Stone Fruit Salad with Gorgonzola and Pesto Vinaigrette
on Aug 12, 2021, Updated May 23, 2022
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Taking inspiration from all the goodies on a cheese board, this stone fruit salad has Gorgonzola, pistachios and arugula tossed with pesto vinaigrette.
When I say I enjoy fruit salad, I really mean I like fruit IN salad. That’s not meant to be a criticism of a bowl of ripe cut fruit that leans into being sweet.
I just take advantage of any opportunity I have to make something that’s sweet AND savory. When you get the right balance of those flavors, they work together in the best way, actually enhancing each other.
Come summer, I can’t get enough peaches, plums, cherries and pretty much any type of stone fruit. These pitted delights are perfect to pair with greens in a stone fruit salad.
With Gorgonzola and pesto vinaigrette, this salad is a touch pungent from the cheese and herby from the dressing.
What Is Stone Fruit?
Named for the pit in the center, stone fruit is in season during the summer months. And that pit is actually a seed.
The skin can be fuzzy (hello, peaches!) or smooth (hello, nectarines!). For this salad, my go-to is a combination of plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and cherries.
I like to think of the salad as a chance to put a lot of stone fruit to use at once. If you’re like me, you tend to go overboard buying peak season fruit in a single shopping trip.
Bookmark this summer fruit salad because it will come in handy. Trust me. Then you won’t waste anything!
What is Gorgonzola?
Gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese from Italy. It is made with cow’s milk and has a signature blue-green veining. Think of the flavor as buttery, salty and pungent.
You can classify Gorgonzola as a stinky cheese in the best way possible. That bold bite is so good with sweet fruit, which kind of mellows it out a bit.
This recipe takes inspiration from the mishmash of things you would find on a really excellent cheese plate.
When considering all blue cheeses, Gorgonzola is more mild than others when it comes to flavor. But it still has plenty of personality.
The Ingredients
This is what you need for the salad:
- Stone fruit: My preference is a mix of plums, peaches and apricots, cut into wedges, and halved cherries, all pitted, of course. But don’t hesitate to make the most of whatever you have and think of the fruit list in the recipe as a starting point.
- Arugula: The leaves of baby arugula are peppery, but still subtle enough to be a good base of greens for the fruit.
- Gorgonzola: Three cheers for strong cheeses! If you don’t specifically have Gorgonzola, you can use another crumbled blue cheese.
- Pistachios: The salad wouldn’t be finished without a little crunch. That’s what these chopped raw pistachios do.
- Chives: For delicate onion flavor, I like minced chives.
- Pesto vinaigrette: A couple tablespoons of pesto transform basic vinaigrette into something lovely and herby.
How To Make A Stone Fruit Salad with Gorgonzola and Pesto Vinaigrette
The salad doesn’t take long to make after you have all the fruit cut.
First, I whisk together the vinaigrette in a big bowl. It’s a mix of pesto, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper.
Then I add the plums, peaches, nectarines and cherries along with the arugula, Gorgonzola, pistachios and chives.
Finally, I toss the ingredients around in the bowl, so they are lightly coated in the dressing.
How To Serve This Stone Fruit Salad
I crave this salad during the heat of summer for lunch or dinner. It tastes even better sitting outside with a glass of rose!
You can think of it as an entrée salad or a side salad. Just adjust the serving size depending if you are pairing it with something else.
And you absolutely can add a protein like grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken. Salmon would also be a good choice.
Try These Other Stone Fruit Recipes
Stone Fruit Kale Barley Salad
Peach Tomato Salad
Watermelon Peach Salad
Stone Fruit Caprese Salad
Grilled Peach Corn Quinoa Salad
Grilled Apricot Corn Harissa Couscous
Peach Corn Farro
Stone Fruit Salad with Gorgonzola and Pesto Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- For vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- For salad
- 2 plums, pitted and thinly sliced into wedges
- 2 peaches or nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced into wedges
- 2 apricots, pitted and thinly sliced into wedges
- 20 cherries, halved and pitted
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped raw shelled pistachios
- 2 tablespoons minced chives
Instructions
- For the vinaigrette, whisk together the pesto, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, arugula, Gorgonzola, pistachios and chives to the bowl with the vinaigrette.
- Toss the ingredients together, lightly coating them in the dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
