Arugula & Cantaloupe Salad with Grilled Halloumi
The “meat” of this salad is the grilled halloumi, a salty Cypriot cheese most often made from sheep’s and goat’s milk.
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If you’ve never eaten halloumi, now is the time to start.
Halloumi is a Crypoit (cuisine from Cyrus, an island located south of the Anatolian Peninsula) cheese, traditionally made with sheep’s milk. It has a mellow flavor and texture that, believe it or not, has been described as squeaky. Potentially the best aspect of halloumi is it’s high melting point, which makes it perfect for grilling.
Cooking tip: if you’d rather cook halloumi indoors, use a well-seasoned cast iron pan to get the best sear.
This salad is great for vegetarians, as it substitutes the hearty halloumi where, typically, meat would be used. Cantaloupe and blackberries make the dish especially sweet to combat the savory cheese, whereas a sprig of mint allows for all the flavors to pop.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (TRY: Woodstock Organic Dijon Mustard)
- 1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 10 oz arugula
- 1/2 cantaloupe, cut into wedges or bite-size cubes
- 1 cup blackberries, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, torn into bite-size pieces
- 8 oz halloumi cheese, cut into ¼-inch-thick strips
Preparation
1. Preheat a grill to medium-high and lightly grease grate. (Alternatively, you can use a cast-iron or nonstick skillet; no need to grease the skillet.)
2. Prepare dressing: In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together (or shake vigorously in a Mason jar).
3. In a large bowl or platter toss arugula with a light coating of dressing. Top with cantaloupe, blackberries (if using) and mint.
4. Add halloumi to grill and cook until heated and grill marked on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and grill other side, about 1 minute.
5. Add halloumi to salad and drizzle with remaining dressing.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/6 of salad
- Calories 285
- Carbohydrate Content 9 g
- Cholesterol Content 24 mg
- Fat Content 23 g
- Fiber Content 2 g
- Protein Content 11 g
- Saturated Fat Content 8 g
- Sodium Content 730 mg
- Sugar Content 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 2 g