Elevate your next side salad or dinner salad with some crispy golden Halloumi cheese slices! Because nothing is tastier than adding cheese to your veggies.
What is Halloumi Cheese and Where Can You Find It?
Halloumi cheese is a thick cheese, yet it’s not heavy on taste or texture. It’s lighter and doesn’t easily crumble like a feta type cheese would. It also can withstand some heat without melting so it’s a great addition for a spring or summer salad.
You may have some trouble finding this cheese at your local grocery store IF it’s a smaller store. My local Kroger did not have this in stock, but a larger Kroger not too far away carried it. If your local grocery store has a diverse cheese section near the deli, you will be certain to find it.
The Roasted or Air-Fried Chickpeas
I love adding more crunch to my salad, but I’m not the biggest fan of croutons. One of my go-to crunchy salad toppers are air-fried chickpeas. You get the added nutritional value of extra protein without compromising taste.
Have an air fryer? Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, coat in a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings (salt and pepper works perfectly) and air fry for 15 minutes.
No air fryer? No problem! Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, coat in a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Salad Ingredients
- 4 c of mixed greens
- ½ red onion – diced
- 1 english cucumber – peeled and cubed
- ½ c roasted or air fried chickpeas – see above for roasting instructions
- ¼ c parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces of Halloumi cheese
- 1 tbsp butter
Salad Instructions
- Heat a skillet on the stovetop to medium heat and add butter.
- Slice Halloumi cheese into ¼-½ inch thick slices. Add to the heated skillet.
- Flip cheese after 1-2 minutes on each side or until crispy golden brown.
- In a large salad bowl, add mixed greens, red onion, english cucumber, roasted chickpeas, parmesan cheese and grilled Halloumi cheese.
- Best served when cheese is freshly off the skillet.
Oil-Based Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients
- ¼ c olive oil
- Lemon juice from pressing ½ a lemon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Oil-Based Lemon Vinaigrette Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients until well-combined.
- Add to salad right before serving and stir until ingredients are evenly coated with vinaigrette.
