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Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad

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The most versatile grilled asparagus and honey glazed apricots tossed up with fresh burrata and arugula and the easiest pecorino basil vinaigrette: this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is truly Spring in a bowl! 

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It’s officially Spring… like officially officially! I don’t know about you, but I always seem to jump into spring mode after the time changes even though we still technically have a week or two of winter to go. Now that it’s actually spring, however, I’m totally on board with ignoring those lingering cold days. In their place, I like to pretend it’s summer. I mean, spring is just a gateway month to June… right?! Lol — either way, I am very much okay with taking on this blissful thinking with allllll the spring and summer flavors. First up on my agenda? Asparagus and apricots — aka two of my favorite pieces of spring produce to pick up at the farmer’s market. I mean, I can’t think of a better way to kick off the grilling season than with tender, flavorful asparagus and the juicy soft apricots. Hence, this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad was born. With all the best easy grilled produce, a fresh vinaigrette and bunch of arugula, a few crunchy pistachios, and toooo much creamy avocado and burrata, it’s absolutely heavenly. 

 The most versatile grilled asparagus and honey glazed apricots tossed up with fresh burrata and arugula and the easiest pecorino basil vinaigrette: this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is truly Spring in a bowl!

the breakdown…

This Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is truly one of the simplest dishes to throw together for just about any spring or summer occasion. To start off this salad, I like to get the cooking out of the way. Nobody wants to fire up their oven when the temps are hitting 80, so I opt to go in with a grilled method for the asparagus and apricots. Personally, I don’t love raw asparagus. It’s quite tough unless it’s shaved very fine, and just overall doesn’t have a great flavor. But, by grilling it with just a bit of olive oil and some salt and pepper, it takes on the perfect charred flavor. Definitely reminiscent of summer. Oh, and those apricots? Their natural juices release so organically when placed on hot charcoal grates — making for the perfect stone fruit salad. But, wait… it gets better. When you top it all off with a bit of honey, salt, and pepper, everything melts into a sweet and salty caramelized masterpiece. If you’ve never tried grilling your stone fruit, what are you doing?! It’s the best!

 The most versatile grilled asparagus and honey glazed apricots tossed up with fresh burrata and arugula and the easiest pecorino basil vinaigrette: this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is truly Spring in a bowl!

grill ’em up….

If it’s not obvious thus far, I’m definitely a proponent of using a good old fashioned outdoor grill for your fruits and veggies. There’s just something about the flavor that’s unmatched. Still, I know that lighting up the grill just isn’t for everyone… or isn’t for every night, for that matter. So, on those nights, I am totally a supporter of using a nice grill pan. I personally love my grill pan when I’m in a pinch, and it works wonderfully for this recipe. You may need to cook your asparagus and apricots for a few more minutes to get those deep grill marks with this method, but they will still be delicious. Go with your fav method!

 The most versatile grilled asparagus and honey glazed apricots tossed up with fresh burrata and arugula and the easiest pecorino basil vinaigrette: this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is truly Spring in a bowl!

With the asparagus and apricots underway, the next step to this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is to get the pecorino basil vinaigrette all ready to go. You could also do this step first, or even while your grill is preheating. It actually lasts really well in the fridge for a few days or in ice cube molds in the freezer for up to a few months. I just wrote it as second in this recipe to keep those grilling instructions all together. You do what works for you, though! Either way, you’ve got to get all of that flavor in there somehow. I’m talking so much fresh basil, a bit of olive oil for some smoothness, and some red wine vinegar for a sweet tang.

Then, with a whole shallot + garlic and some pecorino, you get the best bitter and creamy juxtaposition of flavors. It’s seriously one of my end all be all vinaigrettes. Plus, it’s super versatile! You could throw some honey into the mix if you would like it a bit sweeter, sub out the basil for mint (or another herb — whatever you do, though, don’t use old, bitter herbs!), or switch out the pecorino for parmesan. All are completely viable, and all are delicious. Plus, the sky’s the limit as to what you can put this vinaigrette on. While I love this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad, I highly recommend doubling (or tripling) the vinaigrette to throw on any other salad, bowl, toast (avocado?) or tartine, or even eggs. It’s THAT good!

 The most versatile grilled asparagus and honey glazed apricots tossed up with fresh burrata and arugula and the easiest pecorino basil vinaigrette: this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is truly Spring in a bowl!

throw it all together…

The last step to this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is to throw everything together. I like to start with a base of baby arugula for a bit of a crunch. You could use just a bit of this to make this more of a fork and knife salad, or even go with a whole bowl of it to make this a heartier meal of a salad. Regardless, you’ve got to layer on all that creamy burrata (aka mozzarella’s gooier, creamier sister) and so much fresh avocado. The creamy flavors are the best with everything that goes on next: the grilled asparagus, the honey glazed apricots, and some crunchy pistachios. Oh, and go in with a GENEROUS drizzle of that pecorino basil vinaigrette to finish things off (or better yet, toss your arugula in that goodness)… you won’t regret it.

This Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad truly has all of the best flavors and textures, making it perfect for seriously any occasion you can think of. Craving a salad as a full meal? This one’s great with Chicken Souvlaki Skewers, some flank steak, or a grilled salmon on top. It’s a great vegetarian option, too. Or, maybe you want to serve it up as a side. It would be fabulous with any of these spring or summer recipes. Lastly, I have to throw in that this salad is seriously the best for any warm weather dinner party. Super impressive, so easy, and genuinely loved by everyone. You have to try this one!

I hope you love this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))

Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Appetizer, SaladCuisine: American, FusionDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

The most versatile grilled asparagus and honey glazed apricots tossed up with fresh burrata and arugula and the easiest pecorino basil vinaigrette: this Grilled Apricot and Asparagus Burrata Salad is truly Spring in a bowl!

Ingredients

  • grill:
  • 6-8 apricots, quartered and pits removed

  • 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed

  • Olive oil or olive oil spray, as needed

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • A drizzle of honey, to taste

  • pecorino basil vinaigrette:
  • 2 cups fresh basil*

  • ⅓ cup olive oil

  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar

  • ¼ cup pecorino cheese

  • 1 small shallot

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • Water or more olive oil, as needed to thin

  • assembly:
  • 2-3 cups baby arugula

  • 8 oz Burrata cheese, roughly torn

  • 2 avocados, thinly sliced

  • ⅓ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat a grill pan or grill fitted with a vegetable rack over medium-high heat.
  • Drizzle or spray your asparagus with olive oil, to coat. Once the grill has heated, layer your apricots and asparagus over the grates. Grill everything for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until nice grill marks form on both sides. Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper, and drizzle the apricots with a bit of honey. Remove both from the heat and set aside for now.
  • In a blender or food processor, blend all of the pecorino basil vinaigrette ingredients until smooth.
  • Assemble your salad with a base of the arugula. Top with fresh burrata, sliced avocado, and some of the grilled asparagus and apricots. Drizzle with some of the pecorino basil vinaigrette and finish everything off with some toasted pistachios. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Instead of a full 2 cups of basil, you could also do 1 cup basil and 1 cup of mint. 
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