Grilled Peach Corn Salad (Printable)
Charred peaches and corn tossed with cherry tomatoes, basil and torn creamy cheese in a balsamic-honey vinaigrette.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Produce
01 - 3 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
02 - 2 ears fresh corn, husked
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
→ Dairy
06 - 3.5 oz creamy cheese such as burrata, fresh mozzarella, or goat cheese
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 tsp honey
10 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - Lightly brush the peach halves and corn ears with olive oil.
03 - Place the peaches cut side down on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until charred and caramelized. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes until lightly charred. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly.
04 - Cut the grilled peaches into wedges. Slice the kernels off the corn cobs.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine the grilled peach wedges, corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and torn basil leaves.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
07 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine, coating all ingredients evenly.
08 - Top with torn pieces of creamy cheese and serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The char on the peaches plays off the creamy cheese in a way that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
- It looks like something from a magazine but honestly comes together faster than most weeknight dinners.
- You can swap almost every ingredient based on what is wilting in your fridge and it still works beautifully.
02 -
- Do not walk away from the grill while the peaches are cooking. Thirty seconds of distraction is the difference between caramelized perfection and a smoky mess you have to scrape off the grates.
- Letting the salad sit for more than twenty minutes before serving makes the tomatoes weep and the cheese slide into a puddle. Timing matters here.
03 -
- Choose peaches that give slightly when pressed but are not soft. That firmness is what lets them survive the grill with their shape intact.
- A squeeze of lime juice over the finished salad right before serving brightens every single flavor on the plate.