Who would’ve thought that fresh nectarines were so amazing in salads? Paired with grilled halloumi, greens and some chopped nuts and you’ve got yourself lunch or an amazing side dish for your next BBQ party. This time of the year I’m trying to stay away from the oven as much as possible. So, next to my lemonade there’s always a healthy, nutritious salad. And since it takes little to no time to make, this Grilled Halloumi Salad with Nectarines is the best option for a lazy summer brunch.
Ingredients used in this Grilled Halloumi Salad
The thing I love most about salads is that they are so versatile. You can easily mix and match with what vegetables you have left in the fridge.
- Halloumi: I love adding halloumi to salads – it has a high melting point so it can be easily fried or grilled. This makes it the perfect cheese for salads where you want to substitute meat with something more light and refreshing.
- Nectarines: Adding fruits to my salads is quite an obsession I have. They add such a nice texture. Plus, they’re super juicy.
- Walnuts: They add a crunchy texture. Instead of walnuts you can use almonds, pine nuts or any type of nuts you prefer.
- Mixed greens: I used a combination of baby spinach, arugula and some red leaf lettuce.
If you want to add any other vegetables, be my guest: asparagus, zucchinis and roasted broccoli add a nice crunch and a boost of vitamins to this grilled halloumi salad.
How to make the dressing
The dressing is pretty basic, but it’s all this grilled halloumi salad needs to bring out those fresh summer flavours. In a small bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and mix until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Instead of the classic lemon and olive oil combo, you can add pesto sauce for a special punch. You can find the recipe for my pesto sauce here – Easy Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe.
Grilled Halloumi Salad with Nectarines
Ingredients
- 2 nectarines sliced
- 3 handfuls mixed greens
- 1 block halloumi cheese sliced
- 1 bunch walnuts roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Slice halloumi cheese into thick 1 cm slices, fry it with a little bit of olive oil in a preheated non-stick skillet for 2-3 minutes until it starts to turn golden-brown or grill on the BBQ until grill marks appear. Turn over and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the stone from the nectarines and slice them. Chop walnuts and mix the ingredients for the dressing.
- Split mixed greens, chopped walnuts, nectarine and halloumi slices into 2 bowls and serve with the dressing.
