Halloumi salad is a great way to make a meal out of a salad. With artichoke hearts, red onion, and delicious homemade dressing, this easy vegetarian salad recipe hits all the marks!
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This halloumi salad recipe can be thrown together in no time at all and without any special equipment. Just a few minutes of pan-frying is all that is needed!
- The combination of the salad ingredients and the homemade dressing makes for such a wonderful medley of flavors and textures.
- This salad is so hearty and filling, it can be served as a main dish.
- Naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
🥬 Ingredients and Substitutes
Halloumi cheese: Halloumi cheese is a cheese made from sheep's milk, goat's milk, and sometimes even cow's milk. It hails from Cyprus and has a high melting point, so it can take a bit of cooking without changing form or sticking to a pan. It has a salty taste, not much unlike feta cheese, a chewy texture, and is a fabulous rennet-free vegetarian cheese.
Salad greens: You can use any salad greens you prefer. Arugula, spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, or baby butter lettuce all make excellent choices.
Red onion: Just a small touch of thinly sliced onion adds a bit of spice and flavor to this salad recipe.
Artichoke hearts: You can use plain water-packed artichoke hearts or marinated artichoke hearts, whichever you prefer. If using marinated, stick with those marinated in Mediterranean flavors for the best results.
Hemp seeds: A sprinkle of hemp seeds add healthy fats, protein, and a bit of crunch and texture. If you do not have hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds also make excellent choices.
Olive oil: A good extra virgin olive oil will work well here for both pan-frying the halloumi cheese and making the delicious salad dressing. My second choice would be avocado oil if that's something you have on hand.
Apple cider vinegar: The tang and natural sweetness of apple cider vinegar works really well in the dressing for this halloumi salad. If you do not have apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar would be a great alternative.
Honey: A touch of honey really shines in the dressing here so I do not recommend replacing it with any other sweetener. Use raw honey for the best results.
Oregano: Dried oregano adds the flavors of the Mediterranean and sets the tone for this delicious dressing. I do not recommend replacing it, but if you have fresh herbs like fresh basil or thyme on hand, it can make a nice addition to this recipe.
Mustard: Brown mustard or Dijon mustard will add a bit of zest to the dressing.
Black pepper: A pinch of black pepper greatly contributes to the flavor of the salad dressing. Use freshly ground for the best results.
Red chili flakes: Red pepper flakes adds the subtlest hint of spice. It isn't overpowering, but if you are sensitive to spice, feel free to omit it!
🥣 How to Make Halloumi Salad
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, pan-fry halloumi slices in oil.
- Meanwhile, combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the homemade salad dressing ingredients. Whisk well.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Top with golden, crispy halloumi cheese before serving.
- Enjoy!
💭 Top Tip
Make this salad your own! You can add additional ingredients like olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber even quinoa to make this halloumi salad even more filling and nutritious.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese usually made from a mix of sheep and goat's milk.
Halloumi salad tastes best made fresh before serving. However, you can pan-fry halloumi cheese ahead of and time keep it stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before serving it on the salad.
🥗 More Delicious Salad Recipes
📖 Recipe
Halloumi Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese sliced
- 1 ½ cups greens or lettuce of choice I like a mix of baby greens
- 6 ounces artichoke hearts halved or quartered
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds or any seeds of choice
Homemade Dressing
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon brown or Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and halloumi cheese slices, in a single layer, working in batches if needed.
- Pan fry for 2-3 minutes each side, or until the cheese forms a golden crust.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the greens, artichoke hearts, red onion and hemp seeds. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, honey, oregano, mustard, pepper and red chili flakes. Whisk until well combined.
- Drizzle the homemade dressing over the salad, toss to coat, then top with pan-fried halloumi cheese slices before serving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Jenn says
I was gifted some halloumi but I'd never had it before. Found your recipe and wow! What a great salad, and this cheese is amazing! I love that this salad is lower in carbs, too!
Rachna says
This worked so well as a lunch for me. I loved adding air fried halloumi. Artichoke hearts are my favorite.I used toasted pumpkin and flax seeds in the recipe. Yum!
Sue says
Wonderful salad! Next time I'm going to try to air fry the halloumi per your recipe. Thanks!
Anne says
This is so good! The combination of artichokes with halloumi is perfect for an easy vegetarian meal.
Glenda says
A delicious and filling lunch! I can't always find halloumi in our area, but when I do I always grab extra. Yum! This salad is light and refreshing, yet filling and satisfying. That dressing with a little spicy kick really makes it. I made the salad for a lunch with a girlfriend and she couldn't stop raving over it. Yes, I shared the recipe and I will definitely be making it again. Thanks!