How To Cut A Peach (Tutorial) - Cooking For My Soul

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There are lots and lots of peaches this summer! In this kitchen prep tutorial, I’ll show you how cut a peach cleanly, easily, and quickly.

You can cut peaches in half, into wedges or thin slices. They are great for grilling, baking, or to eat as is. Check out my tutorial on how to cut and slice fresh peaches, and save time in the kitchen! It’s really easy and takes less than 3 minutes per peach.

One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh peaches. They are perfectly ripe, sweet, and juicy. Peaches are one of my family’s favorite fruits ever, so summer is basically peach season for us…and we LOVE it!

Knowing how to cut a peach sounds pretty basic, but believe it or not, some people just have no clue (ehem, a younger version of myself). In fact, I used to cut peaches the wrong way and left much of the flesh behind as a result.

If you’re cutting several peaches at a time, you’ll want to use a quick, easy, and clean method. So today I am sharing a tutorial on how to cut a peach the correct way! I hope you find it helpful.

There are so many things you can do with fresh peaches: salads, sides, salsas, pies, crumble bars, crisps, muffins, cakes, parfaits…and the list goes on. Or you can just eat it as is!

Jump to:

• How to Pick Ripe Peaches
• Easy Steps to Cut a Peach
• Recommended Equipment
• Favorite Peach Recipes
• FAQs
• Tips for Success
• How to Cut a Peach

How to Pick Ripe Peaches

In general, follow these guidelines to pick ripe, juicy, and sweet peaches:

• It should feel like it gives (slightly soft) when you gently press it. It should NOT feel too soft or mushy. Likewise, it should not feel too hard.
• The color should be mostly tones of golden yellow, red, and pink-ish. If it has green tones, especially around the stem, it means it’s not ripe yet.
• It should smell fragrant.
• Avoid peaches with bruises, dents, or wrinkled skin.

Also, depending on what you want to make, you’ll want to pick peaches in different stages of ripening. For example, for grilling peaches, you want them to be a little bit on the firmer side, but still ripe and fragrant.

If you’d rather pick up less ripe peaches so they continue ripening at home, that’s totally fine too.

Easy Steps to Cut a Peach

Below is a quick tutorial. It’s a quick, easy, and mess-free method.

You can cut them into wedges (through step 4) or cut them into halves (through step 3). Up to you. Most importantly, make sure you pick a good, ripe, and fragrant peach first.

Want to peel the peaches before cutting? If they are ripe enough, you may be able to peel the skin right off with your fingers pretty easily. If they are a bit stubborn, try blanching the peaches: place the whole peaches in simmering water for 30-35 seconds and transfer them immediately to an ice bath, then peel the skin off.

Step 1: Cut the peach in half

Find the natural line near the stem of the peach. Insert a sharp knife along this line until you hit the pit in the center, and cut the peach half in this direction by rotating the peach around the knife.

Make sure the knife is touching the center pit as you cut it. This will ensure you can cleanly separate each half later.

Step 2: Twist and split the peach carefully

Using your hands, gently twist each side in opposite directions to release from the pit and separate the halves.

Step 3: Carefully remove the pit

Using the tip of the knife, remove the pit from the peach. Discard the pit.

Note: if you want peach halves, you can stop after you complete this step. If you want to continue cutting it, continue on to step 4.

Step 4: Cut into wedges

Cut each half into wedges. I usually do 2-3 wedges per half, depending on how big the peach is. You can also dice it or slice it thinly.

Recommended Equipment

You need a sharp knife. I use a medium-sized knife, but a sharp pairing knife will work too. Try not to use a serrated knife.

You also need a basic cutting board.

Favorite Peach Recipes

There are so many things you can do with fresh peaches!

My favorite recipe using peaches is my summer peach salad:

Another awesome recipe is my Peach and Blueberry Muffins – you’ll love how tender, moist, and tall they come out. If you’re feeling like making a dessert, try my Peach and Apple Crumb Bars.

• Blueberry Peach Muffins
• Apple Peach Crumb Bars

Also check out my friend Minshien’s White Peach Sangria!

FAQs

Can I also cut nectarines and apricots this way?

Yes, absolutely!

Can I peel off the skin?

If you prefer to peel the skin off, you can blanch them first: place the whole peaches in simmering water for 30-35 seconds, and transfer them immediately to an ice bath. Shortcut: If the peaches are already ripe enough, see if they peel easily first. If so, you should be able to just peel the skin right off without blanching them.

How do I know if a peach is ripe?

It should have mostly tones of golden yellow, red, and pink-ish. Also, when you gently press it, it should give (feel a bit soft) but not be mushy. It should also smell fragrant.

How do I store fresh peaches?

If you think they are not totally ripe yet, leave them out on the counter so they continue to ripen. If they are perfectly ripe and you’re not ready to use them, you can refrigerate them. If you have already cut the peaches, store them in the fridge.

Can I freeze cut peaches?

Yes! Arrange them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and freeze them for 4 hours or so – this will allow them to harden and keep their shape before placing them all in a bag. Then transfer to a freezer-friendly bag and freeze for about 3 months.

Whether you’re working with peaches a lot, or just slicing a few to enjoy as is, I hope you find this tutorial helpful.

Peaches are a great summer fruit, you can use it on appetizers, salads, main dishes, desserts and so much more. Happy cooking!

Tips for Success

• Use ripe peaches: They should have mostly tones of golden yellow, red, and pink-ish. Also, when you gently press it, it should give (feel a bit soft) but not feel mushy. It should also smell fragrant.
• If the peach is hard, looks green-ish, or doesn’t have an aromatic peach fragrance, then it’s not ripe yet. Likewise, avoid peaches that look bruised, dented, or wrinkled.
• Use a sharp knife for best results.

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How to Cut a Peach

Cutting and slicing a peach is super easy! With this method and tutorial, you can cut a whole fresh peach easily, quickly, and cleanly. Course Tutorial Cuisine Varies Prep Time 3 minutes minutes Cook Time 0 minutes minutes Total Time 3 minutes minutes Servings 1 serving Calories 59kcal Author Tania

Equipment

• ▢ Sharp knife
• ▢ Cutting board

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ripe peach - (see notes)

Instructions

• Find the natural line near the stem of the peach. Insert a sharp knife along this line until you hit the pit in the center, and cut the peach half in this direction by rotating the peach around the knife. Make sure that the knife is touching the pit as you cut to ensure that each half splits easily and cleanly.
• Gently twist each half of the peach in opposite directions to release from the pit and separate them.
• Using the knife, remove the pit in the center. Discard the pit. If want halves, you can stop here. If you want to cut them into wedges or slices, proceed to the next step.
• Cut each half into wedges. You can also slice them thinly or dice them. Enjoy!

Notes

• How to pick a ripe peach: It should have mostly tones of golden yellow, red, and pink. When you gently press it, it should give (feel a bit soft) but not feel mushy or too soft. It should also smell fragrant.
• Peeling the skin off before cutting: You can blanch the peaches to peel the skin off easily. To do this, place whole peaches in simmering water for 30-35 seconds, and transfer immediately to an ice bath. Then, peel the skin off – it should come off easily. Shortcut: If the peaches are already ripe enough, see if you can easily peel off the skin with your hands first. If yes, you don’t need to blanch them. Just peel the skin right off.
• Storage: Store sliced peaches in a container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
• Freezing: Arrange them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and freeze for 4 hours or so – this will allow them to harden and maintain their shape before bagging them. Then transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg Tried this Recipe? Tag me on Instagram!Mention @CookingForMySoul or tag #cookingformysoul. Or leave me comment below!