Halloumi Salad Recipe

🥬 Ingredients and Substitutes

• Halloumi cheese: Halloumi cheese is a cheese made from sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, and sometimes even cow’s milk. It hails from Cyprus and has a high melting point, so it can take a bit of cooking without changing form or sticking to a pan. It has a salty taste, not much unlike feta cheese, a chewy texture, and is a fabulous rennet-free vegetarian cheese.
• Salad greens: You can use any salad greens you prefer. Arugula, spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, or baby butter lettuce all make excellent choices.
• Red onion: Just a small touch of thinly sliced onion adds a bit of spice and flavor to this salad recipe.
• Artichoke hearts: You can use plain water-packed artichoke hearts or marinated artichoke hearts, whichever you prefer. If using marinated, stick with those marinated in Mediterranean flavors for the best results.
• Hemp seeds: A sprinkle of hemp seeds add healthy fats, protein, and a bit of crunch and texture. If you do not have hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds also make excellent choices.
• Olive oil: A good extra virgin olive oil will work well here for both pan-frying the halloumi cheese and making the delicious salad dressing. My second choice would be avocado oil if that’s something you have on hand.
• Apple cider vinegar: The tang and natural sweetness of apple cider vinegar works really well in the dressing for this halloumi salad. If you do not have apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar would be a great alternative.
• Honey: A touch of honey really shines in the dressing here so I do not recommend replacing it with any other sweetener. Use raw honey for the best results.
• Oregano: Dried oregano adds the flavors of the Mediterranean and sets the tone for this delicious dressing. I do not recommend replacing it, but if you have fresh herbs like fresh basil or thyme on hand, it can make a nice addition to this recipe.
• Mustard: Brown mustard or Dijon mustard will add a bit of zest to the dressing.
• Black pepper: A pinch of black pepper greatly contributes to the flavor of the salad dressing. Use freshly ground for the best results.
• Red chili flakes: Red pepper flakes adds the subtlest hint of spice. It isn’t overpowering, but if you are sensitive to spice, feel free to omit it!