Summer Tomato, Corn and Peach Salad with Avocado and Grilled Halloumi

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I have been making this salad multiple times per summer since we moved to California seven years ago. Tomatoes, corn, and peaches and all perfectly in season at the same time, requiring minimal work to become an absolutely delicious salad when tossed all together.

Need a fresh, delicious side for a potluck? Make this salad. Need something to serve your family alongside some grilled meat? Make this salad. Need a big, simple summer salad for lunch? MAKE THIS SALAD! George and I took the one pictured here down for lunch one day with two forks, eaten straight off the serving platter. Sexy!

If you’ve never tried grilling halloumi, now’s the time. It’s so easy. It’s chewy and crispy and it’s just fun to grill hunks of cheese ok?! Everything else in the salad is raw – yes, even the corn! Corn is so delicious and sweet raw. If you’ve never tried it, take a bite! If you’d rather have it cooked, throw the corn on the grill alongside the halloumi to char it a bit. Grill the peaches, too, while you’re at it.

Grill it outdoors on on an indoor grill pan, here’s my favorite

I love sumac, a bright, tart, Middle Eastern spice, with tomatoes, but it can be hard to find, so I’ve made it totally optional. The salad is just as lovely without, so don’t stress over finding it. I’ve bought it at World Market several times!

5 from 1 vote

Summer Tomato, Corn and Peach Salad with Avocado and Grilled Halloumi

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 16  ounces  cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colors), halved
  • 2 large peaches, thinly sliced
  • 2 large  ears of corn, kernels removed
  • ½  cup  basil, thinly sliced
  • tbsp  extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp  white balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4  tsp sumac (optional)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 avocado, quartered lengthwise
  • 1 (8 ounce)  package halloumi cheese, sliced into 4 to 6 pieces 
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Substitutions:

  • Cherry tomatoes —>  1 pound of whatever kind of tomatoes look best at the market, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces. One of my followers is allergic to tomatoes and subbed in cucumbers and reports that the crunch of the cucumbers was FANTASTIC in this salad!
  • Peaches—>  any stone fruit! Nectarines, plums, apricots, aprium, pluots, even cherries would be so fun and delicious!
  • Corn—>  there’s no real sub for corn, but zucchini thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler into strips would also be delicious here. It does not need to be cooked, it’s lovely raw and marinated like this! 
  • Basil—> fresh parsley or dill would be tasty. Or, make this more of a leafy salad by tossing in 1 1/2 cups baby arugula instead of basil.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil—> regular olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil… but you really want EVOO for the flavor here!
  • White balsamic vinegar—> do you have a fancy vinegar from one of those fancy oil and vinegar shops sitting in the back of your pantry? This is the PERFECT use for it! If not, apple cider vinegar or any other light colored vinegar will do the trick.
  • Black pepper—> pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Avocado—>  omit, or add 1/2 can chickpeas for healthy fat and fiber. 
  • Halloumi—>  make it a totally no-cook salad by cutting big slices of feta, or crumbling goat cheese over top. 

Instructions

  • Toss 1 pound halved cherry tomatoes2 large, sliced peachesthe kernels cut from 2 ears of corn1/2 cup thinly sliced basil2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon sumac, and a pinch of black pepper in a shallow serving bowl or platter and refrigerate until ready to use. Can prep up to 2 hours in advance, but not necessary.
  • When you’re ready to eat, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Spray 8 ounces of halloumi, sliced into 4 to 6 slices, with nonstick cooking spray, then grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until it has beautiful grill marks and easily releases from the grill. It will stick if it’s not ready to flip yet, but it’ll become easier once it has a nice enough sear. No grill or grill pan? Just pan sear the cheese in a nonstick skillet.
  • When you’re ready to serve, toss the salad again to redistribute the oil and vinegar that has settled to the bottom of the bowl. Taste, and season with more salt if needed. Add the avocado quarters and grilled halloumi on top of the salad and serve immediately.
  • 16  ounces  cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colors), halved
  • 2 large peaches, thinly sliced
  • 2 large  ears of corn, kernels removed
  • ½  cup  basil, thinly sliced
  • tbsp  extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp  white balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4  tsp sumac (optional)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 avocado, quartered lengthwise
  • 1 (8 ounce)  package halloumi cheese, sliced into 4 to 6 pieces 
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Substitutions:

  • Cherry tomatoes —>  1 pound of whatever kind of tomatoes look best at the market, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces. One of my followers is allergic to tomatoes and subbed in cucumbers and reports that the crunch of the cucumbers was FANTASTIC in this salad!
  • Peaches—>  any stone fruit! Nectarines, plums, apricots, aprium, pluots, even cherries would be so fun and delicious!
  • Corn—>  there’s no real sub for corn, but zucchini thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler into strips would also be delicious here. It does not need to be cooked, it’s lovely raw and marinated like this! 
  • Basil—> fresh parsley or dill would be tasty. Or, make this more of a leafy salad by tossing in 1 1/2 cups baby arugula instead of basil.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil—> regular olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil… but you really want EVOO for the flavor here!
  • White balsamic vinegar—> do you have a fancy vinegar from one of those fancy oil and vinegar shops sitting in the back of your pantry? This is the PERFECT use for it! If not, apple cider vinegar or any other light colored vinegar will do the trick.
  • Black pepper—> pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Avocado—>  omit, or add 1/2 can chickpeas for healthy fat and fiber. 
  • Halloumi—>  make it a totally no-cook salad by cutting big slices of feta, or crumbling goat cheese over top. 

Notes

  • Don’t grill the halloumi until you’re ready to eat – it’s much better warm, right off the grill.

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Join the Conversation

  1. this was absolutely delicious – the perfect summer salad! can’t wait to make it again!

    1. caroline chambers says:

      i am so glad you made it!! makes me so happy.

  2. Have made this three times since you posted it – delicious! Will be in rotation all summer.

    1. caroline chambers says:

      Same here! Try making it with plums or apricots next time… so good <3<3

  3. Bige Yilmaz says:

    I made this salad yesterday and everybody loved it! I did not have white balsamic vinegar at home so I used Trader Joe’s’ Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar with a little lime juice. Thanks so much!

    1. caroline chambers says:

      I LOVE these substitutions! thank you so much for sharing so that anyone who doesn’t have white balsamic can see!! xoxo

  4. Oh my gosh! Just threw this salad together for dinner later so the Halloumi(Trader Joe’s happens later) A few bites of this combination of summer favorites from the garden tells me a great dinner lies ahead🎉🌽🎉

  5. Patty Barnhardt says:

    5 stars
    This was so delicious!!! I will be making it all summer. I had a leftover piece of grilled chicken that I sliced thin and added in. Left over steak would be a good add in too!

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