This Halloumi quinoa salad with pan fried sesame and chilli crusted halloumi, crunchy fresh fennel, peppery rocket and radishes, dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, is a filling salad full of flavours and textures that is ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes.
This halloumi salad is my favourite lunch at the moment! Filling but light, the salty halloumi cheese adds extra protein and texture; the sweet, fresh fennel and cucumber add crunch, and the quinoa makes this salad into a meal rather than a side.
Jump to:
Ingredients Notes and substitutions
- Halloumi cheese – this Cypriot cheese remains firm when heated. If you don’t have it you can crumble in some feta, but it won’t be quite the same!
- Quinoa – use tri colour quinoa (as in the images) or white quinoa. Cook extra and make into this quinoa tabbouleh for lunch the following day!
- Rocket (arugula) – or substitute with baby spinach or cos lettuce.
- Fresh fennel – this crunchy vegetable with a mild aniseed flavour adds freshness and texture to the salad. Substitute with finely chopped celery.
- Walnuts – substitute pecans or hazelnuts, or use pepitas/pumpkin seeds to make the salad nut free.
FAQ
Can you eat halloumi raw?
Yes you can eat halloumi raw, although it is far nicer when grilled or fried!
How do I stop halloumi going rubbery?
Don’t overcook it, although it does tend to go rubbery once cool so is best eaten as soon as you have cooked it.
Is halloumi suitable for vegetarians?
Most halloumi is suitable for vegetarians, but just check the label as some halloumi is made with rennet.
Can I make this salad in advance?
You can cook the quinoa ahead of time, and make the dressing; however I recommend cooking the halloumi and assembling the salad just before serving.
Tips for Cooking Quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa before cooking. Quinoa has a coating called saponin which can taste bitter or soapy.
- For fluffy quinoa: leave the lid on the saucepan for 10 minutes at end of cooking, once the heat is turned off, results in fluffy quinoa.
Serving Ideas
- While this quinoa salad makes a delicious meal on its own, my family can never resist a slice of this super soft Japanese bread or garlic bread (or air fryer garlic bread) on the side. They love their bread!
- If you are a spice fan, sprinkle the salad with extra chilli flakes or top with a few quick pickled chillies.
More easy and delicious salad recipes
These healthy salad recipes all make great main meals as well as being delicious side salads.
Halloumi Quinoa Salad
Author: Robyn
This easy vegetarian grilled halloumi salad with quinoa and crunchy vegetables is a delicious main dish and side salad.
Equipment
- 1 non stick frying pan for frying the halloumi
- 1 medium saucepan for cooking the quinoa
Ingredients
- 40g ¼ c quinoa cooked according to packet
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1½ tablespoons sesame seeds
- 150g (5 oz) halloumi
- ⅓ small bulb fennel finely sliced with knife or vegetable peeler
- large handful rocket (arugula)
- 10cm (4 inches) cucumber sliced in half moons
- 3 radishes sliced
- 20g (2 tablespoons) walnuts toasted and roughly chopped
- A little extra olive oil for frying the halloumi
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and leave to cool. (Or see the instructions in the notes section below.)
Make the dressing
- Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil with the lemon juice and season with black pepper (no need for salt as the halloumi is salty), then place to one side.
Assemble the salad
- Place the cooked quinoa into a mixing bowl of serving bowl along with the fennel, rocket (arugula), cucumber, radishes and chopped walnuts. Pour over the dressing and gently mix. Tip onto a serving dish or divide onto 2 plates.
Fry the halloumi
- Mix the chilli flakes and sesame seeds together on a small plate. Slice the halloumi into 1 cm (⅓ inch) thick slices, then press them into the seed mixture, coating both sides.
- Heat a non stick pan on medium heat and put a drizzle of oil in it (about ½ tsp) then fry the halloumi for a couple of minutes each side until golden. You may need to fry it in two batches.
- Carefully place the halloumi slices onto the quinoa salad.
- Best served serve straight away.
Notes
HOW TO COOK QUINOA:
Place the quinoa with ½ c / 120ml water in a small pan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Take off the heat, cover with a lid and let it rest for 5 minutes.
MAKE AHEAD / MEAL PREP
You can make components of the salad ahead of time, but I would recommend cooking the halloumi cheese just before eating.
-
- Quinoa: You can cook the quinoa and keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3-4 days.
-
- Dressing: You can also make the dressing up to 2 days ahead and store in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before using.
Nutrition
Calories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 18gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 932mgPotassium: 225mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 832mgIron: 1mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Viv says
Really delicious
Robyn says
Glad you enjoyed it Viv! 🙂 Robyn
Andrea says
What a beautiful flavour combination! Haloumi is my favourite cheese- and it goes perfectly with these ingredients.
Sylvie says
These are literally some of my favourite ingredients thrown together into a delicious salad bowl – LOVE IT!!
Robyn says
Thank you Sylvie!