Summer Peach Salad with Quinoa & Arugula

A peach salad perfect for holding onto summer! Add some quinoa, zucchini and blueberries for a refreshing combo. Gluten-free and vegan-friendly. 

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, summertime is my favorite! The blue skies, warmth, road trips, beach and lake days… they are my favorite!

Also a favorite?

Summer produce!

There is so much amazing fresh fruit that comes our way during the summer…

And August means PEACH SEASON!

The Best Summer Salad

I hope you’re not one of those people who dislike adding fruit to their salads. It’s such a nice addition to the leafy greens.

My big thing for people who say they don’t like salads is to really load it up with other things you *do* like. Salads aren’t meant to be boring – don’t be afraid to pile your favorite toppings on – fruit, different veggies, some nuts for crunch, a grain for a nice hearty base.

Salads are a great way to get in a variety of plants and lots of nutrition.

What You Need for a Healthy Peach Salad

Now with pretty much any salad, they’re fairly customizable. If you see anything in here you don’t love, omit or replace it with something you do like.

• peaches
• blueberries
• zucchini
• arugula
• quinoa
• red onion
• halloumi if you’re feeling fancy af (and also not vegan)

Homemade Honey Vinaigrette dressing

Another way to ensure you’ll enjoy your salad is with a good dressing. I went for a simple honey vinaigrette here.

All you need is:

• honey 
• apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil
• onion powder
• salt & pepper

Nothing *too* fancy about this salad unless you feel like making zucchini ribbons to trick your taste buds. I swear pretty food does taste better…

You can prep the quinoa ahead of time (I like the Instant Pot for this) and shake up the dressing in a jar.

SO SIMPLE.

I like to toss together the quinoa and arugula together first in about 2 tablespoons of dressing before adding on the rest of the toppings and drizzling on some more dressing.

OH, and if you’re feeling super cool (and *ahem*, not vegan) try frying up some halloumi for this salad. It’s DELISH.

Not familiar with halloumi? It’s a semi-hard cheese made from a mix of goat and sheep’s milk. It’s kind of like feta, but not as strong. I found mine at Whole Foods. And yes, the price tag may raise the eyebrows a touch. But just trust me – it’s worth the splurge.

Let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a comment and rating below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx, Ashley

Print