Nectarine and Halloumi salad is not only one of the most popular dishes at the moment, it’s also super tasty. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t like nectarine! I mean, I am fussy with fruit. I much prefer cooked fruit, but this works really well together and has become a favourite of mine. It’s simple to make too, so it’s perfect for a quick meal, or for guests (I mean the best kind of guests are people you don’t have to cook for).
Thomasina Miers’ recipe for freekeh salad with nectarine and halloumi
A hearty but fresh dish that celebrates the flavours of the Middle East
Many years ago I went to Georgia on a last-minute trip accompanied by a gang of political journalists wanting to write about an attempted coup. While they assessed the state of the nation, I had a memorable few days being fed by terrifically hospitable locals keen to show off their delicious cuisine. In particular, I loved the sweet-sour salads studded with herbs, grains, walnuts and fruit. This is a high-summer homage to the country.
Freekeh salad with nectarine, parsley, cucumber, walnuts and golden halloumi
This works beautifully as part of a meze of dishes, with people digging in using the little gem as scoops.
Prep 20 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4-6
150g freekeh, rinsed in several changes of water
1 bunch parsley
½ bunch mint, leaves picked
4 spring onions
3 nectarines, stoned
½ cucumber
150g baby tomatoes, quartered
1 big handful walnuts
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1 pinch ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
2 little gem lettuce, leaves separated
250g halloumi, drained, cut into 5mm slices
Bring a pan of water to a boil and cook the freekeh for 30 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.
Finely chop the parsley, mint and spring onions and transfer to a large bowl. Cut the nectarines into wedges, then cut the cucumber in half lengthways and, using a teaspoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Roughly dice into 1-2cm pieces. Roughly chop the walnuts to match and add them all to the bowl.
Once the freekeh is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Add to the salad bowl along with two tablespoons of oil, the lemon juice, cumin and plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss well and transfer to a large platter (or individual plates, if you prefer). Scatter the little gem leaves around the edge.
To cook the halloumi, warm up a medium-sized frying pan and, when hot, add the remaining oil. Pat each slice of halloumi dry with kitchen paper and add to the hot oil, turning over when golden – about a minute. When cooked, transfer to the top of the salad and serve at once.
And for the rest of the week
When the last of the nectarines are finished, use pomegranates, blackberries or dried apricots instead. I love this salad with grilled lamb, fish or burgers. Grill the halloumi over the barbecue instead as part of a delicious al fresco
YELLOW NECTARINE SALAD WITH GRILLED HALLOUMI
Showcasing yellow nectarine with our easy to make salad platter. The combination of salty grilled halloumi against sweet nectarines, avocado, and radishes alongside charred corn makes this yellow nectarine salad platter recipe stunning to serve and delicious to eat!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE OUR YELLOW NECTARINE SALAD PLATTER
When I saw the mountains of stone fruits at our local market, I really wanted to create an easy salad with nectarines. And not any tossed salad. I wanted one to totally showcase the beautiful yellow nectarines on the table.
I decided to arrange a yellow nectarine salad platter so everyone could visualise all the delicious ripe sweet stone fruit and build their own salad.
To be honest, you can also create your own salad platter (similar to a charcuterie board!) and add other ingredients, but the combination of salty grilled halloumi with sweet nectarines plus creamy avocado, peppery radishes, and charred corn makes this nectarine salad recipe super tasty.
And what I love about this yellow nectarine salad platter is that everyone can add just a little more of their favourite ingredient. Plus, they are great conversation starters, making sharing a meal so much more fun and lively.
This is a nectarine recipe that is perfect for last minute gatherings when friends drop by or even to meal prep for the week ahead.
I guarantee this recipe will convert even your salad haters. No rabbit food here. The colours, the luscious textures and the balance of flavours in this nectarine and halloumi salad are utterly satisfying.
NECTARINE VS PEACHES
When stone fruits are in full swing, it is hard not to create salads with nectarines, peaches, plums or apricots, just like our Stone Fruit Salad or Grilled Apricot recipe. We love the delicious sweetness it adds to summer salads, and they pep up the colours for sure.
Essentially nectarines are a type of peach but without the fuzzy skin. Nectarines have a similar stone and kernel in the middle as peaches.
As much as they are similar fruits, nectarines and peaches do taste differently. Nectarines tend to have a firmer texture and honey-like taste and aroma.
RECIPE OVERVIEW
Flavour/Texture: A combination of sweet, salty and tangy seeded mustard dressing makes this yellow nectarine salad platter delicious to share.
There is a perfect balance of textures with crisp, ripe nectarines against grilled gooey halloumi, creamy avocado, and pops of sweet corn amongst the mix. They all work together, not against each other.
Ease: You will need to have the griddle pan or bbq ready to go for the halloumi and corn cobs. Alternatively, you can also try the air fryer. Halloumi and corn both cook well in the air fryer. The rest of the elements of the yellow nectarine salad is very easy to prepare.
Time: This is not a labour intensive recipe. You can prepare this salad platter in about 30-35 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
These are the ingredients you need for yellow nectarine salad recipe:
Yellow Nectarines: Choose ripe but firm yellow nectarines in this recipe. I prefer the firmer texture against the halloumi and corn.
Halloumi: Like other fresh milk cheeses like mozzarella, halloumi has a layered texture but is saltier and firmer like feta.
Once cooked, though, I find the taste of halloumi resembling the Greek saganaki kefalotyri cheese. Halloumi is a great pairing with melon or together with roasted beetroot.
