Whether grilled or pan-fried, haloumi salad has never been easier. Full of fresh tomato, baby spinach, mint and a quick squeeze of lemon juice, it’s the side dish you’ll want to eat as a main. It’s so light, it goes great with a meat dish like our Cevapi Homemade Sausages.
Why We Love This
Haloumi! Do we need to say more? Okay, seriously though – we love haloumi because of it’s high melting point, you can fry this until it’s nice and crispy on the outside without ending up with a melty mess.
Even though it’s a salad and is quite light, it’s refreshing as a main dish for lunch or dinner, or the perfect side dish for BBQs and parties. Crispy, savoury haloumi complements Mediterranean cuisines, barbecued meat or chicken deliciously.
What is Haloumi Salad?
It’s similar to a Greek salad – but instead of feta, we’re opted for haloumi instead. Haloumi is now found throughout the Mediterranean and the world but is believed to have originated in Cyprus, becoming known as “haloumi” from Modern Greek.
This is a super tasty, super quick, super simple recipe for a salad that you can make easily while sipping a glass of wine and chatting with friends in the kitchen. Once that haloumi is cooked and ready, all you need is a bed of baby spinach and a scattering of cherry tomatoes, then top it all off with a squeeze of lemon and a good drizzling of olive oil. A crack or two of black pepper and this baby is ready to hit the table and your tummy.
What You’ll Need
This basic recipe calls for a handful of ingredients, but if you’re keen to make it your own, keep reading for more great ingredient combos and substitution ideas!
How to Make Haloumi Salad
Heat half the olive oil in a pan over a high heat. Fry the haloumi for a minute or two each side until golden brown.
Place the baby spinach and cherry tomatoes on a serving dish. Top with cooked haloumi, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and season with (optional) black pepper.
Serve immediately.
Wandercook’s Tips
- Serve immediately, for the freshest results.
- For the best flavour, use a high quality extra virgin olive oil. Never use a basic cooking oil or vegetable oil as they will likely spoil the flavour.
- Wanting extra flavour? Drizzle the grilled or fried haloumi with oil, lemon and dried oregano.
- Serve your freshly prepared salad in a tasty Mediterranean wrap for haloumi salad on the go!
FAQs
Haloumi salad can be eaten on its own, or served with a slice of crusty bread. It’s also a perfect side dish to savoury foods such as barbecued meats, fish, and chicken.
Haloumi salad can be eaten on its own, or served with a slice of crusty bread. It’s also a perfect side dish to savoury foods such as barbecued meats, fish, and chicken.
Make haloumi salad just before serving, so it retains the squeaky, chewy texture and the salad leaves stay crispy and fresh.
Variations
- Make this salad with haloumi your way! Try our simple recipe above, or amp it up with your favourite ingredient combos. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Orange & mint
- Pesto & pine nut
- Avocado & lime
- Roast beetroot, pumpkin & lentil
- Mediterranean style – black olives, roasted red or yellow peppers and caper berries
- Fresh pomegranate seeds, or drizzle with pomegranate molasses
More fresh and tasty salad ideas:
- Indonesian Gado Gado with Spicy Peanut Sauce
- Bulgarian Shopska Salad with Tomato, Cucumber & Cheese
- Creamy Japanese Potato Salad
- Japanese Wafu Salad Dressing
★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below!
Ingredients
- 250 g haloumi sliced into 1cm strips
- 50 g baby spinach washed
- ¾ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 handful mint roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus a drizzle over the salad
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat half the olive oil in a pan over a high heat. Fry the haloumi for a minute or two each side until golden brown.2 tbsp olive oil, 250 g haloumi
- Place the baby spinach cherry tomatoes and mint on a serving dish. Top with cooked haloumi, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.50 g baby spinach, ¾ cup cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 pinch Salt and pepper, 1 handful mint
Video
Recipe Notes
- Serve immediately, for the freshest results.
- For the best flavour, use a high quality extra virgin olive oil. Never use a basic cooking oil or vegetable oil as they will likely spoil the flavour.
- Wanting extra flavour? Drizzle the grilled or fried haloumi with oil, lemon and dried oregano.
- Serve your freshly prepared salad in a tasty Mediterranean wrap for haloumi salad on the go!
- What goes with haloumi salad? Haloumi salad can be eaten on its own, or served with a slice of crusty bread. It’s also a perfect side dish to savoury foods such as barbecued meats, fish, and chicken.
