Last week, I shared our favorite dairy-free “goat cheese” recipe, so this week, I thought you might enjoy a recipe that uses it! This grilled peach salad offers a complimentary array of tastes and textures with warm sweet peaches, tangy vinaigrette, spiced crunchy pecans, and creamy dairy-free cheese.
Grilled Peach Salad with Spiced Pecans and Dairy-Free Cheese
Hard cheeses are hard to mimic, but softer dairy-free cheese alternatives can be a delicious experience that’s easy to create. In salads like this one, I love adding soft and creamy dairy-free cheese. The Cashew Cheeze and Seed Cheeze recipes in Go Dairy Free add amazing flavor, and I also like this Dairy-free “Goat Cheese” Recipe.
For more of a crumbly cheese, this Vegan Feta Recipe is fabulous. It’s made from almonds, which compliments the peaches and pecans in this recipe. But for a bigger protein boost, my Tofu Feta recipe in Go Dairy Free is seamless, delicious, and incredibly easy.
You can also purchase great dairy-free soft cheeses for salads. So far, we’ve been impressed by Miyoko’s and Treeline.
This grilled peach salad with photo recipe was shared with us by the American Pecan Council. The recipe is slightly adapted for more dietary options.
Special Diet Notes: Grilled Peach Salad
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, optionally egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, plant-based, optionally paleo, and vegetarian.
- 1 egg white or 2 tablespoons aquafaba (for vegan)
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar or coconut sugar (for paleo)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups pecan halves
- ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or pecan oil, divided
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large peaches, halved and pitted
- 6 cups mixed baby greens
- 4 ounces dairy-free "goat cheese", dairy-free feta, or other soft or crumbly dairy-free cheese alternative
- Preheat your oven to 275°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white or aquafaba, brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt until well combined. Fold in the pecans until evenly coated.
- Spread the pecans in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pecans are fragrant and golden brown. Let cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt.
- Brush the cut sides of each peach half with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Grill the peaches over medium heat, cut sides down, until the peaches become tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let the peaches cool and then slice.
- Divide the greens between 4 plates. Top each salad with ½ grilled peach, 1 ounce dairy-free cheese, and ¼ cup spiced pecans. Drizzle each salad with the vinaigrette.
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