Ripe tomatoes, sweet peaches, golden croutons and salty halloumi, all tossed together in a sharp red wine vinegar dressing. This Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi has everything you’re looking for in a summer salad.
There’s always a point towards the end of summer when tomatoes and peaches are abundant, full of flavour and a little softer than they were earlier in the season. It’s the moment when slicing one quickly turns into slicing several, and suddenly you’re building meals around them.
That’s how this Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi came about. I’d already paired tomatoes and peaches in my Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze, and the combination works so naturally that it felt worth exploring again in a different way. Panzanella seemed like the obvious direction. The only hesitation for me was the bread. Traditional panzanella relies on stale bread soaking up the tomato juices, but I’ve never been much of a fan of soggy bread. Adding well-toasted croutons instead of stale bread still lets the juices soak in and flavour each bite, but without turning it into a soggy, mushy mess in a bowl.
Adding honey-glazed, pan-fried halloumi brings a salty, chewy contrast to the croutons, and makes the salad feel a little more substantial. The perfect meal to make the most of late-season tomatoes and peaches until next summer.
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Why You’ll Love This Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi
- Sweet and savoury balance. Ripe peaches and juicy tomatoes meet salty halloumi and a sharp vinaigrette. It just works.
- Textural contrast. Crisp-edged croutons, soft fruit, chewy cheese and a fresh crunch from pickled onion.
- Great for entertaining. This panzanella salad looks abundant and colourful on a platter in the middle of a summer spread.
- A proper main or a generous side. The halloumi makes the salad substantial enough to stand alone, or you can serve it alongside your favourite protein.
What Is Panzanella?
Panzanella is a traditional Italian bread salad, originally created as a way to use up stale bread. It’s most closely associated with central Italy, particularly Tuscany, and sits firmly in the cucina povera, or ‘use what you have’, style of cooking.
It’s made by tossing cubes of stale bread into a vinaigrette made from the fresh tomato juices, allowing the bread to absorb the juices, becoming part of the salad rather than just sitting alongside it.
Like many rustic dishes, it has evolved. Some versions lean heavily into softened bread and tomato pulp, others like to use croutons instead, letting them soak up some of the dressing without becoming soggy. Additional ingredients, like cucumber, onion or basil, often appear depending on the region or the season.
This Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi keeps the spirit of the original; bread, tomatoes, vinegar and olive oil, while leaning into late-summer fruit harvest and adding pan-fried halloumi for a modern, more substantial twist.
Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi Recipe Ingredients
A handful of everyday ingredients is all you need here, nothing complicated, just good combinations working together. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
- The croutons. Torn ciabatta tossed in olive oil and baked until golden and crisp. The bread soaks up the dressing without losing all its texture, which is key for a non-soggy panzanella.
- The quick-pickle. Thinly sliced red onion, coconut sugar (or granulated sugar) and red wine vinegar turn into a sharp, lightly sweet pickle that cuts through the richness of the halloumi and balances the fruit.
- The vinaigrette. Built straight into the salad with tomato juices, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar and olive oil. It’s sharp and savoury, tying the tomatoes, peaches and halloumi together.
- The salad. Ripe peaches and juicy tomatoes are the base, bringing sweetness, acidity and plenty of flavour. The tomatoes, especially, do a lot of the work here, releasing their juices to form part of the dressing. Pan-fried halloumi adds saltiness and chew, with a drizzle of honey and lemon juice helping it caramelise in the pan. A pinch of red chilli flakes adds gentle heat, and fresh basil ties everything together with that familiar tomato-and-summer flavour.
How to Make this Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi
It’s mostly toasting, slicing and layering, simple steps that build deep flavour.
- Toast the croutons. Toss torn ciabatta with olive oil and bake until golden and crisp at the edges but still slightly chewy in the centre. (Don’t salt the croutons as the tomatoes and halloumi are plenty salty already!)
- Quick pickle the onion. Toss thinly sliced red onion with coconut sugar and red wine vinegar. Set aside to soften and turn vibrant, mixing every now and then.
- Prepare the tomatoes and peaches. Slice the peaches into wedges and set aside. Halve the tomatoes and lightly salt them, letting them sit in a sieve to release their juices. Don’t forget the bowl underneath to catch said juices!
- Cook the halloumi. Slice and pan-fry in a little olive oil until golden on both sides. Drizzle with honey, lemon juice and a pinch of chilli flakes just before removing from the pan.
- Make the vinaigrette. In the bowl with the tomato juices, whisk in the crushed garlic, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil until balanced and lightly emulsified.
