25+ Peach & Nectarine Recipes For Summer

August marks the beginning of peak peach season here in the Pacific Northwest. With the easy and delicious distraction of local berries throughout June and July, the arrival of peaches and other stone fruit is another lovely summer surprise!

Peaches and nectarines are making their arrival here at the Co-op, and they're so juicy and sweet that you can practically smell them as you walk by. Prep them and enjoy them all on their own, or save a few and try out one of these delicious summer recipes.

Desserts & Drinks

With their sweet, juicy texture, peaches are just asking to be transformed into a delectable summer dessert or cocktail.

peaches and Chantilly cream

Photo Courtesy of Co+op

Peaches and Chantilly Cream

As with any summer fruit, something simple is best.

And here, summer strawberries and peaches are paired with a simple cake and cream to create a dessert that's light and cool.

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 3 eggs, room temperature

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon brandy or rum (optional)

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Peach Topping

  • 3-4 large peaches (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1 tablespoon brandy or rum (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Chantily Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream, very cold

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Cake: To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour an 8” round cake pan. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter into the milk. Once the butter has melted, set the mixture aside.

  2. With a mixer, beat the eggs for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat another 5 minutes, adding 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of brandy or rum as you blend. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

  3. Add to the eggs and sugar, mixing on low speed. Add the milk/melted butter mixture to the batter; blend well. Pour batter into the pan and bake about 25-30 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the cake. Let the cake cool 15-20 minutes before removing from pan.

  4. Peach Topping: Gently toss the peaches with honey, brandy or rum (optional), and lemon juice.

  5. Chantilly Cream: Place a cup of cold heavy cream into a bowl and beating for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form. Add honey and vanilla extract and blend well.

Recipe and photo adapted from Co+op

Browned Butter Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon "Toast" Brioche Crumbs

Do you know what fits perfectly in that space where a peach pit usually is? A big scoop of ice cream!

Here, peaches are grilled to perfection, immediately drizzled with browned butter, and topped off with a scoop of ice cream and homemade cinnamon toast crumbs.

The result is a slightly charred dessert full of buttery, cinnamony, sweet goodness.

Find the full recipe at Half Baked Harvest

 

Fresh Peach Margarita

Traditional margaritas are good, but sweet peach ones are better.

In this recipe, tangy limes and tequila are balanced out with sweet ripe summer peaches and salt to create a well-rounded margarita that's perfect for sipping in the sun.

What's better is that all the sweetness comes from the peaches themselves and just a dash of honey rather than a big ol' serving of sugar.

Find the full recipe at Gimme Some Oven

More Dessert & Drink Recipes

Appetizers

Peaches and nectarines add a punch of sweetness to a variety of appetizers including salads, bruschetta, charcuterie trays, and more!

grilled peach and prosciutto salad

Photo Courtesy of Co+op

Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad

Sweet peaches and salty prosciutto are paired with savory goat cheese and a zesty dressing to create this seasonally appropriate salad.

Ingredients

  • 2 large ripe peaches, sliced into 8 wedges each

  • 4 cups mixed greens, packed

  • 1/2 pound thin-sliced Prosciutto (or thinly sliced ham)

  • 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

  • 1/4 cup pistachios, shelled (or pine nuts)

For the Dressing

  • 1 clove shallot, peeled

  • 1 clove garlic, peeled

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh mint, roughly chopped

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 1/4 cup orange juice

  • Zest from 1 orange

  • 1/3 cup olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a blender or food processor, combine the shallot, garlic, mustard, orange juice and zest, honey and red wine vinegar. Blend until smooth. With the blender on low speed, slowly add the olive oil until it is incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.

  2. Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brush the peach slices with a little of the prepared dressing. Grill peaches on each side 2-3 minutes.

  3. On four dinner plates, arrange 1 cup of greens on each plate. Place 2 ounces of prosciutto or ham decoratively around each plate along with 4 slices of grilled peaches. Sprinkle each salad with 1 tablespoon pistachios or pine nuts and 1 ounce of goat cheese crumbles. Drizzle each salad with about 2 tablespoons of the remaining dressing.

