Grilled Peach Corn Salad (Printable)

Charred peaches and corn with cherry tomatoes, basil and torn creamy cheese, tossed in a balsamic-honey vinaigrette.

# What You Need:

→ Produce

01 - 3 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
02 - 2 ears fresh corn, husked
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Dairy

06 - 3.5 oz creamy cheese (burrata, fresh mozzarella, or goat cheese)

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 tsp honey
10 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To:

01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until hot.
02 - Lightly brush the peach halves and corn ears with olive oil to prevent sticking.
03 - Place peaches cut side down on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until charred and caramelized. Grill the corn, turning occasionally with tongs, for about 10 minutes until lightly charred on all sides. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly.
04 - Slice the grilled peach halves into wedges. Stand each corn cob upright and carefully slice the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine the grilled peach wedges, corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, and torn basil leaves.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
07 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
08 - Tear the creamy cheese into pieces and arrange over the top of the salad. Serve immediately while the peaches and corn are still slightly warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The char on the peaches turns their sweetness into something almost smoky and deeply addictive, and the creamy cheese melts just slightly into the warm fruit.
  • It looks like it took far more effort than it actually does, which makes it the ultimate show off salad for summer gatherings.
02 -
  • Do not move the peaches around once you set them on the grill, because patience is what creates those dark caramelized marks that make this salad look professional.
  • Letting the grilled corn cool just enough to handle before cutting makes the kernels release cleanly instead of flying everywhere.
03 -
  • If your peaches are slightly underripe, grilling them actually improves their flavor by concentrating their natural sugars.
  • Use the back of your knife to scrape the cobs after cutting the kernels off, because the starchy milk that comes out adds body to the salad.

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