This pan fried halloumi salad with beets is tender, crisp and nutritious! The light dijon mustard, vinegar, and olive oil dressing adds the perfect cherry on the top and brings all the flavors together perfectly.
Try our favorite beet recipes roasted beets and carrots, roasted beet goat cheese salad or pickled cabbage like next!
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Ingredients For Halloumi Salad
- Savory Halloumi cheese - after frying, this soft cheese provides just enough saltiness (and a little crispiness!) to allow the other flavors to shine. Cheese just makes things so much better. Goat cheese is another popular variation, just slice it and serve as a topping.
- Beets - beetroot is a nutrient powerhouse root vegetable! For this recipe, prepare the beets as you like - boil, steam, or roast the beets in the oven.
- Baby spinach - arugula, romaine, butter lettuce, or other similar vitamin-packed lettuces will be a great choice here. I usually add at least 2 different types of lettuce.
- Dressing - Dijon mustard is the key element in this creamy dressing along with a good quality olive oil that just seals the deal. Regular mustard is not a great idea to use, it is too overpowering.
Step by step photos can be found below the recipe card.
Tips
- Avoid bleeding. Avoid handling beetroot much as it easily stains. Instead, I slice it into thinner half circles or wedges using a mandoline or julienne peeler.
- Customize with: quinoa, edamame beans, chickpeas (preferably roasted), carrots, avocados, and extra lettuce choices.
- If you have time, marinate the red onion in red wine vinegar for 15-30 minutes. If you don't have time, no worries it will still taste good. Red wine vinegar has a strong flavor that can be used instead of apple cider vinegar for the dressing. The flavor is incredible!
- I used pre-packaged boiled beets, but roasted beets are also great as they retain maximum flavor and nutrition.
- I prefer serving fried halloumi warm, cooking it at the last minute to maintain its crispy exterior and soft, slightly squeaky texture inside. Alternatively, you can cook the cheese and keep it in a preheated oven until ready to serve.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store Salad. The salad is meant to be consumed on the same day. The salad leaves mixed in the dressing won't keep fresh for a long time and thus is better to consume right away, as fresh as it comes!
- To Store Fried Cheese. However, this doesn't apply to halloumi cheese! Once you've fried halloumi, it can be refrigerated for 1-2 days. Reheat in the warm oven for a couple of minutes (preferred method), or in the microwave, or air fryer. No freezing!
Before You Head Out
If you gave this recipe a try, I'd be so thankful if you could leave a ★★★★★ rating and review below. It helps other readers, supports my work, and means the world to me. Thank you for being part of The Yummy Bowl family. Happy cooking! ❤️
Recipe Card
4 Ingredient Fried Halloumi Salad With Beetroot and Dressing
Ingredients
Method
- Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or a jar and shake/stir like crazy. Set aside (for best flavor, let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour).3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt to taste, 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, black pepper to taste
- Heat up a little cooking oil in a non stick or similar frying pan over medium heat. Add the halloumi slices (about ¼-½ inch thick) and cook them until golden brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain the excess oil. You can keep the halloumi warm in a preheated oven before ready to serve. If you have a grill, grill the cheese there which will add an appetizing smoky layer to it.1 packet (8 oz) halloumi cheese
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, mix the spinach leaves, half of the dressing, and red onions in a bowl. Gently mix to combine. Arrange others ingredients on a serving platter and add beetroots (I like to add a pinch of salt to the beetroot before serving), halloumi and top with more dressing right before ready to serve. You can add a squeeze of citrus juice or a little lemon zest for a pleasing aroma and delicious flavors4 cups baby spinach, 1 small red onion, 2 medium beetroot
Nutrition
Notes
- To Store Salad. The salad is meant to be consumed on the same day. The salad leaves mixed in the dressing won't keep fresh for a long time and thus is better to consume right away, as fresh as it comes!
- To Store Fried Cheese. However, this doesn't apply to halloumi cheese! Once you've fried halloumi, it can be refrigerated for 1-2 days. Reheat in the warm oven for a couple of minutes (preferred method), or in the microwave, or air fryer. No freezing!
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Step By Step Tutorial
- Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or a jar and shake/stir like crazy. Set aside (for best flavor, let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour).
- Heat a little amount of cooking oil in a nonstick or or grill pan over medium heat. Add the halloumi slices (about ¼-½ inch thick) and cook them until golden brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer cheese to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the excess oil. You can keep the halloumi warm in a preheated oven before being ready to serve. For grill, just brown the cheese to get that appetizing smoky layer.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, mix the spinach leaves, half of the dressing, and red onions in a bowl.
- Gently mix to combine. Arrange other ingredients on a serving platter and add beetroots (I like adding a pinch of salt to the beetroot before serving), halloumi, and top with more dressing right before ready to serve. You can add a squeeze of citrus juice or a little lemon zest for a pleasing aroma and delicious flavors. Enjoy while cheese is warm!
If you use your air fryer often, you can also browse my Amazon storefront with my favorite air fryer tools and kitchen gadgets here, where I've collected many of the accessories I personally use.
FAQ
While it's not a must, plenty of folks swear by this trick to get a softer, tastier, and sweeter halloumi. The easiest way to go about it is to dunk the whole block of cheese in cold water for at least two hours (or overnight if you've got the time).
Preheat your pan well to prevent sticking. Add a little oil or brush halloumi pieces with olive oil, and cook 2-3 minutes on each side depending on thickness of your slices.
Halloumi is tasty raw, but it's even better cooked. Its high melting point makes it perfect for grilling or frying. With its salty, tangy taste and distinct texture, halloumi is a favorite in Mediterranean dishes, salads, and sandwiches.
Nope, halloumi doesn't melt, so it keeps its texture and shape when heated. When cooked, it caramelizes on the outside while staying soft inside. But you can use it instead of mozzarella in wraps, shawarma and salads.
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