I love a good salad especially one with no or minimal salad leaves. This Hot Honey Halloumi Salad Recipe is packed with flavour and textures. The viral hot halloumi compliments the Za’atar and pomegranate molasses dressed salad. This salad has all the Middle Eastern flavours.
What is Hot Honey Halloumi?
Halloumi is a semi hard rubbery cheese that originates from Cyprus. It has a tangy and salty taste. The big selling point is the cheese does not melt. When cooked it holds it shape and caramelises. It is moreish and addictive. It is a great protein to add to many dishes including salads. Halloumi is normally sold in packets with brine.
Hot Honey Halloumi is halloumi cooked with honey and chilli to give it that sweet and spicy taste. It is absolutely delicious and if you have not tried it you need to. Halloumi on its own pan fried is nice but does not have a strong taste. Adding hot honey to it makes it so tasty. The sticky honey sauce is soaked up by the halloumi too making it perfect to us in wraps and salads.
How to make Halloumi Salad
This base of this salad contains charred corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions. Start by charring your sweetcorn. While this is cooking chop the rest of the ingredients and place in a bowl. Once corn is cooked and cool, use a knife to get the kernels out. Add this to the rest of the ingredients.
Drain the brine from the halloumi then slice it. Pat dry the halloumi. Heat a pan on medium heat and add some oil. Start cooking your halloumi. Turn the halloumi once it has cooked for about 2 minutes on one side. Cook on the other side until it is golden.
Reduce the heat on the pan then drizzle honey and chilli oil or chilli flakes onto your halloumi. Coat the halloumi in this, ensure it does not burn. Once coat set aside to cool.
Prepare the salad dressing. I like to dress the base ingredients. The dressing is inspired by middle eastern flavours. The salad dressing is easy to make and has a sweet and sour balance. Za’atar is the key ingredient and it elevates the molasses and vinegar too. Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice mix that has sumac, herbs and sesame seeds.
Mix the EVOO, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Za’atar together then season the dressing. Pour this onto the base ingredients and combine.
To finish off the salad and add more texture and flavour, top with the hot honey halloumi, pomegranate seeds and coriander/cilantro. This salad is just so tasty.
Can I use tinned sweetcorn instead of charred corn?
Yes you can use tinned sweetcorn. Using freshly grilled sweetcorn adds texture and is not that sweet. Also charring it gives it a nice taste. If you are using tinned sweetcorn, I recommend frying it off in a bit of oil to get rid of the excess moisture.
I cooked my corn in the air fryer by lightly drizzling oil on the corn and sprinkling some salt. Then placed it in a preheated Air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for 10-12 minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer you can grill your corn for 10-15 minutes. Make sure you keep turning with both the air fryer and the grill so it evenly cooks.
How long does the salad last?
The hot honey halloumi salad is best enjoyed on the day because of the freshly cooked halloumi. However you can enjoy it the next day too. The halloumi may just be a bit softer however the flavour will still be there.
If you want to prepare the salad beforehand, I would recommend cooking the corn and cutting it, cutting all the vegetables and leaving it all covered in the fridge the night before. You can also make the dressing the night before.
The next day just make the halloumi which takes less than 10 minutes.
I pan fried my halloumi first then drizzled some honey and chilli oil. If you want a good sauce instead try this the WilderBee range.
Some of the ingredients I have used are linked here (affiliate link).
Halloumi Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Za’atar
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 packet 250g halloumi
- 2 tsp honey
- 1-2 tsp chilli oil or chilli flakes
- 2 corn on the cobs sweetcorn
- 1/2 cucumber
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 pomegranate
- Handful of chopped coriander cilantro
Instructions
- Cook your corn so it’s slightly charred. See notes on sweetcorn for method
- Once cool, place the corn on the cob up right and using a knife cut the kernels off.
- Chop your cucumber into cubes, cut your cherry tomatoes into quarters and cut your onion into little cubes.
- Take the kernels out of your pomegranate and chop your coriander.
- Start by cooking your hot honey halloumi. In a pan drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil and heat on medium heat.
- Slice your halloumi then pat dry. Add to the pan. Cook it for about 2 minutes on each side.
- Drizzle the honey and chilli oil (or chilli flakes if you do not have oil) onto the halloumi, reduce the heat slightly and cook for another couple of minutes. If you like your halloumi with a bit of bite leave it on for longer. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. You want the halloumi fully coated in mixture.
- Take off heat and let the halloumi cool down.
- Prepare the dressing by mixing together all the dressing ingredients. A mini whisk combines it well. Set this aside.
- In a bowl add your prepared sweetcorn, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion.
- Pour the dressing over and combine.
- Place the halloumi on top and garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander.
Are you looking for substantial salad recipes like this Hot Honey Halloumi Recipe? Try this Kala Chana Salad.
