tomato, peach, and cucumber feta salad with honey mustard dressing

Sometimes stupid easy is just stupid logical.

I wrestled with this salad for three trials before I finally got it the way I wanted it. The simplest shit is often the most complicated to deal with, I’ve found. Probably because I overthink everything and mess up before I even give myself a chance to start.

But, I landed on a wonderful finale, and am pretty hyped to share it today. This salad is one I’ve been making in some way-shape-or-form all summer. It’s kind of the down home cousin of my Chopped Peach and Blue Cheese Salad, a simplified riff that’s even more versatile and easy to pair with whatever you have planned for dinner. It’s also beautiful atop your seasonal table.

Peaches are poppin’ right now in the stores, and every single one I’ve cut open lately has been gorgeous. The Peach Invasion of FMG is going strong. I certainly plan to snatch them up whenever I venture out into the big world of grocery shopping.

This salad is comprised of just a few ingredients that, when paired together, throw out a bevy of fresh flavors and rich color. J is pretty hooked on the honey mustard vinaigrette, which I also tossed onto his chicken for a meal prep one day.

I don’t have the brainspace for complicated shit lately, and I’m hoping some of ya’ll benefit from this paring down theme I’ve explored. Our house continually rises to 78-79 by the evening and proper cooking is generally not enjoyable when the oven boosts up the mercury so much in our smallish space. So, cold foods ahoy!

What’s Maters, Eh?

Oh, it’s taters. My bad.

Head to your grocery store and pick up a butt ton of fresh cherry tomatoes, peaches, and cucumbers, as well as a head of butter lettuce. I like the baby Persian cucumbers, but a hot house or English are good too. Grab some basil and oregano, too, if you don’t have a few plants growing already.

If you can’t find butter lettuce, romaine is good too, or arugula if you like a little pepperiness.

All you really need to do is arrange everything nicely in a bowl or platter. I love a long, ovular plate, I think you can style your salad beautifully in this manner as opposed to just chucking it into a bowl and calling it a day.

Start with your butter lettuce. I kept mine in whole leaves for photos, but generally prefer tearing or chopping it up.

Then, peaches. I cut each into about six large wedges and lay them atop the salad. Nestle the slices beneath the butter lettuce leaves a little, too, for some depth.

Next up: tomatoes and cucumbers. Halve the cherry tomatoes and scatter atop the peaches. Stick a few little clusters of cucumber here and there.

Feta, to make shirt betta. Crumble chunks all over the top of the salad. Make some big, make some small, make some just right.

And then…

Mustard, Honey

The dressing is fantastic and suitable for many a salad. I make it pretty frequently since I always have the ingredients around.

I like to use a jar to vigorously shake (the jar and the booty) some extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, and some salt and pepper. You can whisk it in a bowl, too, if you want. Just make sure the ingredients emulsify and turn a nice golden color.

If serving the salad right away, go ahead and dress everything in the vinaigrette. You can give the components a little toss with tongs, too, if you wish, and sometimes I’ll sprinkle on some fresh black pepper for a boost of texture.

I’m not shitting you when I say I serve this with anything and everything. Canned tuna, grilled shrimp, pizza…my peach salad cravings know no bounds. The diversity makes this side quintessential for all of your summer suppers.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Get your (salad) kicks on Route 66:

Guacamole Salad

Greek Macaroni Salad

Greek Chickpea Chopped Salad

Charred Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Blueberry Feta Cobb Salad