This Halloumi Salad features crispy grilled halloumi cheese atop a bed of fresh greens and veggies and topped with a homemade sumac dressing. A refreshing, delightful salad for any gathering or occasion.Â
Â
Â
What is Halloumi Cheese
Â
Halloumi cheese is a traditional cheese originating from Cyprus, known for its unique texture and high melting point. This salty cheese is made from a mixture of goat’s milk and sheep’s milk and sometimes cow’s milk. It’s a firm cheese with a rubbery texture and develops a crispy crust when grilled or fried.Â
Â
The salty and tangy flavors make a delicious accompaniment to fresh veggies, herbs, and mild salad dressings. Add this to your regular rotation for a delicious appetizer or side salad.Â
Â
What Makes This Halloumi Salad Recipe Great
Â
Halloumi is a delicious, unique, and overlooked cheese. It is terrific in a salad because it doesn’t fall apart when you cook it. It just gets soft with lots of texture from grilling it.Â
Â
Remember what I always say about salads – you don’t need to follow the recipe exactly and you can mix and match ingredients. Feel free to add additional ingredients and proteins as desired. This salad would also be great with pita chips crushed on top.Â
Â
It’s topped with a fresh and zesty sumac dressing that pairs perfectly with the fried halloumi!Â
Â
Ingredient Notes
Â
Â
Sumac Dressing
- fresh lemon juice and zest
- unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- raw honey or pure maple syrup
- ground sumac
Â
Halloumi Salad Ingredients
- romaine lettuce, chopped (or use your favorite greens)
- radishes sliced thinly or julienned
- dill pickles diced or a handful of cornichons chopped
- fresh mint or dill, leaves only, chopped
- container of Halloumi cheese: If you can’t find this cheese in grocery stores, feel free to sub goat cheese or feta or vegan feta (cold, not cooked).
Â
Step-by-Step Instructions
Â
Â
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a screw-top lid and shake until emulsified.
- Arrange the salad greens, radishes, pickles, and herbs in a large bowl or platter.
- Preheat a nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Pat the halloumi dry and slice it into ½-inch thick slices if it is not already sliced. Make sure your grill pan is clean otherwise, the halloumi will stick. Sear the halloumi until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Turn over and sear on the other side.
- Lightly drizzle the dressing atop the salad and toss until just combined. Arrange the warm and crispy halloumi on top and serve immediately.
Â
Â
Expert Tips
Â
- Dairy-free or Vegan: Swap in chickpeas or avocado for the halloumi.Â
- Added Protein: You can add extra proteins like cooked shredded chicken, cubed tofu, cooked legumes, or another protein source if desired.Â
- Additional Ingredients: As always with a salad, add your favorite ingredients. Some options include cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, green onion, baby spinach or spring mix, kalamata olives, fresh herbs, creamy avocado, red peppers, etc.Â
- Cooking Methods: You can grill the halloumi in a skillet over the stovetop, on a grill pan, or even on your outdoor grill.Â
Â
Serving Tips
Â
Serve this salad lightly dressed with the sumac dressing with the grilled halloumi cheese atop the bed of greens and veggies. Drizzle additional dressing as desired. It works as an appetizer, or side dish for a gathering and accompanies any main dish really well.Â
Â
Storage Tips
Â
This halloumi salad is best eaten immediately. If you have leftovers, I recommend storing the cheese separately from the salad in individual airtight containers for up to 48 hours. Store any leftover sumac salad dressing in a mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for up to a week.Â
Â
Â
More Favorite Salads
Wedge Salad with Creamy Dressing
Cauliflower Crunch Salad Recipe
Â
If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a star rating and review! Lastly, subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes and updates.
Â
For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out my monthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love! Join me!
Â
This post may contain affiliate links
Â
Get the Recipe
Â
- Sumac Dressing
- zest of 1 lemon and the juice of ½ a lemon
- ¼ cup unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Drop of raw honey or pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground sumac
- Halloumi Salad
- 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped (or use your favorite greens)
- A few radishes, sliced thinly or julienned
- 2 dill pickles, diced or a handful of cornichons, chopped
- A handful of fresh mint or dill, leaves only, chopped
- 1 8-ounce container Halloumi cheese
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a screw-top lid and shake until emulsified.
- Arrange the salad greens, radishes, pickles, and herbs in a bowl or platter.
- Preheat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Pat the halloumi dry and slice it into ½-inch thick slices if it is not already sliced. Make sure your grill pan is clean otherwise, the halloumi will stick. Sear the halloumi until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Turn over and sear on the other side.
- Lightly dress the salad and toss until just combined. Arrange the warm halloumi on top and serve immediately.
Dairy-free or Vegan: Swap in chickpeas or avocado for the halloumi.
Added Protein: You can add extra proteins like cooked shredded chicken, cubed tofu, or another protein source if desired.
Additional Ingredients: As always with a salad, add your favorite ingredients. Some options include cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, green onion, baby spinach or spring mix, kalamata olives, fresh herbs, creamy avocado, red peppers, etc.
Cooking Methods: You can grill the halloumi in a skillet over the stovetop, on a grill pan, or even on your outdoor grill.
Serving Tips
Serve this salad lightly dressed with the sumac dressing with the grilled halloumi cheese atop the bed of greens and veggies. Drizzle additional dressing as desired. It works as an appetizer, or side dish for a gathering and accompanies any main dish really well.
Storage Tips
This halloumi salad is best eaten immediately. If you have leftovers, I recommend storing the cheese separately from the salad in individual airtight containers for up to 48 hours. Store any leftover sumac salad dressing in a mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for up to a week.
This post may contain affiliate links, thanks for the love!
2 Comments
Picked up some halloumi from TJs today. Thank you!
Excited to try out this recipe.
Apparently, Halloumi is a seasonal item at Trader Joe’s!