Grilled Peaches with Ricotta

The combination of grilled peaches with a sweet ricotta filling is one of the best-grilled fruit desserts. Garnish them with toasted almonds, crushed amaretti cookies and fresh basil for a refreshing and delicious summer dessert. 

It’s impossible not to think of peaches when summer rolls around.

They are in season from June to September and are so popular that there is a whole month dedicated to this wonderful fruit.

That’s right! The whole month of August is National Peach Month!

So whether you are making a peach cake, crostatas, crumbles, a peach cobbler or peach pie, there is no shortage of peach desserts. 

If you don’t like to turn on your oven during those hot summer days but still want to finish your dinner with a little something special, this grilled peach dessert is for you.  

Using an indoor or outdoor grill with the right amount of heat caramelizes its natural sugars to create one of the best-grilled desserts. Topping it with creamy ricotta, amaretti and almonds transforms it into something magical. 

Not only is this simple dessert healthy, but with a little planning, it can also be a fuss-free dessert.

It all starts with grilling fresh peaches.

Let me show you how to get smokey sweet grilled peaches and get ready to savor a whole different taste!

Best peaches to grill

What is the perfect or best peach to grill? 

Well, to start with, try to buy locally grown peaches for the best texture and flavor. Chances are they ripened on the tree and have reached their optimum level of natural sweetness. This avoids needing to use brown sugar. 

When purchasing peaches or picking them off a tree, look for ripe peaches that are plump, firm to the touch but give in just a little bit. As the peaches ripen, they become sweeter and juicier.

Another indicator of freshness is the smell. Make sure to breathe in from the stem side to get that “peachy” aroma.

Whatever you do, do not purchase peaches with wrinkly skin. This is a clear sign that the peach is drying out. 

How to pit peaches

To properly grill peaches, we need to remove the stone from them.

Use a sharp paring knife to make an incision at the stem.

Then, cut all around the fruit following the slight indentation while applying gentle pressure toward the pit. Once you have made an incision all around the peach, grasp each half with your hands and twist each one in opposite directions while pulling it apart.

Pull out the pit by prying it gently away from the peach flesh. If it still clings to the peach half, use the tip of the knife to score around the pit carefully.

For this recipe, you will need 4 medium peaches. 

Mise en place

To create a fuss-free dessert, some of the optional garnishings used for this grilled peaches recipe can easily be made ahead of time.

Amaretti cookies: You can make your own or, if more convenient, use store-bought. 

Almonds: Lightly toasted slivered almonds can be made months ahead of time. Allow them to come to room temperature before storing. If more convenient, use toasted chopped blanched almonds.  

Sweet Ricotta: This whipped ricotta recipe can be made 2-3 days ahead of time and refrigerated. You will need half of the amount in the recipe. On a personal note, I usually make the full recipe as this is such a great topping to use on so many fresh summer fruits.

Instructions

We will make sure the grill is at the right temperature—so preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Once you have removed the peach pit from 4 medium peaches (see the previous section), brush the peach halves with olive oil and season with a sprinkling of sea salt. 

For an outdoor grill:  Place peaches cut side down on the greased hot grill. Close lid cover and grill for 2-3 minutes or until they are lightly charred.

 

Carefully transfer peach halves to the serving plate.

 

 

Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of sweet ricotta in the cavity of each peach half (can also use small scooper). Sprinkle crushed amaretti cookies.

Garnish with toasted slivered almonds and basil leaves and serve them hot. 

Tips

• If possible, buy the freestone peaches. This variety of stone fruit ensures the easy removal of the pit from the peach flesh.
• Grilling caramelizes the natural sugars in peaches, so there really is no need to add any additional sugar. 
• Preheating or heating your grill to the proper temperature prevents the peaches from sticking to the grill grates and ensures enticing char marks. 

Variations

• Try pairing peaches with different herbs such as thyme, fresh mint, ginger or cinnamon.
• Adding a drizzle of honey or balsamic glaze provides a little depth. 
• For a totally different taste experience, consider using balsamic glazed strawberries as a garnish.  
• Replace the slivered almonds with other nuts like pecans or walnuts, or homemade granola. Substitute with seeds for a nut-free dessert. 

More grilled fruit recipes

If you enjoy outdoor entertaining and summer barbecues with family and friends, you are going to love the smokey flavor of this grilled watermelon recipe. It makes such a refreshing appetizer! Another favorite is grilling strawberries with balsamic glaze (coming soon).

Recipe inspiration

Growing up Italian meant we would usually have fresh fruit for dessert. Italian cakes, cookies and biscotti were reserved for special occasions and Sunday lunch. 

I still remember the ah-ha moment when I first saw a tv episode of Martha Stewart grilling fruit… 

Fast forward to today, where some of my favorite fruit desserts to make when entertaining outdoors involve grilling fruit.

A BBQ mishap allowed me to “discover” how to create a soft and tender caramelized peach.  

Naturally, grilled peaches garnished with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or mascarpone cheese create a decadent and special occasion treat.

As a dietitian, I am always trying to create an “every day” easy dessert that is healthier but still tastes great. 

And so the combination of grilled peaches with ricotta, two of my favorites foods, garnished with a few more best-loved foods resulted in this slightly healthier, easy and tasty recipe- almond ricotta grilled peaches with basil.

Enjoy!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

If you haven’t already joined, here is the link where you can sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. This way, you won’t miss any of my new recipes and it’s absolutely free! 

Ciao for now, 

Maria 

★★★★★ If you have made this grilled peaches dessert, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

Grilled Peaches with Sweet Ricotta Filling

The combination of grilled peaches with a sweet ricotta filling is one of the best-grilled fruit desserts. Garnish it with toasted almonds, crushed amaretti cookies and fresh basil for a flavorful and refreshing summer dessert. 

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 187kcal

Author: Maria Vannelli RD

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Ingredients

• 4 peaches halved and pitted
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

To garnish:

• ½ recipe sweet ricotta
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds lightly toasted, sprinkled over the top
• 4-5 amaretti cookies crushed and sprinkled over tops of peaches
• 8 basil sprigs

Instructions

• Pre-heat grill to medium-high.
• Brush the cut sides of the peaches with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
• For an outdoor grill: Place peaches cut side down on the greased hot grill. Close lid cover and grill for 2-3 minutes or until they are lightly charred.

  For an indoor grill: Lay a piece of parchment paper on the grill and place the peaches cut side down. Grill for 2-3 minutes or until they are lightly charred. 

  If you prefer your grilled peaches to have a bit of a bite, they are ready to be served
• Optional: For a softer and tender texture, carefully transfer the peaches to a small baking pan and cover lightly with aluminum foil. For the outdoor grill, place off direct heat and allow the peaches to slowly cook and soften for 10-15 minutes or until a knife can easily be inserted. For an indoor grill, place in a preheated oven (325°F/160°C). 
• Carefully transfer peach halves on a serving plate.
• Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of sweet ricotta in the cavity (can also use a small scooper).
• Sprinkle with slivered almonds and crushed amaretti cookies.
• Garnish with basil leaves.
• Serve immediately.

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon’t miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

• If possible, buy the freestone peaches. This variety of stone fruit ensures the easy removal of the pit from the peach flesh.
• Grilling caramelizes the natural sugars in peaches, so there really is no need to add any additional sugar. 
• Preheating or heating your grill to the proper temperature prevents the peaches from sticking to the grill grates and ensures enticing char marks. 

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 10.2mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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This post was originally published on July 17, 2016, and republished on June 26, 2021, with updated content and photos.