Peach Salad With Crispy Halloumi
Here is a salad with sweet summer peaches in all its glory. Peach, crispy halloumi, spiced chickpeas, cucumber, peppery arugula, and cherry tomatoes are tossed together to give the best of textures and flavors in a salad. This salad is fresh, sweet, and crunchy with a surprise heat element from the hot honey mustard dressing.
You can smell summer in this salad. Bring all the best produce together before the season is over and make this crispy halloumi peach salad with hot honey mustard dressing. You will have a party of flavour and texture in your mouth. Sweet juicy peach, crispy halloumi bites, spiced chickpeas, summer cherry tomatoes, cucumber, peppery arugula, and fresh basil – each of these has a role to play and makes this salad nothing like you have ever had.
I am not much a fruit based salad person. I love my salad savory and filling. This salad was a happy accident, and I am glad that it happened. Wanted to use up the leftovers in the fridge before leaving for Australia, and I put together a salad close to this one. It came out spectacular, and I knew I would be making it again once back home.
What goes in a Peach Salad
- Peach- Of course, sweet best of summer peaches. Make sure they are ripe but firm enough.
- Halloumi – Cut into small bite-sized cubes.
- Chickpeas – Chickpeas help bulk up the salad, add a protein element, and make it filling.
- Arugula– Some greens in a salad always make it complete, and peppery arugula pairs well with the rest of the components.
- Veggies– I have used sweet summer cherry tomatoes and cucumber. You can also add red bell pepper.
- Fresh herb – I have used fresh basil. You can use parsley, green onions as well.
Hot honey dressing
Hot honey is having a moment these days, and I can see it being used as a topping, from pizzas to burgers. This is the first time I have made this hot honey mustard dressing, and it turned out well.
- Hot honey
- Whole mustard
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
Steps to make this salad
This peach salad needs a bit of cooking and prep. It will ust take an extra 15 minutes and totally worth.
If you have been cutting halloumi into steaks, then you are missing out on major crisping factor. Cut into small cubes and roast it. You will have crispy gooey halloumi bites in every spoonful salad. After cutting into thick steaks, dry halloumi well using a kitchen towel then cut into cubes.
We are also crisping up chickpeas along with spices. You can roast it in a oven, but I was really not in a mood to switch on the oven in this heat. I took the same skillet used for halloumi and pan fried the chickpeas on low heat.
Let everything cooled down before adding it to the salad. You can also make these a day ahead.
I shouldn’t be talking about chopping veggies , but here is what I do, to get bit of all the things in every spoonful. So chop cucumber, peaches and cherry tomatoes into bite sized pieces.
Pair This Peach Salad With
This fruity, sweet, and spicy salad is quite wholesome with starch, protein and fiber , and stands on its own as a light lunch. You can bulk up the salad by adding some cooked chicken. Want to make it a complete meal? Then here are a few protein options you can serve this salad with
More Summer Salads Worth Trying
Peach Salad With Grilled Halloumi
Ingredients
- 3 cups Arugula
- 2-3 Peaches chopped
- 1 can Chickpeas
- 200 grams Halloumi
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Cucumber chopped
- 200 grams Cherry Tomatoes halved
- ¾ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
For Hot Honey Mustard Dressing
- 2-3 tablespoon Hot Honey
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon Wholegrain mustard
- 2 cloves Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
Make Crispy Halloumi
- Cut block of halloumi into 1-inch steaks. Pat it dry with a kitchen towel and soak as much moisture as possible. Then cut into 1 inch -1.5 inch cubes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a non stick skillet. Roast cubed halloumi on low-medium heat, flip in between to brown it from all the sides. Drain in a kitchen tissue and let it cool.
Make spiced chickpes
- Drain the can of chickpeas, rinse well and spread it on a kitchen towel. Pat it dry.
- In the same skillet add remaining oil and add the chickpeas. Saute on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Towards the end add the spices and toss for another minute to coat the chickpeas. If the spices seem burning, add a splash of water.
Make Hot Honey Mustard Dressing
- Add all the ingredients mentioned for salad dressing hot honey, olive oil, lemon juice, wholegrain mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. In a glass jar with lid. Close the lid and shake it well
Bring Everything Together
- Add arugula, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped peach, cucumber, spiced chickpeas, crispy halloumi bites, and basil. Pour half of the dressing and toss.
- While serving drizzle more dressing if required.
