Peach Arugula Salad

I love fresh fruit, and one of my favorites is peaches. Few things can beat eating a perfectly ripe, juicy peach that tastes like sunshine transformed into nectar—sweet with a hint of tang. Delicious. So, when I saw a peach arugula salad at an Italian restaurant in Half Moon Bay, a town on California's coast south of San Francisco, I had to order it. I was in culinary heaven. It was a simple salad I could easily re-create at home, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing over the past couple of weeks. 
This filling salad can easily become a meal with its thick cheese dressing spread on the bottom of the serving plate. At the restaurant, the dressing was made with goat cheese, which is also my favorite. However, I had a large container of feta cheese that I needed to use. I liked the feta version, and it was perfect for a friend who doesn’t like goat cheese. ​

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Peach season is nearly over, so I encourage you to try this salad if you enjoy peaches, arugula, and a cheesy dressing. Feel free to swap out all cream, milk, or half-and-half. You want the dressing to have a texture similar to ricotta cheese. Use less salt when adding the feta cheese. The chives add a tangy flavor to the dressing. You can thin out the dressing a little, but not too much. Leftover dressing makes an excellent spread on nutty crackers

Print the recipe

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 Ingredients:
Serves 4 
8 ounces of goat cheese or feta cheese
1 clove of garlic (optional) 
¼ cup cream
¼ cup milk 
¼ cup chopped chives
1 ½ cups arugula 
1 -2 TBS pumpkin seeds
A drizzle of a balsamic glaze
A handful of sunflower seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a food processor, grind the garlic clove if using. Add the feta, cream, and milk to the processor and blend until smooth. Mix in the chives until well incorporated. If you're using goat cheese, add all the ingredients at once—season with salt and pepper to taste. The dressing will keep in the fridge for several days. When ready to serve, spread the dressing on the bottom of a dish. Pile the arugula on top, leaving the edges of the dressing visible. Peel the peaches, letting the juice drip onto the salad, and arrange the peaches as desired. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the plate and sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the salad. Serve immediately.
Guten Appetit!
From the sunnycovechef

                           Here are some other salads you may like:

This peach panzanella salad is the perfect summer treat.
Click here for the recipe

This is a ceasar salad without anchovies .
Click here for the recipe

This is my  go-to lentil salad that has filled me up more times than I can count. 
Click here for the recipe