Spinach Salad With Halloumi Cheese

One of our favourite salads that we often serve as a main dish over the summer months, features fresh lemony spinach topped with pan-fried vegetables and the king of all cheese! Yes, you guessed it! It's Halloumi Salad! Ready in 20 minutes, fresh and light, but equally satisfying, our Spicy Asparagus and Spinach Salad With Halloumi Cheese is sure to impress!

Jump to:

• What Is Halloumi?
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• Step-By-Step Method
• Watch How To Make It
• Recipe FAQs
• Reader Review
• Other Vegetarian Salad Recipes
• Spinach Salad With Halloumi Cheese

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!

What Is Halloumi?

Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese with a uniquely firm texture and a satisfyingly salty cheese flavour. Traditionally made from a mix of sheep's milk, goat's milk, and sometimes cow's milk, authentic halloumi originates from the island of Cyprus and has been a staple in Mediterranean cuisine for centuries. Thanks to its high melting point, this cheese holds its shape beautifully when grilled or fried, making it a perfect addition to salads, wraps, and mezze platters. 

The distinctive halloumi cheese taste is a balance of rich, creamy, and savoury notes, with a slightly chewy bite that pairs well with both fresh and roasted ingredients.

Looking for another great way to enjoy salty halloumi cheese? 

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here's everything you'll need to make this halloumi salad recipe:

• asparagus tips: you can use whole asparagus in this recipe, but we'd recommend snapping the woody ends off, and cutting them in half both lengthways and crossways to make sure they soften in the pan. 
• red pepper: or any other colour pepper. Slice the pepper into bits of similar thickness to the asparagus tips, so they cook at a similar rate. 
• halloumi: whilst, it's the key ingredient, if you wish, you can use paneer. It is less salty but has a similar texture. 
• harissa: you may use any other spicy sauce, like sriracha or even tabasco. If you're using paneer, why not try rolling your cheese in your favourite curry paste before frying. 
• pumpkin seeds: toasted walnuts, pecans, pine nuts or sunflower seeds will work great here too. 
• dates: try this recipe with dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots instead. 
• baby spinach: lambs lettuce, watercress, peppery arugula or mixed salad greens will work perfectly in this recipe too.
• you will also need olive oil, lemon juice and honey for the dressing.

EXTRAS & VARIATIONS: This great dish is already packed with flavour and texture, but there's always room to mix things up! Add more fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, red onion, or extra bell peppers for extra crunch. Roasted vegetables, like roast sweet potatoes, bring a delicious sweetness, and make the salad more filling. 

Don't like the sweetness? swap the dates for the briny olives-try Kalamata olives! Want to make it even fresher? Scatter over some fresh herbs like fresh mint or parsley. And for a creamy twist, avocado slices are always a great addition to your leafy greens.

Step-By-Step Method

STEP 1: Toast the Pumpkin Seeds

In a small dry frying pan, toast the pumpkin seeds on medium-high heat until they start to crackle and brown slightly.

STEP 2: Cook The Vegetables

Heat a drop of oil in a frying pan and fry the asparagus and pepper slices for 5 minutes, stirring often until softened but retain a bit of crunch.

STEP 3: Cook Halloumi Cheese

Cut the halloumi into 8 slices. Slather the halloumi slices with harissa. Fry them with a drop of oil in another frying pan for 3 minutes on medium heat on each side, until golden brown. 

STEP 4: Make the Lemon Dressing

In a small bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper to make a salad dressing.

STEP 5: Assemble the Halloumi Salad

In a large bowl, toss the spinach (or other salad greens) with half of the dressing and divide it between two bowls. Top the spinach with asparagus and peppers, then add the grilled halloumi. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and scatter the date halves and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Watch How To Make It

Recipe FAQs

Other Vegetarian Salad Recipes

Asparagus Halloumi Salad is sure one of our favourites! We serve it as a main course for a light meal. If you are a fan of vegetarian salads, have a look at some of our other favourite summer salads below:

• Chinese-Spiced Beetroot & Sweet Potato Salad
• Spiced Paneer Salad With Mango Chutney
• Goats' Cheese & Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberries
• Summary Watercress, Cucumber & Strawberry Salad