This simple pan-fried halloumi salad recipe is the perfect way to get a healthy bowl of veggies and protein in the middle of winter. A light olive oil vinaigrette and some cracked black pepper pull everything together. And the addition of couscous makes it substantial enough for dinner.
Let's be honest. I'm not known for my salad skills. Brownies, yes. Cookies, also yes. But salads and I have a complex relationship. I like hearty food and often find the leafy goodness of salads lacking in... everything. So, true to form, I've added some grains to our bowl of leafy goodness. As well as levelling up substantially on the veggies. Really, the leaves are the smallest part of this salad, but we're calling it a salad anyway!
Halloumi Salad
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Ingredients needed
- halloumi
- couscous- white or whole wheat is fine
- 1 stock cube- vegetable
- orange
- avocado
- cucumber
- mixed salad leaves
- olive oil
- honey
- cider or white wine vinegar
- salt & pepper
Step by step directions
Pan-frying halloumi
- Start by slicing the halloumi into slices about 1 cm thick. This should give you 9-10 slices. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a non-stick frying pan and cook the halloumi on both sides until golden.
- Halloumi doesn't melt when heated so it gets a perfectly golden crisp exterior and a soft interior.
- There's also absolutely no need to season the halloumi because it's salty on its own. It has quite a bit of moisture too, so you don't need to add extra oil to the pan.
- To make the dressing simply place all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk, or put all the ingredients into a clean jam jar with a tight lid and shake vigorously.
- For the couscous, simply add 100g of dry couscous to a medium bowl and pour over 115ml of boiling vegetable stock. To make the stock, pour 115ml of boiling water over a vegetable stock cube and stir quickly to dissolve.
- Pour the stock over the couscous and cover tightly with cling film for about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Building halloumi salad
- Start with placing the couscous in a salad bowl.
- Layer on top with the salad leaves.
- Top with the sliced cucumbers, oranges, sliced avocado and pan-fried halloumi.
- Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
Variations
To switch up this salad you can add in a mix of nuts and seeds or add in some blueberries and raspberries. You can also use quinoa instead of couscous if you prefer.
what is halloumi?
If you know you need more salad in your life, but you're not sure what halloumi is, let me shed some light. It's kind of a cross between tofu (texture) and feta (saltiness) and made from pasteurized cow's milk. It has a firm texture and a salty taste. Also, it does tend to be a little squeaky, but that is just a characteristic of the cheese. It doesn't melt when heated and it's very healthy.
A great source of protein it packs 19g of protein per serving and 70% of your recommended calcium intake.
Storage
Let's be honest, salads aren't known for they're staying power. But here's what you can do to make this salad a little more fridge friendly.
- Make the couscous and store it in a container.
- Pour all the dressing ingredients into a jam jar and set aside.
- Slice the vegetables and keep the fried halloumi in the separate containers.
- When you're ready just assemble everything and drizzle with the dressing.
More salad recipes
Tools used
The Simplest Halloumi Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cups) couscous, white or whole wheat
- 225 ml (7 ⅗ floz) vegetable stock made with a stock cube
- 1 (1) block halloumi, sliced
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) olive oil
- 1 (1) orange, peel removed and sliced
- ½ (½) cucumber, sliced
- avocado, chopped
- Dressing
- 75 ml (2 ½ floz) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) white wine or cider vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons (1 tablespoons) honey
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- To make the couscous dissolve the vegetable stock cube in 225ml boiling water. Pour it over the couscous and cover tightly with cling film for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat and slice the halloumi. Pour the tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet and gently fry the halloumi until it’s golden, turn it and fry on the other side for another 3 minutes until both sides are golden. Remove to a plate while you build the salad.
- Mix the dressing. Place everything in a bowl and whisk.
- Place the couscous in the bottom of a salad bowl and top with the salad leaves. Layer the leaves with the cucumber, avocado, oranges and halloumi. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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