Tomato & Peach Salad

If you’ve never put peaches and tomatoes on the same plate, prepare for a small revelation. They share the same juicy, late-summer profile, with peaches bringing the sugar and tomatoes the acid, and they read as cousins rather than strangers when sliced into matching wedges and drizzled with lemon-olive oil dressing.

The candied almonds are the textural counterpoint that makes this salad memorable. Toasting sliced almonds with a half-teaspoon of sugar in a dry skillet caramelizes the sugar around each nut, leaving a crunchy, lightly sweet topping that contrasts the soft, ripe fruit underneath. Watch the pan closely; the line between toasted and burnt is about 30 seconds at medium-low heat.

Fresh basil ties the whole thing together. Its peppery anise notes echo the tomato’s savory edge while playing off the peach’s perfume, the same way it does in a tomato-peach mozzarella spin on caprese.

Pro Tips

• Use the ripest tomatoes and peaches you can find. This salad is only as good as the fruit.
• Slice both into similar-thickness wedges so they look intentional alongside each other.
• Salt the tomatoes lightly 5 minutes before plating to draw out their juices and concentrate flavor.
• Make and assemble within 30 minutes of eating. Cut peaches and tomatoes weep and lose their shine quickly.

Variations

• Add torn balls of fresh mozzarella or burrata to make it a meal.
• Substitute nectarines for peaches when stone fruit is at peak ripeness.
• Drizzle with aged balsamic instead of lemon juice for deeper sweetness.
• Top with prosciutto ribbons for a savory salty contrast.