Recipe and photo adapted from Co+op

Peaches and Tomatoes with Burrata and Hot Sauce

Often times burrata is paired with sweet fruits and sauces. But here, the script is flipped and burrata is paired with sweet peaches and heirloom tomatoes, and topped off with a spicy sauce and cooling cream cheese.

This salad is easy to toss together and is a great way to celebrate the peak of the local fruit season.

Reviewers in the comment section of this recipe absolutely rave about how simple, yet delicious this summer salad is.

Find the full recipe at Bon Appetit

 

Prosciutto Goat Cheese Stuffed Peaches with Thyme Honey

Here's another take on that peach-prosciutto-goat cheese flavor combination.

This time, the pits are removed from peaches, stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped with Proscuitto, and finished off with a sweet drizzle of thyme honey.

There are a lot of different flavors going on in this dish, but they all complement, rather than overpower, each other.

Find the full recipe at Half Baked Harvest

More Appetizers

Entrees

Though savory dishes like grilled chicken and steak might not come to mind when you think of cooking with peaches, it's definitely something worth trying!

Sweet and juicy peaches offer a complementary flavor to savory meats that’s totally reminiscent of summer.

nectarine steak salad

Photo Courtesy of Co+op

Nectarine Steak Salad

Simple and delicious, this steak salad features perfectly ripe nectarines and salty blue cheese for and quick and easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces ribeye steak

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 4 cups mixed greens

  • 2 medium nectarines, pitted and sliced

  • 2 large scallions, slivered

  • 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

  1. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

  2. Coat the steak with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place the steak on the grill or hot pan and don't move it for at least 2 minutes. Grill steak 3 minutes total on each side or until the desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat; let stand 8 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

  3. While the steak rests, combine lemon juice, honey, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add mixed greens and toss to coat. Add nectarines and scallions. Arrange the sliced steak on top of the dressed greens and sprinkle with blue cheese. Serve immediately.

Recipe and photo adapted from Co+op

Chili Lime Chicken with Glazed Peaches

Sweet and spicy with a little zing, this chili lime chicken dish allows for the peaches to be the star of the show without overpowering the entire dish.

Peaches are quickly sauteed with shallots and chicken drippings to create a glaze that's sweet and savory.

Though this recipe calls for boneless chicken breast, you can certainly swap in bone-in chicken if you prefer.

Find the full recipe at Feasting at Home

 

Nectarine & Prosciutto Pizza

If you've never enjoyed fruit on your pizza, we think you should give it a shot.

Here, local in-season nectarines are paired with salty prosciutto, blue cheese, pesto, and balsamic vinegar to create a unique pizza that you definitely won't get via delivery.

This recipe calls for making your own crust, but we highly recommend swinging by our deli and trying out our housemade Third Street Cafe take and bake dough!

Find the full recipe at EatingWell

More Entrees

Sauce & Spreads

Much like strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, peaches lend themselves well to being processed into sauces, butter, and spreads.

peach butter

Photo Courtesy of Co+op

Peach Butter

Easy to spread and super versatile, peach butter can be to top off everything from waffles and pancakes to scones and biscuits.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups roughly-chopped fresh peaches, pits removed

  • Pinch of ground cinnamon and/or ginger

  • 2 to 4 tablespoons honey (adjust according to the sweetness of the peaches)

Directions

  1. In a large, heavy-bottom pot, stir together the peaches, spices, and honey. Cook over low-medium heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 45 minutes, until the peaches begin to break down. Use an immersion blender to puree the peaches until smooth. (A regular blender can be used, blending the peaches in small batches. But be careful—the peach mixture will be very hot and sticky!)

  2. Cook the peach puree another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Remove from heat and let cool.

  3. Pour into mason jars or sturdy plastic containers, cover, and refrigerate.

Recipe and photo adapted from Co+op

Peach-Mustard Barbecue Sauce

If you like your BBQ sauce sweet and tangy, this is the perfect recipe for you to utilize your peaches.

Peaches are puréed along with ketchup, dijon mustard, brown sugar, and salt and pepper until the mixture is smooth and spreadable.

This sauce is developed with pork tenderloin in mind, but it would also work well on any grilled meat.

Find the recipe at Bon Appetit

More Sauces & Spreads

Co-op RecipesLeigha Staffenhagen