Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Halloumi and Watermelon

By Culiora

A fresh and crisp summer salad where sweet watermelon and juicy tomatoes meet warm, salty, seared halloumi and tangy kalamata olives. Fresh mint and chopped toasted pistachios provide an aromatic herbal touch and a pleasant crunch.

• Servings: 4
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Total time: 25 min

Ingredients

• 400 g halloumi, cut into 1 cm thick slices
• 600 g watermelon (rind removed), cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1 pcs cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced
• 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100 g kalamata olives, pitted
• 50 g shelled pistachios
• 1/2 pot fresh mint, leaves roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for frying halloumi)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp liquid honey
• 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Toast the pistachios in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Let cool on a cutting board, then roughly chop.
2. Whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey, flaky sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
3. Prep the watermelon, cucumber, and tomatoes. Arrange them along with the kalamata olives and half of the chopped mint on a large, shallow serving platter or in a wide bowl.
4. Pat the halloumi slices dry with paper towels to ensure a crisp surface and good browning during frying.
5. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high to high heat. Fry the halloumi for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp on the outside and warm and soft inside.
6. Arrange the warm halloumi over the salad on the platter. Drizzle the dressing evenly over all the ingredients, then finish by scattering the toasted pistachios and remaining fresh mint on top. Serve immediately.