This halloumi pomegranate salad is golden fried halloumi, crunchy honey walnuts, creamy avocado and juicy pomegranate on a bed of rocket. It's on the table in 20 minutes, and it's just as good next to a Christmas ham as my Prawn Cocktail Salad or my Halloumi Salad with bacon and macadamias.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Halloumi Pomegranate Salad with Honey Walnuts
🕒 Ready In: 20 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🥗 Calories: 532kcal per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: halloumi, walnuts, honey, rocket, avocado, pomegranate
📖 Dietary Info: vegetarian (if you use a vegetarian halloumi)
⭐ Why You'll Love It: salty, sweet, crunchy and creamy all in one easy salad.
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I make this one on repeat all summer. Serve it as a side at a BBQ or on Christmas Day, or have a big bowl on its own for lunch. Like my Cypriot Grain Salad and Roast Pumpkin Salad, it's anything but boring!
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Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: 5 minutes prep and on the table in 20.
- Packed with flavour: salty halloumi, sweet honey walnuts, peppery rocket and little pops of pomegranate.
- Perfect for entertaining: make the walnuts and dressing ahead and it comes together in minutes.
- So easy to change up: swap the nuts, greens or dressing for whatever you've got.
Halloumi Salad Ingredients
You only need a handful of easy to find ingredients for this halloumi salad with pomegranate.
- Halloumi cheese: also spelled haloumi. This salty Cypriot cheese has a high melting point, so it goes golden in the pan instead of melting. For a vegetarian salad, check the label as not all halloumi is vegetarian.
- Walnuts: use raw walnuts, not salted or roasted ones.
- Pomegranate arils (seeds): de-seed a whole pomegranate (see my tips below) or buy a punnet of seeds from the fresh produce section.
- Rocket: also called arugula. Baby spinach works too if you'd like something less peppery.
- Avocado: choose one that's ripe but still firm, so it holds its shape.
- Wholegrain mustard: gives the dressing a lovely tang. Dijon works too.
Variations
- Swap the nuts: pecans or almonds are delicious candied with honey too.
- Pomegranate molasses dressing: add 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses to the dressing for an extra fruity tang.
- Make it a main: toss through cooked quinoa, couscous or a tin of drained chickpeas.
- No pomegranate? Dried cranberries or orange segments are a great swap.
- Add some herbs: a handful of fresh mint or parsley adds lovely freshness.
How To Make Halloumi Pomegranate Salad
It takes just 5 minutes to prep, and the walnuts and halloumi cook at the same time.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredient quantities and full detailed method.
- Step 1: Coat the walnuts. Toss the walnuts in the honey, spread them on a lined tray and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Step 2: Bake the walnuts. Bake at 160°C (fan-forced) for 10 to 15 minutes until golden, stirring every 5 minutes. Let them cool and firm up.
- Step 3: Fry the halloumi. While the walnuts bake, fry the sliced halloumi in a little olive oil over medium heat until golden on all sides.
- Step 4: Start the salad. Place the rocket in a large serving bowl and top with the diced avocado.
- Step 5: Add the toppings. Add the halloumi, then scatter over the honey walnuts and pomegranate seeds.
- Step 6: Dress and serve. Shake the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard in a jar with salt and pepper. Toss a third through the salad and serve the rest on the side.
Recipe Tips
- How to de-seed a pomegranate: cut it in half through the middle. Hold one half cut-side down over a big bowl in the sink, then whack the top HARD with a wooden spoon until all the seeds pop out. Repeat with the other half.
- Stir the walnuts while they bake so they caramelise evenly and don't burn. Honey goes from golden to burnt very fast!
- Don't overcook the halloumi: a minute or two each side is plenty. Cook it too long and it goes rubbery and squeaky.
- Pat the halloumi dry before frying so it goes golden instead of spitting at you.
- Make ahead: the honey walnuts keep in an airtight container for up to a day, and the dressing keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days (bring it back to room temperature before using). You can fry the halloumi a few hours ahead.
- Dress it at the last minute so the rocket doesn't go soggy.
- Storage: it's best eaten on the day it's made. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 1 day. I don't recommend freezing it.
Halloumi Pomegranate Salad FAQs
Yes, you can, but it's very salty. Cooking it gives it a crispy golden outside and mellows out the saltiness, which makes it SO much tastier in a salad.
Halloumi is usually made from goat or sheep milk, or a mix of the two. It's mild, salty and a little tangy, and when it's fried or grilled it's soft and squeaky in the middle with a golden crust.
You can make the honey walnuts up to a day ahead and the dressing up to 4 days ahead. Fry the halloumi a few hours before, then put the salad together and dress it just before serving.
Don't overcook it. Fry it over medium heat for a minute or two on each side until golden, then serve it while it's still warm.
No, I don't recommend freezing this salad. It's best eaten on the day it's made.
More Salad Recipes
For more easy salads that are most definitely not boring, check out these popular recipes:
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Halloumi Pomegranate Salad with Honey Walnuts
Ingredients
For The Salad
- ¾ cup walnuts raw
- 3 tbs honey
- 100 g rocket arugula
- 1 avocado diced
- 180 g halloumi cheese sliced
- ½ cup pomegranate arils seeds, see notes
For The Dressing
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard heaped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line a flat tray with baking paper and set aside.
- Place the walnuts and honey into a bowl and toss until entirely coated. Spread the walnuts onto the baking tray and season with a pinch of salt.
- Bake the walnuts for 10-15 minutes or until golden (but not burnt!). Stir the walnuts every 5 minutes while they're cooking to ensure even caramelisation. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool (and firm up!).
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the sliced halloumi into the frying pan and cook on all sides until lightly golden. Set aside.
- To assemble the salad, place the rocket into a large serving bowl.Top with the diced avocado, the pan-fried halloumi and the candied walnuts. Sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds (arils).
- Place the dressing ingredients into a small jar with a lid. Season with salt and pepper and shake until creamy and combined.
- Pour one-third of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
Notes
- How to de-seed a pomegranate:
- Cut the pomegranate in half horizontally through the middle.
- Place half of the pomegranate, cut-side down into your left hand (if you're right handed) or your right hand (if you're left handed).
- Place a large bowl in to a sink under your hand holding the pomegranate half.
- Using a wooden spoon, start to hit the top of the pomegranate (HARD!!!). The pomegranate seeds will start to pop out. If they're not coming out, you aren't hitting hard enough! Continue until all of the seeds have been released.
- Repeat with the other pomegranate half.
- Stir the walnuts when baking - to ensure that they caramelise evenly.
- Serving - this salad is best served on the day that it is made.
- Make ahead - you can make the candied walnuts up to a day ahead and store in an airtight container, and fry the halloumi cheese a few hours ahead. The dressing can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the fridge, bring it to room temperature before using.
- Storage - store any leftover salad in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- Freezing - I do not recommend freezing this salad.
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