipe from a side into an entree salad, you can add grilled chicken or salmon.
More Stone Fruit Recipes
Stone Fruit Caprese Salad
Grilled Peach Corn Quinoa Salad
Grilled Apricot Corn Harissa Couscous
Peach Corn Farro
Looking for more salad inspiration? Check out my seasonal salad guide with recipes and tips on ingredients, meal prep and more.
Stone Fruit Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For salad
- 2 peaches or nectarines, halved, pitted and cut into wedges
- 2 plums, halved, pitted and cut into wedges
- 2 apricots, halved, pitted and cut into wedges
- 10 cherries, halved and pitted
- 1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
- 3 cups baby arugula
For vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
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Instructions
- Assemble the peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, gorgonzola, pistachios, chives and arugula in a large bowl.
- Toss the ingredients together, lightly coating them in the dressing.
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk the pesto, mustard, salt, pepper, white wine vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette into the salad, tossing to combine.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I’d like to make this but I’m only one person and I was wondering if you have recommendations or advice about storing it over several days?
Wait to combine the cut fruit and greens and dress the salad until you are going to eat that portion of it. Also, store the fruit, arugula and vinaigrette in separate containers in the fridge.