Peach Cottage Cheese Salad
Calories: 412.7kcal|Fat: 22.7g|Carbohydrates: 40.3g|Protein: 16g
| 15 minutes
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Enjoy the summer peach cottage cheese salad with griddled peach crostini, topped with prosciutto, arugula, and pine nuts. No vinegar or mustard—just a perfect Italian dressing.
When I dream of a perfect summer night, I think of toasted, golden, and crispy bread served with caramelized peaches, spicy green rocket leaves, creamy cottage cheese, dry-cured prosciutto, and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts. All accompanied by a chilled Italian white wine and finished with a light, refreshing orange panna cotta.
Why You’ll Like It
- A salad that tastes of summer.
- Caramelised peaches.
- Cottage cheese that melts in your mouth mixed with the juices from the peaches and the dressing.
- Toasted crostini or pine nuts.
Cooking Tips
- Crostini – Instead of using the stovetop, you can bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through baking. The crostini should be golden brown and crisp.
- Cooking Peaches – Same as the crostini these can be put in the oven instead of griddled in a pan. Brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil or melted butter. For extra sweetness and caramelization, you can sprinkle a little brown sugar or drizzle honey over the peaches. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the peaches are tender and caramelized. The edges should start to brown and the juices will be bubbling.
Ingredient Notes and Variations
- Bread – Use a baguette, Italian loaf or any rustic bread. Cut thick slicing of around 1/2 an inch slightly diagonal which is appealing for a charcuterie board.
- Herb and Spices
- Salt – Use both for the dressing and most importantly for the crostini. However, don’t exaggerate since the prosciutto in the salad is already salty.
- Oregano – You can use both fresh and dried oregano on the dressing and topped on the crostini. You can change this for basil, Italian seasoning or rosemary if you prefer.
- Peaches – Use any stone fruit like nectarines or even mangoes if you prefer. You can brush the peaches before cooking with olive oil or melted butter.
- Rocket / Rugula – Rocket is my first choice when it comes to this salad cause it is slightly spicy giving the salad that extra summer flair.
- Cottage cheese – I use cottage cheese or “fiocchi di latte” as it is high in protein and low in fat. It’s also soft perfect for this salad and it complements the taste and juice of the caramelised peaches. My other choice is buffalo mozzarella – the real one! If you want a richer cheese, then burrata work also very well though it might be more difficult to find outside Italy.
- Prosciutto crudo – Italian dry cured ham or jamon serrano are great choices for this salad.
- Pine nuts – Toasted pine nuts taste great but also can be a little bit expensive depending on where you live. So feel free to use toasted almonds or pistachios without any worries that your salad will taste less awesome.
- Nutrition – When calculating macros, it’s assumed that only 20% of the dressing used for the crostini will be absorbed by the bread.
Serving Tips
Serve with an Italian white wine like Sardinian Vermentino or Sicilian Grillo.
If you want a dessert, I suggest serving this with an orange panna cotta or an affogato with vanilla ice cream coffee.
Health Info
- Calories: 412.7kcal
- Sugar: 9.8g
- Sodium: 1270.7mg
- Fat: 22.7g
- Carbohydrates: 40.3g
- Fiber: 2.9g
- Protein: 16g
Peach Summer Salad with Prosciutto
Fat: 22.7g|Carbohydrates: 40.3g|Protein: 16g
Description
Enjoy the summer peach cottage cheese salad with griddled peach crostini, topped with prosciutto, arugula, and pine nuts. No vinegar or mustard—just a perfect Italian dressing.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 8 slices baguette or Italian loaf cut into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick slices. Cutting on a slight diagonal can make for more attractive pieces.
- ½ tsp salt to sprinkle over the crostini
- ½ tsp dried oregano to sprinkle over the crostini
- 3 small peaches (or 2 large peaches)
- 1 tbsp olive oil to brush over the peaches
- 4 cups loosely packed rocket/arugula
- 150 g (5oz) cottage cheese ball buffalo or cow’s milk mozzarella
- 4 slices prosciutto (or jamon serrano) about 70g/2.5 oz
- 2 tbsp pine nuts (or almonds) toasted
For the Dressing
- 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
Instructions
Prepare the Dressing
- Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dried oregano until well combined.
Prepare the Crostini
- Brush both sides of the bread slices with ½ of the marinade, setting the remaining marinade aside. use a pastry brush for even coverage.
- Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. You want it hot enough to crisp the bread but not so hot that it burns before the inside gets toasted. Place the bread slices in the hot skillet in a single layer. Cook for about 2-4 minutes on each side, or until the bread is golden brown and crisp. Press down lightly with a spatula to ensure even toasting.
- While the crostini are still hot, sprinkle a small amount of salt over them and optionally some dried oregano. Let the crostini cool on a wire rack
Griddle the Peaches
- Brush the peach quarters with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Add the peaches and cook for 2-3 minutes on each cut side until they are caramelized. Set aside.
Prepare the Salad
- In a large bowl, toss the rocket (arugula) with 1 tablespoon of the dressing.
- Place the toasted crostini on a large serving plate or divide them among 4 individual plates. Top each crostini with cottage cheese and prosciutto.
- Arrange the griddled peach quarters on top.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the assembled salad. Scatter toasted pine nuts over the top and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- Cooking Crostini – Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 375°F (190°C), turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
- Cooking Peaches – Bake in the oven at 425°F (220°C) for 15-20 minutes. Brush with olive oil or melted butter, and optionally sprinkle with brown sugar or drizzle honey for extra caramelization.
- Serving
- Wine Pairing: Pair with an Italian white wine like Sardinian Vermentino or Sicilian Grillo.
- Serving Dessert or Coffee: Serve with an orange panna cotta or affogato with vanilla ice cream and coffee for dessert.
- Bread – Use a baguette, Italian loaf, or rustic bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick on a diagonal.
- Herbs and Spices –
- Salt: Use sparingly for crostini and dressing due to the saltiness of prosciutto.
- Oregano: Fresh or dried, can be substituted with basil, Italian seasoning, or rosemary.
- Peaches – Substitute with nectarines or mangoes. Brush with olive oil or melted butter before baking.
- Rocket/Arugula: Preferred for its slightly spicy flavor.
- Cottage Cheese: High in protein and low in fat, or use buffalo mozzarella or burrata.
- Prosciutto Crudo: Substitute with jamon serrano.
- Pine Nuts: Toasted pine nuts are great, but toasted almonds or pistachios are good alternatives.