Elevate Your Summer: Roasted Beet, Peach & Burrata Salad with Basil Oil & Candied Pistachios

Prepare to experience a truly remarkable dish that embodies the very essence of summer: this stunningly simple roasted beet, peach, and burrata salad, exquisitely garnished with vibrant basil oil and crunchy candied pistachios. It’s a harmonious blend of earthy, sweet, creamy, and salty notes that will leave an unforgettable impression.

If there’s one recipe you absolutely must make before the summer season fades, this is it. Seriously, if you can still find those perfectly ripe, juicy peaches at your local market, don’t walk – run! The window for truly exceptional peaches is fleeting, perhaps just another week or two, so now is the time to gather your ingredients and whip up this culinary masterpiece.

Imagine the combination: tender, earthy roasted beets, succulent, sweet peaches, rich and creamy burrata cheese, perfectly crunchy candied pistachios, all brought together with a fragrant, herbaceous basil oil. It’s a symphony of textures and flavors that simply cannot be topped. Each component plays a vital role, contributing to a dish that is both sophisticated and incredibly satisfying.

The Star Ingredients: A Celebration of Seasonal Delights

This salad thrives on the quality and freshness of its ingredients. Let’s delve into what makes each element so special and essential to the overall experience.

Earthy Roasted Beets: The Foundation of Flavor

Beets often get a bad rap, but when roasted, their natural sweetness intensifies, and their earthy notes become beautifully balanced. For this recipe, we recommend golden beets for their milder flavor and gorgeous color that won’t bleed into the other ingredients, preserving the salad’s vibrant aesthetic. Roasting them carefully in foil ensures they become incredibly tender and flavorful, a perfect counterpoint to the sweetness of the peaches and the richness of the cheese. This simple preparation method unlocks a depth of flavor that raw beets simply can’t offer, making them an approachable and delicious addition even for those who might be hesitant about them.

Sweet Summer Peaches: A Burst of Juiciness

Summer peaches are truly a gift. Their unparalleled sweetness and delicate aroma are irreplaceable. Choosing ripe, fragrant peaches is key here. The subtle tartness and juicy texture of perfectly blanched and peeled peaches provide a refreshing contrast to the richness of the burrata and the earthiness of the beets. Peeling the peaches, while optional for some, significantly enhances the salad’s texture, making each bite smoother and more luxurious. This extra step is well worth the effort, ensuring the peach flavor shines without any textural distractions.

Creamy Burrata: The Decadent Heart

Ah, burrata! If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying this exquisite cheese, prepare for a revelation. Burrata is essentially fresh mozzarella, but with a glorious secret: its center is filled with creamy stracciatella and fresh cream. This gives it an unbelievably soft, luscious interior that oozes decadence when cut. Its mild, milky flavor perfectly complements the bold flavors of the beets and peaches, acting as a velvety bridge between them. While it might be a bit more expensive and sometimes a little harder to find than regular mozzarella, investing in good quality burrata for this salad is a decision you will absolutely not regret. It’s best served at room temperature to allow its creamy texture and subtle flavors to truly shine.

Aromatic Basil Oil: The Finishing Touch

I must confess, basil oil is one of my culinary obsessions, and for good reason! It’s an incredibly versatile and flavorful condiment that elevates almost any dish it touches. You might notice this is the third recipe where I’ve enthusiastically recommended its use (after these shrimp skewers and then this hash). In this salad, the basil oil provides a fresh, herbaceous counterpoint that brightens all the other ingredients, tying them together with its vibrant aroma. Its peppery, slightly sweet notes are essential for balancing the richness and sweetness of the other components. Making it at home is surprisingly simple and yields a far superior product to anything store-bought, allowing you to control the intensity of the basil flavor.

Crunchy Candied Pistachios: Sweet & Savory Delight

And then there are the candied pistachios. Oh, how I could happily survive on these alone! They introduce a crucial textural element – a delightful crunch – along with a perfect balance of sweet and salty. The light caramelization of the sugar coating enhances the nutty flavor of the pistachios, creating tiny bursts of savory sweetness with every bite. They add a sophisticated flair and an irresistible finish to this already incredible salad. Beyond this recipe, candied pistachios are fantastic on yogurt, oatmeal, or even as a standalone snack.

The Inspiration Behind This Gourmet Creation

To be perfectly honest, the creative genius behind this particular flavor combination isn’t entirely my own. This remarkable dish was inspired by the truly lovely Joe Yonan, the esteemed food editor of the Washington Post and author of the fantastic cookbook Eat Your Vegetables. I had the wonderful opportunity to be introduced to him last year and recently had the pleasure of assisting him with a private dinner event. It was at this event that we served a salad very similar to this one, and it immediately captivated my taste buds.

Inspired by that experience, I recreated and served it a few weeks ago for a special dinner at home with my partner, Connor, and my soon-to-be in-laws. The salad was met with absolutely rave reviews, prompting me to realize that such an exceptional dish simply had to be shared with all of you. It’s a testament to how simple, quality ingredients, thoughtfully combined, can create an extraordinary dining experience.

Mastering the Preparation: Tips for Success

The beauty of this dish lies not only in its flavor but also in its relatively straightforward preparation. The most time-consuming step is roasting the beets, but it’s mostly hands-off time. My preferred method involves simply scrubbing them thoroughly, wrapping them tightly in aluminum foil, and roasting them in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on their size. This slow roasting process ensures they become incredibly tender and sweet.

For the peaches, the blanching and peeling process is surprisingly easy. You simply score a small ‘X’ on the bottom of each peach, place them in a bowl, and pour boiling water over them (a kettle works perfectly here). Let them sit for a few minutes, and the skins will slip right off. I’m personally not a huge fan of peach skin, especially in salads, and this step not only makes peeling effortless but also seems to enhance the peaches’ inherent flavor, making them even more enjoyable in the salad.

Once your ingredients are prepped, assembly is quick and intuitive. Arrange the vibrant beet and peach slices on a platter, nestle the creamy burrata among them, and then drizzle generously with the homemade basil oil. A final flourish of high-quality extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, will elevate the flavors even further. The candied pistachios are the crowning glory, adding that final textural and flavor pop. Serve immediately to enjoy the peak freshness and ideal temperatures of all components.

This salad truly is the icing on the proverbial cake of summer cooking. It’s elegant enough for a fancy dinner party yet simple enough to enjoy on a weeknight. Don’t let the season pass without indulging in this perfect blend of flavors and textures.