- What dressing should you pop on your haloumi salad? The dressing for this easy salad is a simple, flavour-packed blend of olive oil, lemon juice and cracked black pepper. No need to add salt as the haloumi brings plenty of its own.
- Can you make the salad in advance? Make haloumi salad just before serving, so it retains the squeaky, chewy texture and the salad leaves stay crispy and fresh.
- Make this salad with haloumi your way! Try our simple recipe above, or amp it up with your favourite ingredient combos. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Orange & mint
- Pesto & pine nut
- Avocado & lime
- Roast beetroot, pumpkin & lentil
- Mediterranean style – black olives, roasted red or yellow peppers and caper berries
- Fresh pomegranate seeds, or drizzle with pomegranate molasses
Nutrition
24 Comments
Alix - A Hedgehog in the Kitchen
27/05/2020 at 3:28 amThis looks incredible! We’re obsessed with halloumi!
Wandercooks
27/05/2020 at 2:40 pmThanks Alix – agreed. It’s all about the squeakiness haha.
Nart at Cooking with Nart
28/04/2020 at 7:43 pmI love halloumi and I also grow mint, tomatoes and lemons!! This salad looks so great and I’m glad I’ll be able to use my homegrown food in it!
Wandercooks
29/04/2020 at 2:02 pmOh perfect. Love it when you find recipes you can gather in your own yard. Such a good feeling!
Alice | SkinnySpatula
28/04/2020 at 7:06 pmI am a halloumi addict and this looks so good! The combination with fresh baby spinach is so refreshing.
Wandercooks
29/04/2020 at 2:02 pmHaha! Totally get you with haloumi, it’s so addictive!
Jack
28/04/2020 at 6:56 pmThis haloumi salad looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
Wandercooks
29/04/2020 at 2:02 pmThank Jack!
Chris Collins
28/04/2020 at 6:45 pmThis haloumi salad looks divine! I love the idea of adding fresh pomegranate seeds too!
Wandercooks
29/04/2020 at 2:02 pmCheers Chris! Love the idea with the pomegranate – so fresh and zesty!
Dannii
28/04/2020 at 6:06 pmI am a little bit obsessed with halloumi at the moment. It goes so well with mint.
Wandercooks
29/04/2020 at 2:03 pmAgreed! Mint and oregano are my favourite combos to pop on it.
Kathi @ laughingspatula
30/03/2016 at 1:23 pmSo beautiful and fresh looking! Had to google Haloumi. Goat Cheese…heck ya! We love that here in the Pacific Northwest…now I just gotta find me some! 🙂
Wandercooks
30/03/2016 at 3:44 pmOh oh, fingers crossed you can find some near you – haloumi is the BEST! There’s just something about that squeaky texture, one slice is NEVER enough! Haha 🙂
Whitney
30/03/2016 at 10:35 amI love haloumi. I went to a Greek fest last year and got to watch them pan fry it and it was really cool because they set each pan on fire.
Wandercooks
30/03/2016 at 12:06 pmOh yum! Bet that would taste delicious! Well that’s something we should definitely leave to Sarah haha, Flames + Laura is never a good idea 😛
Tracy @ Served from Scratch
30/03/2016 at 10:27 amWhat a delicious summer side!!
Wandercooks
30/03/2016 at 12:03 pmThanks Tracy! 🙂
Mark, Compass & Fork
30/03/2016 at 10:24 amI like your motto at the top of the post! So very Greek and just shouts out the word summer. I do like the contrast with the spinach.
Wandercooks
30/03/2016 at 12:05 pmThanks Mark, we think it’s a good one to live by haha. You’re definitely right, the spinach makes a great contrast to the haloumi both in taste and texture.
Jillian @ Food, Folks and Fun
30/03/2016 at 10:16 amThis Greek summer salad looks so delicious. I bet the mint is cool and refreshing for hot summer days! I can see myself serving this for lunch or diner.
Wandercooks
30/03/2016 at 12:02 pmThe mint is so good, such a refreshing twist that offsets the haloumi perfectly!
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
24/03/2016 at 1:48 pmI love that you used spinach. I never tried haloumi but The whole dish looks delicious!
Wandercooks
25/03/2016 at 9:21 amThanks Ilona! Fresh baby spinach is the best in salads but paired with haloumi? A-mazing 😀