Easy Peach Melba

My Peach Melba is pure summer magic in a bowl!

I’ve been making this classic dessert for years, and every time you taste those tender poached peaches with vanilla ice cream and bright raspberry sauce, you’ll understand why it’s been beloved for generations.

This elegant yet simple treat brings restaurant-quality flavors right to your kitchen table.

Why You’ll Love This Peach Melba

This Peach Melba recipe combines the best of summer’s bounty in one stunning dessert.

I love how the sweet, tender peaches balance perfectly with the tart-sweet raspberry sauce, while creamy vanilla ice cream brings everything together.

You’ll appreciate how easy it is to make something so impressive, and your family will be asking for seconds every time!

Ingredients You Need for Peach Melba

For the Poached Peaches:

• 4 large ripe peaches (firm but yielding to gentle pressure – this is key!)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 cups water

For the Raspberry Sauce:

• 2½ cups fresh raspberries, divided
• ½ cup powdered sugar (you can adjust to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (bottled works too, but fresh is brighter)

For Serving:

• High-quality vanilla ice cream (I always keep a good brand in my freezer)

My Kitchen Notes: Choose peaches that give slightly when pressed but aren’t mushy. If your peaches are very ripe, reduce the poaching time.

For the raspberries, fresh is best, but frozen works in a pinch – just thaw them first!

How to Make Peach Melba

Step 1: Prepare Your Peaches Using a sharp paring knife, score a small X on the bottom of each peach – this makes peeling so much easier later! In a large saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves.

Step 2: Poach the Peaches Gently add your peaches to the bubbling syrup and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8-12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the peaches are fork-tender but still hold their shape. The timing depends on ripeness, so keep an eye on them!

Step 3: Make the Raspberry Sauce While your peaches are cooling, combine 2 cups of raspberries, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a blender. Blend on high for about 60 seconds until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing the mixture with a spoon to extract maximum sauce. You should have about ¾ cup of gorgeous, smooth sauce.

Step 4: Finish the Peaches Once your peaches are cool enough to handle, the skins should slip right off thanks to that scoring! Remove the skins, cut each peach in half, remove the pit, and slice each half into 4 wedges.

Step 5: Assemble Your Masterpiece Divide the peach slices among your serving bowls. Add generous scoops of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with that beautiful raspberry sauce, and top with the remaining fresh raspberries.

Craving more homemade goodness after this Peach Melba? Don’t miss my Old-Fashioned Southern Peach Cobbler and Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Maple Icing, they’re absolutely delicious and super easy to make.

Tips for the Best Peach Melba

My biggest tip? Don’t rush the poaching process – gentle simmering keeps your peaches tender, not mushy. I always make extra raspberry sauce because it’s incredible on pancakes too!

If you’re making this ahead, store the poached peaches in their syrup in the fridge for up to 2 days. The sauce keeps for a week refrigerated.

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Can I use frozen peaches for this recipe?

Absolutely! Thaw frozen peach slices completely and skip the poaching step. Just warm them gently in a little of the sugar syrup for extra sweetness.

What if I can’t find fresh raspberries?

Frozen raspberries work perfectly for the sauce. Thaw them first and drain any excess liquid before blending.

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Can I make this dessert dairy-free?

Yes! Use your favorite non-dairy ice cream. Coconut or cashew-based varieties work beautifully with the fruit flavors.

How do I know when peaches are perfectly ripe?

They should smell fragrant at the stem end and give slightly when you press near the top. Avoid peaches that are hard as rocks or overly soft.

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How I Love to Serve Peach Melba for a Sweet Finish

I love serving Peach Melba at summer dinner parties – it’s elegant enough for company but easy enough for weeknight treats.

This dessert shines after grilled meals or barbecues when you want something light and refreshing.

My family enjoys it on lazy Sunday afternoons, and I often make it when entertaining because you can prepare components ahead.

Serve it in your prettiest bowls to show off those gorgeous colors!