Halloumi and Orange Salad Recipe
Love halloumi but never quite sure what to serve it with? Give my halloumi and orange salad recipe a try, for a simple lunch that has lots of texture and delivers a really unique sweet and savory flavor.
Halloumi and Orange Salad Recipe
It’s recipes like this that made me fall in love with cooking in the first place. When you’re feeling creative, try a couple of combinations, and get that balance just right, it’s such a rewarding feeling.
I’ve always liked fried halloumi, but often found myself struggling to think of what to serve it with. To my surprise, I found the sweetness and tartness of orange to be a great pairing for the salty tanginess of fried halloumi.
There’s lots of texture in this salad too, especially from the crunch of almonds and onion, and the squeaky halloumi. Paired with some classic fresh greens, even though this salad has several layers, it’s really simple to put together.
This salad serves two people for a hearty lunch or dinner or up to 4 people for a side salad.
Recipe Ingredients
To make my halloumi and orange salad recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Halloumi – 8 oz (225g)
- Oranges – 2 oranges
- Red Onion – 1/2 small red onion
- Arugula – 1.5 oz (40g) arugula/rocket
- Lettuce – 1.5 oz (40g) butterhead lettuce
- Fresh Mint – 4 tbsp finely chopped mint
- Flaked Almonds – 1/3 cup flaked almonds
- Olive Oil – 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for the salad dressing) + 1 tbsp for grilling the halloumi
- Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Honey – 1 tbsp honey
- Mustard – 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt – 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Make the salad dressing by combing the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper with a whisk. Mix everything until well-combined and set aside for now.
Step 2 – Toast the flaked almonds in a non-stick pan over medium heat for a couple minutes. Stir them regularly and watch them carefully so you don’t burn them (they can quickly go from nicely toasted to burned). Once toasted, transfer them to a cool plate so they don’t keep toasting and burning in the hot pan.
Step 3 – Peel the oranges and then, using a pairing knife, cut the orange slices/segments (leaving the white membrane out).
Step 4 – Combine the (washed and dried) arugula and butterhead lettuce in a large serving bowl or platter.
Step 5 – Thinly slice the red onion and add the onion and orange segments/slices to the top of the arugula-butterhead lettuce mix.
Step 6 – Chop the mint finely and sprinkle over the salad.
Step 7 – Give the salad dressing we made in ‘step 1’ a quick stir/whisk, and drizzle it over the salad.
Step 8 – Slice the halloumi into 8 slices.
Step 9 – To a hot pan (preferably a grill pan if you have one but any pan will work) over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and, once the oil is hot in a few seconds, the halloumi slices. Fry or grill the halloumi on each side for a couple minutes until you get a golden crust.
Step 10 – Top the salad with the halloumi slices and toasted flaked almonds.
Serving Suggestions
Give it a good drizzle of a lemon-based or citrus dressing, to really bring out those zesty flavors.
Some fresh pita or grilled bread is a great side for this salad. It can be used as a base for the greens, and also to mop up those citrussy juices.
A side of couscous or quinoa can be used to bulk out the salad a little more.
If it’s a hot day and you’ve got the grill on, consider some grilled chicken skewers. Fried halloumi and orange are great flavor pairings for chicken.
You could also serve this salad as part of a larger spread or meze, with sides such as pitted olives and cured meats.
I really hope you fall in love with this salad like I did. It’s a really out there combination, but those fresh, juicy orange slices just work so well with the deep, tangy halloumi.
Halloumi and Orange Salad Recipe Card
Halloumi and Orange Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 oranges
- 1/2 small red onion
- 1.5 oz (40g) arugula/rocket
- 1.5 oz (40g) butterhead lettuce
- 4 tbsp finely chopped mint
- 1/3 cup flaked almonds
For the Grilled Halloumi
- 8 oz (225g) halloumi
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Salad Dressing
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the salad dressing by combing the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper with a whisk. Mix everything until well-combined and set aside for now.
- Toast the flaked almonds in a non-stick pan over medium heat for a couple minutes. Stir them regularly and watch them carefully so you don’t burn them (they can quickly go from nicely toasted to burned). Once toasted, transfer them to a cool plate so they don’t keep toasting and burning in the hot pan.
- Peel the oranges and then, using a pairing knife, cut the orange slices/segments (leaving the white membrane out).
- Combine the (washed and dried) arugula and butterhead lettuce in a large serving bowl or platter.
- Thinly slice the red onion and add the onion and orange segments/slices to the top of the arugula-butterhead lettuce mix.
- Chop the mint finely and sprinkle over the salad.
- Give the salad dressing we made in ‘step 1’ a quick stir/whisk, and drizzle it over the salad.
- Slice the halloumi into 8 slices.
- To a hot pan (preferably a grill pan if you have one but any pan will work) over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and, once the oil is hot in a few seconds, the halloumi slices. Fry or grill the halloumi on each side for a couple minutes until you get a golden crust.
- Top the salad with the halloumi slices and toasted flaked almonds.
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Save and Pin for Later
Looking for a light lunch during the summer that still has a little heat and can fill you up? Keep this recipe for safekeeping pinned to one of your Pinterest boards.
