For this classic summer stone fruit salad recipe, an easy vanilla syrup coats fresh ripe nectarines or peaches, apricots, plums, and cherries. Pistachios add texture. This is all about using ripe, seasonal, flavorful fruit, so buy the best you can find.

  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 40 mins 
  • Active: 25 mins

Ingredients (7)

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped out
  • 3 ripe nectarines or peeled peaches, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 6 ripe apricots, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 6 ripe plums, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 1 cup pitted, halved cherries
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, 1/3 cup water, and lemon juice. Add the vanilla bean pod and seeds. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture becomes syrupy, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
  2. In a large serving bowl, toss together the fruit. Remove the vanilla bean from the chilled syrup and drizzle the fruit with the syrup. Toss gently, garnish with the pistachios, and serve.