Fresh each and tomato salad can’t be beat when summer produce is at its best. Try combining those juicy tomatoes with fresh sweet peaches, then sprinkle with salty feta for a light and refreshing summer salad.
When you have sweet Southern peaches and fresh juicy tomatoes, it’s time to make a tomato salad with peaches. Simple, light and refreshing, just what you need when it’s too hot to be in the kitchen.
I first tried a tomato and peach salad at running camp one year at Zap. Their food is always delicious, healthy, and the chef creates interesting food combinations. It was so delicious I couldn’t wait to reproduce it at home.
I wasn’t sure if it would taste as good when I wasn’t starving after a hard run, but it was just as amazing at home and my family loved it. Just a few simple ingredients results in a spectacular and refreshing salad that we make all summer long.
Why you’ll love it
- Naturally sweet from peaches with no added sugar
- Peaches and tomatoes are available all summer long
- It’s light and refreshing
- This salad will go with anything you are serving
- It’s great for a summer cook out
Thanks to some fresh tomatoes from a friend, fresh basil from my backyard, and sweet peaches from the farmers market, all I needed was some cheese and nuts.
While I’ve added fruit to salsas and sauces, I never thought to combine fruit and tomatoes. Think of this as a peach salad with a twist. Not only do you have the sweet and acidic flavors but you get a crunch from toasted pecans, or slivered almonds.
What seems to pull this salad together is the salty feta cheese crumbles. Feta is sturdy enough not to dissolve in the peach and tomato juices but still creamy. If you want to try goat cheese, it will dissolve if it sits for very long, so wait to add it right before serving. Either are delicious with the peaches and tomatoes.
So if you’re like me and always have peaches and tomatoes on your counter in the summer, give this tomato salad recipe a try, it’s sure to become a family favorite.
How to tell if peaches are ripe
Peaches will ripen off the tree if they haven’t been picked when they’re green. They should be firm but not green. They will smell like a peach if they are sweet, so give them the sniff test.
When you get home, you can place them in a brown bag to ripen them quicker. Do not place them in the refrigerator until they are as ripe as you want them to be. Here are some tips for how to choose a ripe peach.
What you’ll need
- Tomatoes – whatever is ripe, the juicier the better. You can even use cherry tomatoes.
- Peaches – find some sweet ones, you can tell if they’ll be sweet by their smell, if they don’t have a peach smell, they won’t have much flavor.
- Feta – the salty taste works just right with the tomatoes and peaches.
- Pecans or almonds – toast them to bring out their nutty flavor.
- Fresh basil – For that pop of flavor.
How to make a peach and tomato salad
Step 1: Chop ripe peaches and tomatoes into bite size pieces. If you want this to be more of a peach salad, then use about three times as many peaches as tomatoes. Toss with fresh chopped basil.
Step 2: Add toasted nuts and cheese and toss. If not serving right away, wait to add the cheese.
Southern tomato recipes
FAQ’s and tips
This is a personal preference, it will be delicious either way. Peeling the peaches makes it a little juicier. If you want to prepare this in advance without it getting too juicy, then don’t peel the peaches.
Feta with it’s salty taste is my first choice. It’s firm enough to hold its shape. Goat cheese is equally tasty but will dissolve a little quicker once added to the salad.
This salad can be refrigerated for a few hours before eating, just wait to add the cheese and nuts until ready to serve.
You can use any type of sweet peaches, white or yellow and any type of ripe tomatoes.
Feta is a brined slightly salty cheese that you will see used in most Greek foods.
More summer salads you’ll love
What else can you make with peaches
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Peach and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 large peaches diced
- 2 small to medium tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 3 ounces feta/goat cheese
- ½ cup almonds/pecans toasted
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel peaches if desired. Dice peaches and tomatoes into bite site pieces. You want about 3 times as many peaches as tomatoes. Add chopped basil, cheese, Toasted almonds/pecans and season with salt and pepper.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Eat the same day, it does not save well.
- You can use peaches with the peelings on or off
- If using goat cheese, add right before serving so it doesn’t dissolve in the juices.
- Use three times as many peaches as tomatoes
- Make sure to only use ripe peaches and tomatoes
Nutrition
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Great summer salad…..Thank you!
The flavors are so unexpected, I’m glad you liked it.