Summer Nectarine Salad with Basil and Goat Cheese
This Summer Nectarine Salad with Basil and Goat Cheese is fresh, vibrant, and bursting with sweet and savoury flavour. Made with ripe nectarines, creamy goat cheese, fresh basil and a simple homemade vinaigrette, it’s an easy summer salad that’s perfect for barbecues, entertaining, or a light lunch alongside grilled chicken or fish.
Why You’ll Love Summer Nectarine Salad with Basil and Goat Cheese
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh and flavourful: Juicy nectarines, crisp cucumber, creamy goat cheese, fresh basil, and thinly sliced shallots create the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, creamy, and fresh summer flavours.
- Quick and easy: This summer salad takes just 10 minutes to prepare and requires no cooking, making it an easy side dish for busy days.
- Perfect for summer: Ripe nectarines and fresh basil make this a bright and refreshing salad that’s especially delicious when summer produce is at its best.
- Great for entertaining: The colourful combination of fresh fruit, herbs, and creamy chèvre makes this nectarine salad a beautiful addition to BBQs, picnics, potlucks, and summer gatherings.
- Versatile side dish: Serve it alongside grilled chicken, fish, steak or enjoy it on it’s own as a light lunch.
- Simple homemade vinaigrette: A lemon and white balsamic vinaigrette adds bright acidity and a tinge of honey adds just enough sweetness to complement the nectarines without overpowering them.
- Naturally gluten-free and grain-free: Made with simple whole-food ingredients, this salad fits easily into gluten-free and grain-free diets.
- Easy to customize: Peaches, plums, or apricots can be used in place of nectarines and feta can replace the goat cheese if desired.
I can’t get enough of this Summer Nectarine Salad with fresh Basil and Goat Cheese! I’ve been making it on repeat for all our family BBQs this season, and every time, it disappears fast—everyone loves it.
This salad packs so much flavour with just a few simple, nourishing ingredients. The nectarines bring a juicy sweetness, while the shallots add a subtle kick that keeps each bite interesting. The creamy chèvre ties it all together and takes it to the next level. To finish, I scatter fresh basil leaves on top for a burst of brightness and colour. Plus, there’s nothing like the smell and taste of fresh basil in the summertime. I love it.
I love how easy it is to throw together, yet it feels so fresh and elevated. Whether I serve it as a starter or a side dish, it always makes a beautiful and crowd-pleasing addition to the table.
If you’re looking for a vibrant summer salad that’s both satisfying and simple, this one’s a must-try! You might also like my Peach Blueberry and Mozzarella Salad for another sweet take on a summer salad. Or, try my Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad for a more savoury option.
What You’ll Need to make Summer Nectarine Salad
- Nectarines – First of all, make sure your nectarines are firm. This will make slicing easier and then when they are tossed with the salad, they wont be mushy. If you can find organic, thats a bonus!
- Cucumber – Next, you will need long english cucumber for this recipe. This variety is ideal because it has a lower water content than say field cucumbers and no large seeds.
- Goat cheese – Additionally, for this salad you will need fresh, creamy goat cheese; unripened. You can find this in the speciality cheese section at the grocery store.
- Shallots – I love the addition of shallots to this recipe. You can slice them however thin as you like. I like them sliced quite thin so that the flavour and punch is mild.
- Basil – Finally, the fresh basil makes it! Both the flavour and smell just remind me of summer. It’s a key ingredient in this delicious, summery salad.
How to Make Nectarine Salad with Goat Cheese
Step 1: Prepare salad ingredients.
Prepare the salad ingredients if you haven’t done so already. Slice the nectarines, cucumbers and shallots and pick the basil leaves.
Step 2: Make the viniagrette.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper until completely combined.
Step 3: Toss the salad.
Add the cucumbers, nectarines and shallots to a large mixing bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Top the salad with fresh basil leaves, goat cheese and cracked pepper and serve. Or, if serving in individual bowls, transfer the cucumber, nectarine and shallot mix to individual bowls and garnish each one with basil and fresh goat cheese and serve. Enjoy!
FAQ:
Yes — most stone fruits like peaches, plums, or even apricots will also work well. Just make sure they’re firm, ripe fruit so they slice easy and don’t turn to mush.
The soft, unripened goat cheese really makes this salad, but you can also use feta if that’s what you prefer.
Yes, if you want it to be crisp and fresh I would recommend preparing the salad just before serving for the best results.
I don’t recommend using dried basil for this recipe. If you don’t have fresh, just omit the basil. However, you will miss out on really delicious flavour by doing so! Fresh mint could work as well as a substitute.
Yes — substitute honey with maple syrup or agave for the vinaigrette and use a vegan cheese or omit the cheese entirely. It will still be tasty and pretty!
Yes. Simply whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl or shake well in a jar secured with a lid. Store in the fridge until ready to use. NOTE: certain olive oils will harden in the fridge, so remove from the fridge 10 or so minutes before you want to use it.
Summer Nectarine Salad with Basil and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4 cups firm nectarines sliced
- 2 cups cucumbers sliced into half moons
- 1/2 cup fresh goat chèvre crumbled
- 1/4 cup shallots thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
For the lemon vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette by adding all of the ingredients to a small jar, secure the lid and shake to mix well.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the nectarines, cucumbers and shallots and toss with the vinaigrette.
- Garnish with basil leaves and chèvre.
- Serve and enjoy!