Pan-Fried Halloumi Salad with Mint, Avocado, and Honey
Well, once again it’s Labor Day weekend, and it’s almost time to say goodbye to summer. Around this time of year, I always find myself trying to hold onto those fresh, summer recipes, but simultaneously gear up for fall flavors. I honestly think that this Pan-Fried Halloumi Salad with Mint, Avocado, and Honey walks that fine line between summer and fall pretty well. The halloumi cheese is creamy and savory, with just the right amount of richness. Meanwhile, the mint, fresh lettuce, creamy avocado, and grapes put this salad solidly in the fresh category. Oh, and it’s also gluten-free, low carb, and vegetarian and comes together in just 15 minutes! Let’s make it.
What is halloumi cheese?
Halloumi is a cow or sheep’s milk (or both) cheese of Cypriot origin that is sort of miraculous for a variety of reasons. Not only does it have a great, briny flavor, but it also doesn’t melt when you heat it, meaning that you can do all kinds of fun things with it – think grilling or frying.
For this salad, we chose to pan-fry the halloumi. All you need is a super light coating of vegetable oil in your non-stick pan (and we mean light) and some high heat and you’ll end up with the most beautiful, crispy coating on the outside and smooth, tender core on the inside of your halloumi slices.
We should say that overall, halloumi is pretty forgiving during cooking. Our only suggestion is to eat it as soon as you can since it does get nice and tender when heated, but firms up as cools. So, while it’s still tasty no matter what you do to it, the tenderness is ideal.
The theory behind the herbs, veggies, and fruit in this pan-fried halloumi salad
Some people like fruit on a green salad. Some people don’t. If you’re one of those people that doesn’t (and we won’t judge you 😈), you can omit the grapes. We think they do a lot for this salad, though. The nice bursts of juice from the grapes offset the saltiness of the halloumi and add a little bit of brightness to the overall flavor profile.
We also use mint to add some coolness to the salad and avocados for creaminess (because avocados should be used as much as possible, right!?). Mix in some lovely spring mix, baby kale, and pecans for crunch, and you’ve got the hearty, zippy pan-fried halloumi salad of your dreams!
The honey orange dressing
And last (but obviously not least) is the honey, orange, and black pepper dressing! I could honestly put this stuff on anything, salad or otherwise, and be pretty happy.
We start with a juicy, navel orange. Juice it thoroughly, making sure to get some pulp in with your juice. Then zest the outside of the orange and mix the zest into the juice. Next, add some olive oil, black pepper, and a generous dollop of raw honey, and you have dressing perfection. Just make sure to whisk all the dressing ingredients until very well combined, or you won’t get the full, delectable effect. 😋
Why you should make this pan-fried halloumi salad with mint, avocado, and honey.
Salads are one of my absolute favorite things to make for dinner. Instead of having to heat up the kitchen and keep track of all your sides, you have a healthy, one-bowl meal. And believe us when we say that this pan-fried halloumi salad delivers all the flavor and satisfaction you’d want out of any main course. If you try to make this salad, be sure to take pics and tag us @savor_harvest on IG. Nothing makes us happier than seeing the magic you whip up in your kitchen!
If you’re in the mood for more summer recipes so that you can make the most out of the warm weather time we have left (😢), then you might want to try our insanely fresh vegan spring rolls or our tofu stir fry with sesame soy glaze, or even this spicy basil and grilled shrimp salad.
Equipment
- nonstick skillet
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 oz spring mix (equivalent of one small box)
- 8 oz halloumi cheese cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
- 1 cup red seedless grapes halved
- 1 avocado quartered and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh mint minced
- 1/2 cup raw pecans roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp raw hemp seeds for garnish
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
For the dressing
- 1 navel orange fully juiced
- 1 tsp orange zest (use zest from the juiced orange)
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toss the spring mix, grapes, mint, avocado, and pecans together in a large bowl.
- Make the salad dressing by adding the fresh orange juice, honey, water, olive oil, and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk very thoroughly until dressing is well combined.
- Heat nonstick skillet and the 1/2 tsp. olive oil over medium high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add halloumi slices evenly to the skillet. When the halloumi starts to sizzle, use tongs or a spatula to gently lift the slices occassionally to prevent sticking. Cook on one side for 3-5 minutes or until it is golden brown.
- Flip and continue cooking halloumi on the opposite side for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Place the pan fried halloumi slices on top of the salad. Drizzle dressing evenly over entire salad and garnish with the raw hemp seeds. Enjoy!