Halloumi Salad with roasted butternut squash, spinach and quinoa, a tasty, filling salad. Great for lunch or dinner ready in 30 minutes and packed with flavour.
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This fried halloumi salad comes with lightly spiced, roasted butternut squash, fluffy quinoa, baby spinach and a lemon honey dressing. The halloumi is fried until it's golden and a little crispy. I've also added some walnuts and pumpkin seeds to add some healthy fats and some crunch.
I love different textures in my food and this salad has lots of different textures. The soft butternut squash is perfect with the crisp halloumi, the walnuts and pumpkin seeds add that extra crunch and the mint gives it all a lovely hint of freshness.
How to Make Halloumi Salad:
- Roast the butternut squash, mix the squash with some olive oil, smoked paprika, dried oregano and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the squash is soft and a little charred around the edges.
- Cook the quinoa, add the quinoa to a saucepan, cover it with water and add the stock and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. As soon as it has absorbed all the water turn off the heat then pop a lid on the pot and leave it to steam for 5 minutes or so.
- Make the dressing, this is so easy! Add the extra virgin olive oil to a bowl or jar. Pour in the lemon juice, add the honey, salt and pepper and whisk well. Leave it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Fry the Halloumi, use a good non-stick pan or skillet for this. Brush a little oil over the pan then add the sliced halloumi. Cook both sides for 3 or 4 minutes. The halloumi should be golden brown.
Assemble your Halloumi Salad:
I like to add everything except the dressing to a large serving plate. You can just layer it, start with the spinach then add the onion. Top with the roasted squash and halloumi and finish with a scattering of crumbled walnuts, pumpkin seeds and mint leaves. I sometimes serve the dressing on the side so layering your salad is perfect for this. If you want to toss it with the dressing, do it gently. It's up to you how you want to serve it.
Recipe Notes
- You can serve this warm or cold, I like it both ways.
- You could prepare all of this a day in advance, and bring it to school or work, just keep the dressing separate and add when you're ready to eat.
- If you can get your hands on some traditional halloumi cheese, then all the better, it will have some mint folded into it in the middle and will be made with non-animal rennet.
- I like red onions in my salad but if you find them too strong you could use spring onions instead.
- Baby spinach is best in this, it's milder than fully grown spinach!
How to Cook Perfect Quinoa:
Quinoa can be a little tricky to get right. And soggy quinoa has no place in this salad so to ensure you have perfectly fluffy quinoa here are my tips for making perfect quinoa every time!
- Always rinse the quinoa, place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold running water until the water runs clear. This will get rid of any bitterness.
- Tip the quinoa into a pot and cover it with twice the amount of water, so I cup of quinoa + 2 cups of water. Bring the pan to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
- Do not cover your quinoa, leave it to simmer away uncovered! If you cover it you will end up with soggy quinoa!
- Once it has absorbed all the water, take it off the heat and then cover it and leave it to steam for about 5 minutes.
- Fluff it with a fork. Remove the lid and like you would couscous fluff your quinoa with a fork.
With the salty halloumi, sweet and warmly spiced butternut squash, a little kick from the red onion and some nuttiness from the nuts and seeds, this is a salad of many flavours. Finished off with a sweet citrus dressing and some mint leaves, this salad has a lovely balance between warm and fresh, zesty and smooth.
Similar Recipes You May Enjoy:
- Halloumi Fajitas
- Halloumi Burgers
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
- Moroccan Couscous Salad
- Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Salad
Did you make this Halloumi Salad recipe? Rate it and leave me a comment below to let me know what you think!
Halloumi Salad with Butternut Squash and Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 8.8oz pack halloumi cheese (250g) sliced
- 2 ⅓ cups butternut squash (350g /12.3oz ) peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 tbs olive oil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¾ cup quinoa (100g / 3.55oz) dry weight, I used three colour quinoa mix but regular quinoa is perfect too.
- ½ tsp vegetable bouillon powder or ¼ of a vegetable stock cube
- 3 ½ cups baby spinach leaves (100g)
- 2 level tbsp pumpkin seeds
- ½ a medium red onion (80g) peeled and sliced thinly
- 20 g walnut halves crumbled
- A small handful of mint leaves
For the lemon, honey dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil (75ml)
- The juice of 1 lemon (50ml)
- 1 tsp runny honey
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C / 392 F I use an electric fan assisted oven, please adjust according to your own oven.Place the butternut squash on a baking tray, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, ¼ tsp of smoked paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp of salt and cracked black pepper. Mix well so the squash is covered in everything. Cook until the squash is soft about 20 minutes. Turn the squash halfway through cooking.
