Plum and Mozzarella Salad With Serrano-Lime Dressing

By Ashley Lonsdale

Updated July 14, 2026

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Ready In
25 min
Rating
5(99)
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This is a simple salad for when time is scarce but flavor aspirations are high. Sliced ripe plums and milky mozzarella produce a fresh, cooling and minimalist dish, perfect for hot summer evenings. When assembling salads that have few major ingredients, like this one, consider layering dressing elements to create more dimension. For instance, the lime juice and red wine vinegar add multiple bright notes to the spicy serrano dressing. Similarly, honey echoes and amplifies the plum's sweetness. The salad can stand on its own as a light meal but also does well with good toast or alongside an equally straightforward shrimp recipe.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1 fresh serrano chile, thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

  • 2 pounds mixed plums (about 8), halved, pitted and sliced into ¼-inch-thick wedges 

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 small handful (about ¼ cup) fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

26 grams carbs; 60 milligrams cholesterol; 403 calories; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 26 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 602 milligrams sodium; 18 grams protein; 21 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, vinegar, honey, chile and mustard. Toss the sliced plums with the dressing and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Drain the mozzarella (if necessary) and tear into bite-size pieces. Arrange the pieces loosely on a large platter or divide among individual plates. 

  3. Step 3

    Spoon the dressed plums and accumulated juices around the mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh mint and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
99 user ratings
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Comments

Anne

@Maria I believe it's a mix of plum types, from looking at the pic. Just a smaller variety...appears at farmers' markets...size of a cherry tomato... though cherries would be a great addition...any stone fruit really, even peaches or nectarines.

Maria

This picture seems to have cherries in it, but the recipe does not. Do we think the cherries ought to be included?

MA

This is a good summer salad. Made it last night according to the recipe. Only change is that I served it over baby arugula. Next time, I will look for plums that are a bit more under ripe than the ones I used. I would also use more serrano, heat is my preference.

Chris

I actually added some pitted, sliced cherries to this, then scattered some chopped toasted walnuts on top because I wanted a little crunch. Delicious!

Teresa

I used my parents’ home grown pluots (lucky me) and it was great. Subbed burrata for fresh mozz. Amazing!!

JennGrace

So refreshing! I made it as written, but next time I might reduce (or eliminate) the mustard and increase the lime. I’m also not convinced that mozzarella is the ideal cheese for this recipe. Feta is so strong, but it would add “salty” to the sweet (plums), tangy (lime), and hot (Serrano) tastes.

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