- Assemble. Toss tomatoes, peaches and croutons with the vinaigrette. Gently fold through the halloumi and torn basil.
- Finish. Top with the pickled onion warm and serve while the croutons still have texture.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use ripe but not collapsing fruit. You want ripe, sweet and juicy tomatoes and peaches, not mush.
- Toast the bread properly. If you don’t want soggy bread in your panzanella, toast the croutons well. Partially toasted croutons will soften too quickly once mixed into the dressing.
- Salt the tomatoes first. This draws out their juices and helps create a more flavourful dressing.
- Add the halloumi last. Keep it warm and crisp by placing it on top or gently folding it through the rest of the salad just before serving.
- Taste before serving. Depending on your fruit, you may want a touch more vinegar, mustard, or even a touch of honey.
Serving Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi
Serve this Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi slightly warm or at room temperature. It works beautifully as a centrepiece salad for a summer table, alongside grilled chicken, fish or simple roasted vegetables. It’s also generous enough to be a light meal entirely on its own.
Because panzanella is built around bread absorbing juices, it’s best eaten immediately after assembling. If you’d like to prep ahead, store all the components separately and combine just before serving.
Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi Recipe FAQs
Can I make this panzanella ahead of time?
You can prepare the components ahead, but assemble just before serving to keep the croutons from softening too much.
Do I have to use peaches?
No. You can make this panzanella using only tomatoes. Or you could substitute the peaches for nectarines, or even cucumbers.
What bread is best for panzanella?
A sturdy, open-crumb bread like ciabatta or sourdough works best. Avoid very soft sandwich bread.
Is this a traditional panzanella?
This recipe keeps the core elements of bread, tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar, but adds peaches and halloumi as a seasonal variation.
Love a main meal salad? Try these recipes too:
Or explore all our salad recipes!
Whether you serve it as a side or build a whole table around it, this Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi captures that end-of-summer feeling in one generous bowl: sweet fruit, sharp dressing, golden halloumi and just enough crunch to keep every bite interesting.
🧁 If you make this Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram so I can see what you’re cooking, and if you’d like more recipes like this, the newsletter is where I share them first.
Recipe
Tomato and Peach Panzanella Salad with Halloumi
Ingredients
For the Croutons
- 180 g ciabatta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Pickled Onions
- ½ red onion
- 1 tablespoons coconut sugar, or granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
For the Salad
- 2 peaches
- 500 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon cooking salt
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 25 g basil, or roughly a packed cup full
For the Honey-Glazed Halloumi
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 180 g halloumi
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C. Toss the cubed ciabatta with olive oil and toss well with your hands so all the bread is lightly coated. Spread the pieces out on an unlined baking tray and bake for 12-20 minutes, turning once half way through, until crispy and golden. Set aside to cool. (There’s no need to salt the croutons, both the tomatoes and halloumi are salty enough.)180 g ciabatta, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Make the quick pickled onion by slicing the onion into very thin half-moons with a sharp knife or a mandolin. Place in a small bowl with the sugar and red wine vinegar. Toss to separate the slices and coat well, then set aside at room temperature to pickle while you prepare the rest of the salad, stirring occasionally.½ red onion, 1 tablespoons coconut sugar, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- De-pit and slice the peaches into thin wedges and set aside. Place a sieve over a large serving bowl so any tomato juices collect in the bowl below. Halve the tomatoes and add them to the sieve, sprinkle with the salt and toss gently to coat. Let sit for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the tomatoes release their juices. Lift off the sieve and set the tomatoes aside, leaving the collected tomato juices in the bowl to use for the dressing.2 peaches, 500 g cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon cooking salt
- While the tomatoes are sweating, cook the halloumi. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Slice the halloumi into 1cm-thick pieces and arrange in the pan in a single layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, undisturbed, until golden. If the halloumi releases liquid, let it evaporate before turning. Add the honey, lemon juice and red chilli flakes and cook for another minute, turning to coat. Chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.1 tablespoon olive oil, 180 g halloumi, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
- To the bowl with the tomato juices, add the crushed garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Whisk to combine.1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the tomatoes and peach slices to the bowl with the dressing and toss gently. Fold through the basil and half of the croutons.25 g basil
- Add the tomatoes and peach slices to the bowl with the dressing and toss gently. Let sit for 2–3 minutes so the fruit begins to absorb the dressing. Fold through the basil and half of the croutons.
- Top with the warm halloumi and some of the pickled onions. Serve immediately with the remaining croutons and pickled onions on the side.