- While the squash is roasting cook the quinoa according to the pack instructions.Once cooked leave to cool, then when you are ready to plate up use a fork to fluff up the quinoa.
- Brush a little oil on a skillet or non stick pan. Heat the pan until hot, turn down the heat a little then add the slices of halloumi. Cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes. They should be golden brown.
- To make the dressing add all the ingredients to a small bowl or jug and whisk until combined. Leave in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To serve, add the quinoa to a large serving dish, add the spinach, squash, red onion, nuts and seeds and mix gently. I serve the dressing on the side but you could add the dressing now and mix gently. Top with the halloumi and mint leaves.
Notes
- Nutritional information is calculated by using an online tool. All information is approximate and is based on a serving of 4.
- Baby spinach is best in this, it’s milder than fully grown spinach! You could sub it for massaged kale or lambs lettuce if you wish. Both work very well.
- The Cheese. If you can get your hands on some traditional halloumi cheese, then all the better, it will have some mint folded into it in the middle and will be made with non-animal rennet.
- I like red onions in my salad but if you find them too strong you could use spring onions instead.
- Storing this salad: You can serve this warm or cold, I like it both ways. If you have any leftover you can store it in the fridge for a day or two. Please note that some wilting may occur if you have added the dressing to the salad. The dressing can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week. You could prepare all of this except the halloumi and bring it to school or work, also keep the dressing separate and add when ready to eat.
- I do not recommend freezing this salad.
- Make it vegan, it is possible to make this a vegan salad by switching the halloumi for vegan halloumi-style cheese and by swapping the honey for maple syrup.
- Gluten-Free, to keep this salad gluten-free make sure you use a gluten-free vegetable stock cube or bouillon.
Nutrition
* Updates: I have updated this post to include more nutritional information and have included US measurements for US readers. I have also updated the photos to include process shots and have included a step by step guide. I have also included a small tweak to the recipe.
Oh nice! I love halloumi and actually just did a similar salad to this for a catered dinner!. Client's all loved it, and it was their first time eating halloumi. A great recipe for anyone that wants to try using it at home!
I am loving the flavor combinations going on in this salad! I love butternut squash! And I'm loving that you are using fresh spinach! Can't wait to make this! Perfect for lunch!
Thanks so much Amanda x
I looked at this and actually said "WOW". It looks and sounds that good! I can't wait to make it.
Thank you so much Vanessa x I hope you enjoy it 🙂
YUM! I also love different textures in my salads and this one certainly has it all! I am always trying to discover new salads and now have just hit the jackpot! My husband is going to love this.
Thank you so much Aleta! I hope your husband enjoys it, it's one of my husband's favourite salads 😉
Oh my word! I need this in my life. I have to rethink dinner tonight. lol.
Lol, I hope you enjoyed it 😉
I'm always looking for new recipes to make using quinoa. This one looks fantastic and I can't wait to try it.
Thank you Sharon, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
I have been seeing halloumi cheese more and more often lately! I have been so curious, I have never tried it before! I will try it next time I am in the grocery store 🙂
Oh, I hope you do try it Cathleen, it's one of my favourite cheeses!
Every single ingredient in this salad makes me smile. The perfect recipe for a light lunch! Halloumi is just one of those tempting cheeses that I am always craving! Wonderful recipe.
Thank you so much Paula x
Such a wonderful filling salad to make! It looks like a fabulous option for the lunch out or a quiet dinner at home with a small group of close friends. Thank you!
Thank you! Yes, it's perfect for exactly that 😉
Halloumi and I are BFFs and this just screams "Lori, you need to make this salad!" I'm loving everything in this and cannot wait to make this for my next gathering!
Haha, I hope you enjoy it Lori Xx
Such a lovely delicious and crunchy salad. Best for a party platter too.
Thanks Veena x
This salad looks perfect and delicious! I love the flavors you chose, and with the lemon honey dressing, I'm drooling just thinking about it!
Thanks so much Denise Xx
My husband really loved it! So tasty and so good!
Thanks Toni, I'm so glad he liked it 😉
I am so making this salad part of my weekly meal prep! LOVE! The halloumi looks so nice golden crisp - utterly irresistible. This is the perfect lunch salad!
Thanks so much Marie-Charlotte, I hope you enjoy it x
The best way to serve halloumi!! Definitely takes this salad to another level! (:
Ooh this looks wonderful! I'm such a halloumi fiend. Love this idea. Gorgeous photos too 🙂
Thank you so much Becca, I'm sort of hooked on it too 😉