Grilled Halloumi and French Lentil Salad
You'll love this healthy and easy halloumi lentil salad! Grilled halloumi, French lentils, grilled vegetables are tossed in a simple vinaigrette for Mediterranean summer lunch or dinner. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and best served warm.
Servings 4
Calories 400kcal
Ingredients
Halloumi Lentil Salad
- 1 cup French lentils
- 3-4 cups vegetables, cut into bite sized pieces
- 8 oz halloumi cheese, cut into wide slices about 1/2 inch thick
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
Sherry Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated with a microplane
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the grill on high.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lentils and adjust the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are firm but tender.
- Drain the lentils and put them in a bowl.
- Whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a cup. Pour the dressing over the warm lentils and mix.
- Once the grill is hot, begin cooking the vegetables.
- Toss the vegetables with a little olive oil and kosher salt. Add them to the grilling basket and grill until browned and cooked through. The time will depend on the vegetables you choose. Asparagus + bell peppers takes about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the grilled vegetables to the bowl with the lentils.
- Add the olives, cucumber, scallions, and basil to the bowl. Toss together the salad.
- Put the halloumi on the grill. Watch it carefully. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side. You will want good grill marks and for the cheese to look just a little bit softened from the heat.
- Serve the lentil salad with the warm halloumi right from the grill.
Notes
- French lentils: French lentils are a greenish colored lentil which keeps its shape and stays firm when cooking. They are also called green lentils, French green lentils, or Puy lentils (if they are grown in the Puy region of France).
- Halloumi: Make sure you buy halloumi and not generic 'grilling cheese' for the recipe. If you can only find grilling cheese, test a piece of the cheese on grill and see if it holds its shape. If it does not, switch to either a fry pan or grilling pan.
- Vegetables: For the photos I used one bunch of asparagus cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths and one red bell pepper cut into slices. Any 3-4 cups of vegetables which you like on the grill or roasted will also work. Other options include broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, corn, and green beans. I would recommend picking two-three types and mixing up the colors.
- Herbs: While I do recommend using the basil, you can add in more herbs if you wish. Fresh parsley, thyme, mint, marjoram, or oregano would make good additions.
- Grilling Basket: A grilling basket is essential for grilling the chopped vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal