Halloumi Salad with Griddled Peaches

This elegant halloumi salad, inspired by Cypriot cuisine, layers peppery arugula with sweet griddled peaches, salty halloumi, cooling cucumber, biting red onion, fresh mint, and crunchy pistachios. A citrusy dressing marries the flavors for a colorful summer salad everyone will love!

My love for halloumi began many moons ago when I ate the traditional Cypriot sandwich of halloumi and lountza (smoked pork tenderloin) on repeat while visiting Cyprus on holiday. As soon as I returned home, I scoured the supermarkets trying to find this amazing cheese, with dreams of making my own sandwiches, halloumi salad, and more. Thankfully, thirty years later, you can now find halloumi stocked in most cheese aisles of your local supermarket!

The increase in availability of halloumi outside of the Mediterranean and Middle East has opened the door to so many combinations, from fried halloumi with honey to grilled halloumi with blistered cherry tomatoes, to the griddled version that I make in this peach arugula salad recipe.  

When you cook halloumi, this hard and squeaky cheese transforms into a deliciously chewy texture while holding its shape. This halloumi salad recipe embodies the harmonious marriage of sweet and salty by combining this rich cheese with sweet peaches and a bright orange-honey dressing.

Arugula adds a peppery flavor, and fresh mint brings a freshness. The texture is equally enticing: the chewy halloumi and soft peaches play with the crunch from red onion, cucumber, and crushed pistachios. This filling salad is crave-worthy in all the best ways!

Table of Contents

1. Halloumi Salad Ingredients
2. How to Make Halloumi Salad
3. Ways to Mix it Up
4. What to Serve with Halloumi Salad
5. How to Store Halloumi Salad 
6. You’ll Also Like
7. Halloumi Salad with Peaches and Arugula Recipe
8. Recommended For This Recipe

Halloumi Salad Ingredients

Use fresh high-quality produce to make this salad to ensure maximum flavor and nutrients. 

• Peaches: Use firm but ripe peaches to ensure they are sufficiently sweet but not mushy and hold their shape from the cooking process and in the salad.
• Arugula: if you can’t find arugula, also known as rocket, or are not partial to this peppery leaf, substitute with any baby leaf salad.
• Red onion: Adds a bite without overpowering, but shallots would have a similar effect.
• English cucumber: Adds a crunchy texture to the recipe.
• Halloumi: You can find halloumi in most supermarkets. If you’d like to try an authentic halloumi, make sure it’s from Cyprus and has flecks of dried mint. 
• Pistachios: Add further crunch to the texture of the salad. Other nuts, like walnuts or almonds, would also work.
• Mint: Adds a refreshing quality, but you could substitute parsley.
• Citrus: Orange and lemon juice and zest add zing to the dressing.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Use an EVOO of your choice. I like to use one with a peppery and lightly bitter flavor, like our Greek Private Reserve.
• Honey: Balances the citrus in the dressing and complements the peach and halloumi in the salad. Use a delicate wildflower honey for the best flavor, like our Greek Alfa Honey from Crete.
• Salt and pepper: Enhance the flavor of both the salad and the dressing.

How to Make Halloumi Salad

Charring the halloumi and peaches on a griddle is a quick and easy way to caramelize and intensify their flavor in minutes. And if you’re making this for a BBQ, feel free to use your outdoor grill—you may want to just halve the peaches to make them easier to manage, then slice them after grilling. Here are the steps: 

• Prepare the dressing: Zest 1/2 of an orange and 1/2 of a lemon into a small bowl, then juice in 1 tablespoon orange juice and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons honey, and salt and pepper to taste. 
• Get your ingredients prepped. Slice 3 ripe peaches into 1/2-inch slices. Finely chop 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves. Thinly slice 1 red onion. Slice 1/2 of an English cucumber into half moons. Cut 8 ounces of halloumi into 1/2-inch slices. Coarsely crush or roughly chop 3 tablespoons of roasted pistachios.
• Griddle the peaches: Place a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Brush the peaches with olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the peaches and cook until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Do this in batches if your pan is not big enough. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 
• Griddle the halloumi: Add the halloumi to the same pan over medium-high heat. Griddle until lightly charred on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Cook in batches if your pan is not big enough. Transfer to the plate and turn off the heat.
• Prepare, dress, and serve the salad: In a large serving dish, layer the arugula, halloumi, peaches, red onion, cucumber, and mint. Whisk and pour the dressing over the salad, toss to mix evenly. Sprinkle the crushed pistachios over the top and serve.

Ways to Mix it Up

This halloumi salad recipe can be tweaked and reimagined in endless ways. Here are some ideas:

• Change the fruit: Use apricots or nectarines instead of peaches.
• Swap the pistachios: Replace with a nut of your preference, such as walnuts or pine nuts, or just omit completely.
• Mix up the greens: Use any tender leaf salad mix. Watercress’ mustard-like flavor paired with sweet baby spinach works very well.

What to Serve with Halloumi Salad

Serve this salad as an appetizer with crusty bread or alongside your favorite protein. Greek and Middle Eastern flavors work especially well, like Harissa Honey Chicken or Kofta Kebabs with Greek Potatoes.

How to Store Halloumi Salad 

Once you dress this salad—or most any green salad for that matter—try to eat it straight away. However, you can make this salad ahead by keeping it undressed and in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

Store the peach, halloumi, salad, and dressing separately in airtight containers. You will need to gently reheat the halloumi in a pan on low-medium heat or it will be quite rubbery. Give the dressing a good shake, then toss and dress the salad just before serving.

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