Greek Salad with Grilled Halloumi

BY CASSANDRA HAMMERSTONE

June 2024

Halloumi is a semi-soft, somewhat salty, mild sheep’s milk cheese with an extremely high melting point, which gives it the unique ability to be grilled or fried without loosing its shape and texture. Instead, the cheese softens just slightly while the outside of each slice caramelizes and crisps with everything you love about the outside bits of a grilled cheese sandwich and the browned corners of a lasagna.

Grilled halloumi is my first choice to top a Greek salad full of cool cucumbers, briny olives, punchy red onions and oregano vinaigrette. It’s a summer salad you’ll return to time and again.

You’ll typically find halloumi in the specialty cheese section of the grocery store deli, or from online specialty cheese retailers. Murray’s Cheese carries traditional Greek halloumi and Saxelby’s offers a Mediterranean-style grilling cheese crafted by Narragansett Creamery in Rhode Island. Both Murray’s and Saxelby’s are reputable cheesemongers that I order from regularly. (This post is not sponsored and the links are not affiliate.)

Cut the halloumi into half-inch slices and coat the slices lightly with olive oil. Heat a non-stick flat-top grill pan or skillet over high heat and grill (or griddle) the slices for two to three minutes on each side. They’ll begin to caramelize and crisp very quickly.

Make the vinaigrette by blending the garlic, half a large shallot, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, fresh oregano leaves and kosher salt. An immersion blender makes this quick work and the mustard and garlic will emulsify the dressing into a stable vinaigrette. Fresh oregano stands up to the strong flavors of mustard and garlic where more subtle dried oregano gets a little lost.

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, cucumber, olives and shallot slices with a quarter cup of the dressing.

The vinaigrette is also a terrific marinade for chicken, if you find that you have some left over.

Arrange the salad on a large platter and top with the grilled halloumi slices, some additional dressing and fresh oregano leaves.

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Greek salad with grilled halloumi

Season: Spring, Summer

Serves 2-4

ingredients

1 whole garlic clove

1 large shallot

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, loosely packed

¼ tsp kosher salt

8 ounces halloumi

4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 cup pitted kalamata olives

4 cups tender lettuces, like bibb, red leaf or green leaf

PREPARATION

In a blender, combine the garlic, half the shallot, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano leaves and salt. Blend until the ingredients are fully pureed and the dressing is emulsified. Season to taste.

Cut the halloumi into half-inch slices and coat them lightly with olive oil. Heat a non-stick flat-top grill pan or skillet to high heat. Grill the halloumi slices, about two to three minutes each side, or until the brown and caramelized.

Thinly slice the remaining half shallot.

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, cucumber, olives and shallot slices with a quarter cup of the vinaigrette. Arrange the salad on a large platter. Top the salad with the grilled halloumi and drizzle with another tablespoon or two of vinaigrette. Top with fresh oregano leaves, if desired, and serve.

Recipe notes: Unless otherwise indicated, all recipes are developed with Kerrygold salted butter and Diamond Kosher salt. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, adjust the seasoning to your taste. If you use table salt, decrease recommended quantities of salt by around half.