A fresh, light and healthy lentil halloumi salad that is fantastic for a crowd, to serve for a family or to enjoy as a weeknight side dish. This is a protein rich, jam packed salad that will leave you feeling fuller for longer.
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Why This Salad Rocks!
If you're looking for a hearty, healthy, and utterly satisfying salad, this Lentil and Halloumi Salad has you covered!
Packed with protein from tender lentils and golden, crispy halloumi cheese, this easy salad is perfect for a quick lunch, a light dinner, or even as a crowd-pleasing side for entertaining.
You've got fresh orange, vibrant greens, and a zesty, nutty tahini dressing that ties everything together for a dish that's both nourishing and full of flavour.
This recipe is fast and fresh, on the table in under 20 minutes and uses simple pantry and fridge staples.
Whether you're a salad lover or just searching for new vegetarian meal ideas, this simple lentil and halloumi salad will become a new favourite!
Recipe Ingredients
To make this salad, you'll need the following ingredients.
Mix Lettuce - I prefer to use a mix of spinach and rocket/arugula. But you can use any green leafy salad mix. I would avoid using lettuce like cos lettuce or ice berg.
Orange - oranges bring a beautiful sweetness to this recipe. You'll need one naval orange. To prepare your orange, cut away the peel, then segment the orange into pieces.
Halloumi - hands down one of my favourite cheeses to cook with. Halloumi is really durable and hardy when it comes to cooking and holds it shape really well.
Carrot, onion and cucumber - you'll need a small carrot, half a red onion and a Lebanese cucumber. Dice the cucumber, slice the onion into very thin strips and use a veggie peeler to grate the carrot into thin ribbons.
Tin Lentils - I take a shortcut and use tin lentils for this recipe. You'll need one can of brown lentils. Strain and rinse your lentil s before serving. I use lentils a lot in my recipe (hello lentil dal!). They make a great addition to any dish!
Step by Step Instructions
How Do I Make Tahini Dressing?
This is BY FAR one of the best salad dressing recipes I have. This tahini yogurt dressing brings a gorgeous, nutty and creamy flavour to the salad.
You'll need;
- tahini - any is fine, I use unhulled tahini
- greek yogurt - aka plain, unflavoured yogurt
- lemon - a good squeeze of lemon
- water - this helps to thin out the dressing
- salt and pepper to taste
To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until it's smooth and slightly runny.
How Do You Cook Halloumi?
Halloumi takes no time to cook at all which is another reason I love it! Start by slicing your halloumi into thin strips (about 1cm thick), then heat a small pan over medium heat.
Place your sliced halloumi on the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes each side until it's lovely and brown.
How to Assemble the Salad
To assemble, place your ingredients onto a large serving platter. To make this look pretty I like to add the ingredients in layers. Using a serving platter highlights all the ingredients.
It looks absolutely gorgeous when you can see all the layering of ingredients.
To layer your salad;
- Add the greens to the bottom of your platter.
- Then sprinkle over the tin lentils.
- Add in the carrot, onion and cucumber, evenly spreading the ingredients over the lentils. I like to 'nestle' my ingredients into the salad greens.
- Add in the wedges of orange, then top with the halloumi.
- Finally drizzle over the tahini yogurt dressing.
FAQ and Tips For Success
Does this salad keep?
This salad is best eaten the day of, or the next day at the latest if you're having leftovers. The orange and the dressing can make the salad quite wet, so I would definitely assemble this last minute if you're making it for an occasion.
What can you serve this salad with?
I actually love serving this salad with a vegetarian felafel. The falafel goes so well with the tahini dressing and adds another element of nuttiness to the salad. Store bought or homemade is totally fine!
Can I make any substitutes?
Honestly, the combination of this salad is perfect, and I wouldn't substitute anything out. The flavours are so balanced with the sweetness of the orange, saltiness of the halloumi and earthiness of the lentils that I probably wouldn't change a thing.
This salad is light, fresh and healthy. A beautifully balanced salad that makes a perfect addition to any main meal. Great for a weeknight meal, or special occasion and all made with simple pantry and fridge ingredients!
Happy salad making lovelies x
Want More Recipes with Halloumi? Try these!
- Creamy Pasta with Sweet Potato and Halloumi via The Cooking Collective
- Halloumi Fries via Cook It Read Good
- Zucchini and Halloumi Fritters via Cook It Real Good
- Quinoa and Halloumi Salad via Mrs Jones Kitchen
Lentil and Halloumi Salad
Equipment
- Small Fry Pan
- Large chopping board
- Salad Bowl
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
- 100 g spinach or combination greens mix
- 1 large orange peeled and segmented
- 1 lebanese cucumber diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled into ribbons
- 400 g can of lentils one can
- ½ red onion finely sliced
- 180 g halloumi one packet
Tahini Yogurt Dressing
- ¼ cup greek style yogurt
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice about half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook the halloumi - heat a small fry pan over medium heat and add the slices of halloumi. Cook 1-2 minutes until golden brown, then flip and repeat on the other side.
- Make the tahini yogurt dressing - place the ingredients in a small jug and whisk to combine. If the dressing is too thick add a little more water. Adjust lemon, salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble salad - layer the salad ingredients onto a serving plate or shallow bowl. Add the greens first, then sprinkle over the lentils. Arrange the carrot ribbons, onions and cucumber evenly spreading them over the lentils. Nestle in the orange slices. Top with the cooked halloumi.
- Pour over dressing - add the dressing, then toss to combine. Alternatively wait until you are ready to serve so that it looks pretty!
Claudia Lamascolo says
What a pretty salad and healthy as a bonus such a lovely recipe!