It’s time to put that homemade lemon basil vinaigrette recipe to use! Summer isn’t over yet…still plenty of time to enjoy salads featuring yummy in-season produce. I’m so excited to share this basil peach halloumi salad with you; I’m confident you will love it! Salty fried cheese, sweet, juice fresh peaches, chickpeas, and basil vinaigrette are such a delicious combination for this salad!

Halloumi Cheese

Have you ever tried halloumi cheese before?! It’s honestly something that I’ve been wanting to try for a LONG time now. To be honest, I personally found it a bit difficult to find at the grocery store, but I was so excited to finally find it in the cheese section at my local chain grocery store! I did have to ask an employee for it…but thankfully they knew exactly what I was talking about especially since I probably mispronounced it haha.

Anyways, halloumi cheese is actually a sheep’s milk cheese that has a very firm texture. It’s a perfect cheese to fry as it gets super crispy and absolutely delicious when you pan fry it in a little oil! SO GOOD. Definitely worth buying JUST for this salad.

As I mentioned here, this salad idea came when I had odds and ends in my fridge that needed to be used up before leaving out of town a few weeks ago. I had fresh basil, a couple fresh peaches, salad greens that needed used up, and the halloumi cheese that I had almost forgotten about (thankfully it lasts a very long time in the fridge!). A bit more about the ingredients…

Ingredients and Substitution Ideas

Halloumi Cheese

Honestly, I have to say the halloumi cheese is the STAR of this salad. Crispy, salty and absolutely delicious!! You simply have to give it a try ?

Basil Vinaigrette

Here’s the super simple recipe for the homemade lemon basil vinaigrette dressing! It requires just a few ingredients and takes literally just minutes to make! The strong basil flavor really compliments the cheese and fresh peaches.

Peaches

Enjoying summer’s produce! While I love the fresh, sweet peaches with the salty cheese and basil, I think you can definitely be creative with the type of fresh fruit you use here! Pears, apples, and any type of berries would also work well.

Greens

I used some homegrown lettuce, but use your favorite type of green here! I also love arugula and spinach.

Chickpeas

While the halloumi cheese definitely adds some protein to this salad, I wanted to add something else for more staying power. The chickpeas provide additional protein, fiber, and healthy carbohydrates to help round out this salad and make it a satisfying meal!