Corn: You don’t have to grill the corn in this recipe. Boiling them or even canned corn is perfectly fine. Grilled corn adds another dimension to flavours like our corn and avocado salad, and it’s simple to do, especially if you already have the griddle pan out.
Avocado: Adds a creamy element to the salad platter. I prefer Hass avocados because of the creamy, nutty flavours.
Radish: Having both corn and nectarines, the peppery flavours of radish helps balance sweetness and adds crunch.
Spinach leaves: Fresh leaves not only adds bulk but refreshing texture. If you don’t have spinach, you can also use rocket (arugula).
VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Nectarine substitution: I chose yellow nectarines because they were fresh and ripe at our local grocer. However, if stone fruit is not in season, white nectarines, peaches or even heirloom tomatoes would work perfectly as well.
Grilled corn substitution: I love fresh corn in salads, but if you are running low on time, canned corn will work in this recipe, just like our chickpea salad recipe. Avoid frozen corn for fresh salads.
Other cheese: I love halloumi in salads, but other cheese like goat cheese, paneer, blue cheese, burrata, feta, and buffalo mozzarella would all pair well with nectarine.
Vegan / Dairy free option: Substitute halloumi with pan fried tofu or your favourite plant based cheese.
Other salad dressings: The seeded mustard dressing adds subtle tangy flavours and lets the fresh produce shine. You can try other salad dressings like our caper vinaigrette for more punchy flavours, balsamic vinaigrette for a deep sweet-tangy twist or even our tahini ranch for a nutty, creamy finish.
Rice malt syrup alternative: If you don’t have rice malt syrup, choose your preferred sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
INSTRUCTIONS
Step by step instructions for how to make yellow nectarine salad recipe:
HOW TO MAKE THE SALAD
Cut the halloumi into thick slices and brush lightly with olive oil.
Over medium-high heat, place the halloumi on a large pan or griddle pan to fry.
Fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and then flip over to fry the other side.
Season corn with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Place corn on a hot grill or griddle pan and cook for 15 minutes or until charred.
Remove corn kernels by running a knife straight down the side. Don’t cut too close to the white of the cob.
Place cut kernels into a bowl, ready for assembling.
Wash and cut nectarines into 1cm wedges.
Peel and slice avocado into thin slices.
Wash and rinse radishes well. Trim the stalks and then thinly slice radish.
Wash spinach leaves and give it a shake to remove excess water.
HOW TO MAKE SEEDED MUSTARD DRESSING
Mix together in a mason jar olive oil, apple cider vinegar, seeded mustard, rice malt syrup and salt and pepper.
Shake until well combined.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
This is really an opportunity for you to show off your plating skills. It is very much up to you how you would like to display the salad platter.
You can also use a large salad bowl and toss the ingredients together.
On a large serving platter, start with a layer of spinach leaves.
Divide the other ingredients into half or smaller portions and layer on top of the spinach leaves.
I started with grilled halloumi, half nectarine, radishes, avocado slices, and then grilled corn. I then repeated the process until I filled the platter.
You can either place seeded mustard dressing in a bowl next to salad platter or drizzle over the top and serve.
HOW TO MAKE THIS SALAD PERFECTLY (EXPERT TIPS)
Fresh, ripe but firm nectarines: If you use overripe nectarines, they will be too soft to slice and turn into mush. Make sure they are ripe but not overly soft to touch.
Good balance of flavours and textures: If you are building your own salad platter, make sure you have a good balance between the different textures and flavours, such as salty, sweet and tangy.
HOW TO SERVE YELLOW NECTARINE SALAD
A delicious yellow nectarine salad deserves an equally delicious main. Try out these recipes:
The great flavours of the pineapple grilled chicken would work so well with the yellow nectarines and haloumi cheese. Or you could go with grazing style salad with a caprese pizza.
If you feel like a non-red meat burger, this ground chicken feta burger with spinach might just be right up your alley!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How to choose a ripe nectarine?
Nectarines are best during high summer months. Look for red skin with golden undertones for yellow nectarine. They will have a sweet aroma as well when ripe.
Nectarines that still have greenish hues on the skin, whether they be white or yellow nectarines, were picked too early.
You can also check ripeness by giving the nectarine a gentle push. The softer it is, the more ripe the nectarine.
What is the difference between yellow and white nectarines?
Nectarines can come in a variety of colours. From red to bright orange skins with white, yellow or red flesh. Most commonly found in Australia are yellow and white ones.
White nectarines have less acidity and are slightly sweeter than yellow nectarines. Some people prefer the honey like sweetness of white nectarines, while I prefer the slightly tangy flavours of yellow nectarines.
When both are in season, salads with nectarines are fantastic. They add sweetness, crunch and colour.
What does halloumi taste like?
Originating from Cyprus, halloumi is a semi-hard cheese that is traditionally made from goat and sheep’s milk but today more commonly from cow’s milk.
Whilst there is no harm in eating raw halloumi, it doesn’t sound all that delicious. However, when cooked, halloumi transforms. Crispy crust, deliciously creamy middle with strong savoury flavours. I find it very hard to resist, hence my love for halloumi cheese recipes of all kinds!
Can I add other ingredients to the salad platter?
Yes, of course can add your own ingredients to the salad platter. Treat it like a vegetarian charcuterie board or antipasto platter.
Feel free to mingle other ingredients such as tomatoes, oranges, figs, maple glazed walnuts, almonds, pepita seeds, roasted chickpeas, fresh herbs like basil or parsley, or olives; the list is endless!
Can you make this salad in advance?
Yes, you can prepare all the ingredients in advance. If you prefer to serve your halloumi warm, just grill them closer to when you are eating. Just assemble when you are ready.