I’ve been focusing on healthier eating lately. When you travel it’s easy to fall into the trap of eating convenience food and treating every day like a holiday — but after more than a year and a half on the road, I wanted to make better choices more often.
Whenever Scott and I stay in one place with a kitchen, we cook as much as we can and aim for simple, clean meals. For us, that often means salads — though I’ll admit I’m not usually a salad fan. I like the toppings, but plain cold lettuce feels dull. I’d often rather eat a plate of warm vegetables.
Still, salads are ideal when you want a light lunch with minimal fuss. That’s why this pan-fried halloumi salad is perfect: just three main ingredients, ready in under ten minutes, and tasty enough to win over even people who usually avoid salads.
The recipe uses halloumi cheese, jarred sundried tomatoes (and a little of their garlicky oil), and mixed salad leaves. That’s it — simple, satisfying, and quick.
I first tried halloumi a few years ago and loved its salty flavour and slightly chewy texture. I didn’t cook with it much after that until we moved through Turkey and I found it everywhere in the supermarkets. I wanted something that felt healthy but still indulgent, and this salad was the result. It’s still cheese, so it isn’t strictly “diet” food, but it’s light and full of flavour — Scott became a fan too.
Pan-Fried Halloumi Salad
Recipe by Julia
Servings
2
servings
Prep time
10
minutes
Ingredients
-
125g halloumi cheese
-
8 sundried tomatoes (from a jar), chopped
-
Pack of mixed salad greens
Directions
- Slice the halloumi into six thin, long slices.
- Arrange the salad leaves on two plates and scatter over the chopped sundried tomatoes. Drizzle with a little of the oil from the jar for extra flavour.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the halloumi slices and cook until golden brown on each side.
- Remove the halloumi from the pan and place the warm slices on top of the salad leaves. Serve immediately.
Notes
- When halloumi begins to cook it releases some liquid. Be patient: wait for the liquid to evaporate or spoon it out before trying to flip the slices. If you flip too early the slices can break. Once the liquid is gone the cheese will brown nicely.