I think we can all agree that having a few summer salad recipes in your back pocket will make your life easier, especially when it comes to putting dinner on the table when it is 90 degrees outside. They are fresh, vibrant, crunchy, and colorful – and usually require only one bowl. While I adore Avocado Kale Salad, Quinoa Avocado Salad, Mango Avocado Salad, and Watermelon Avocado Salad, this is by far my favorite.
Why Should You Try This Recipe?
This peach and avocado salad is the dictionary definition of a simple summer salad. I know you will love it because:
- Packed full of fresh summer produce: Yellow peaches, Persian cucumber, and creamy avocado – does anything get better than that? It’s also gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and nut free!
- Easy, homemade, Mediterranean-inspired dressing: The flavors of cumin and coriander really sparkle in this peach salad recipe and they compliment the sweet fruit so well.
- Super customizable: Stick to the original recipe or amp it up with a few ingredient add-ins.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for this peach avocado salad is nothing more than a mix of pantry and fresh, flavorful produce. Venture out to your favorite farmer’s market for this one.
Gather together pumpkin seeds, ground coriander, ground cumin, extra virgin olive oil, serrano chile, fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, yellow ripe peaches, Persian cucumbers, ripe avocado and sesame seeds.
Ingredient Substitutions and Notes
- Chile: Use a jalapeno or fresno chiles if serranos are hard to find.
- Fresh Herbs: Add an extra sprinkle of chopped fresh mint or basil.
- Acid / Vinegar: Swap out the lemon juice for lime juice or balsamic vinegar (either white or dark) instead. Alternatively, use my lemon balsamic vinaigrette or chili-lime vinaigrette as a spicy kick.
- Fresh Peaches: I love sweet yellow juicy peaches, but you could also try white peaches, donut peaches, or other stone fruit like nectarines.
- Cucumber: English cucumber is the next best thing to Persian cucumbers. It is a personal preference whether or not to peel and remove the seeds.
- Seeds / Nuts: Replace the pumpkin seeds with thinly sliced almonds (or toasted almonds), walnuts, pine nuts, or pistachios instead.
- Spice: A final sprinkle of black pepper would be a great way to amp up the spice, too.
How to Make
The avocado peach salad recipe comes together in a few easy steps. Simply:
- Toast pepitas and sesame seeds: Place pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in a non-stick skillet. Set over medium heat and toast, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes. Do not leave the sight of it as they can burn easily. Pour onto a plate to cool.
- Make the dressing: In a large bowl, add the ground coriander, ground cumin, olive oil, Serrano chile, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, and salt. Gently whisk until combined.
- Coat the fruit and vegetables: To the bowl with the dressing, add the peach slices, cucumbers and avocado. Gently toss to ensure all pieces are coated.
- Sprinkle with seeds and serve: Finish with the toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This avocado and peach salad can be served in a number of different fashions. You could try:
- Appetizer: Serve it as the salad course for dinner. All that juicy produce will certainly wet your appetite.
- Side Dish: Make it a light and bright side dish to main meals like Cornish Hens, Whole Roasted Chicken, Chicken Rice Pilaf or a simple Lemon Herb Quinoa.
- Potluck / Dinner Party: This makes the perfect summer salad and a gorgeous accompaniment to bring to your next potluck or dinner party with friends.
- Picnic / BBQ: Keep it chilled right up until it’s time to eat or serve the bowl on top of a larger bowl of ice at any outdoor engagement like a picnic or BBQ. This summer peach salad would be perfect when served with grilled shrimp skewers, shrimp kabobs shrimp tacos, or guacamole burgers.
Variations
Feel free to get fun and creative with this avocado salad with peaches. Add ½ – 1 cup of any of the following:
- Top it off with cheese: This summer peach salad would be perfect with the addition of crumbled goat cheese, feta cheese cubes, sliced fresh mozzarella, or better yet hand torn burrata. My personal favorite is peach and goat cheese salad as it tastes very similar to my Warm Pear Salad recipe.
- Add in some green leafy vegetables: Turn it into a green salad by adding arugula, baby spinach, butter lettuce, or even grilled lettuce.
- Add some onion: If you can’t imagine a salad without onions, feel free to add some sliced red onion for extra flavor.
- Grilled peaches: If the grill is on and you have the time, why not grill some peaches for the dreamy grill marks and caramelized flavors. Grilled Peach Salad with all the other fresh and crunchy ingredients is an easy way to take it up a notch.
How to Store
- Storage: The fresh peach salad will keep for up to 1 day covered tightly with plastic wrap in the fridge. After that, I find the avocado starts to turn slightly brown and bitter – and you lose too much of the crunch from the cucumbers. Wake up the leftovers with an extra squeeze of lemon.
- Freezing: I would not recommend freezing this salad as it will lose most of its tangy flavors and texture.
Expert Tips
- Toss minimally and gently. If you toss this nectarine avocado salad too much, the avocado will melt into the salad and you will lose some of the texture.
- Serve immediately. This salad is best enjoyed the moment it is made. I like to keep all the produce in the fridge right up until I’m ready to prepare so the ingredients stay crisp and chilled.
- Chill the salad bowl. For even more insurance, chill your serving bowl in the fridge if you have some extra time.
FAQs
Avocado will last in a salad refrigerated for only 1-2 days, after too much time, the avocado breaks down and turns slightly brown and bitter.
Directly cover the dressed salad with a layer of plastic wrap, then wrap it once more with another layer of plastic wrap. This keeps the air from oxidizing the avocado and turning it brown.
Other Summer Salads You’ll Enjoy:
- Pesto Caprese Salad with Pasta
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- White Bean Tomato Salad
- Grilled Shrimp Corn Salad
- Peach Jalapeno Salsa
- Can’t get enough? Check out all our fresh and healthy salad recipes.
If you try this Avocado Peach Salad recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
This recipe has been adapted from Bon Appetit’s Peach and Cucumber Salad Recipe with minor changes.
Avocado Peach Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For The Toasted Seeds:
- 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds, (unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Salad Dressing Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 serrano chile, seeds removed and chopped – or jalapeno
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped – omit it if you are not a fan
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For The Salad:
- 4 medium size yellow peaches, ripened & sliced with the skin on
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced thinly
- 1 ripe avocado, cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Toast the seeds: Place pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds in a non-stick skillet. Toast in medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Do not leave sight of it as it can burn easily. Set aside to cool.
- Make the salad dressing: In a large salad bowl, mix together ground coriander, ground cumin, olive oil, Serrano chile, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, and salt.
- Assemble salad: Add the sliced peaches, cucumbers, and avocado to the same bowl. Gently toss to ensure that peaches, cucumbers and avocados are coated with the dressing and herbs.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin and sesame seeds. Give it a toss.
- Taste and season with more salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Pick ripe fruit: I find that this salad works best with peaches that are ripened. Though you do not want them to be too ripened that it’s mushy.
- Storage: This peach avocado salad will keep for up to 1 day covered tightly with plastic wrap in the fridge. After that, I find the avocado starts to turn slightly brown and bitter – and you lose too much of the crunch from the cucumbers. Wake up the leftovers with an extra squeeze of lemon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
