Loaded Greek Salad With Fried Halloumi
This salad is the Thanos of all Greek salads, it has it all.
I know what your thinking, salads can be a bore. But not if you don’t want them to be! Adding elements of crunch, tangy & savory are key to elevating any bowl of greens. I love Greek salads because of all of the different components. Traditionally, you would only have tomatoes, cucumber, feta, bell pepper, red onion, kalamata olives & a simple vinaigrette. As you can see, I did my own thing. Lettuce isn’t normally used but I’m a sucker for arugula & I had some on hand so why not. I was also craving fried halloumi & it’s Greek so it made perfect sense.
For this dish I used the all the traditional ingredients (minus the red onion & bell peppers) plus marinated artichoke hearts, fried halloumi, radishes, quinoa, avocado & hummus. I didn’t have pita bread but some toasted on the side would’ve been a great addition! First you want to start with the base, mines was quinoa & arugula. I love quinoa because it’s a good carb in my book. Much lighter than rice while being high in fiber, minerals & antioxidants. Not to mention extremely versatile. Next, add your vegetables & mix. If you have other things in the fridge that need to be used/you think will work I highly suggest making it your own! I added a few big scoops of hummus to the bottom of the bowl so it would mix in with every bit. Lastly, I topped it with a simple vinaigrette. Toss together a little olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, oregano & BAM you’re in action.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1 1/2 cups arugula
1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 Persian cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts
2 radishes, sliced
1/4 cup hummus
1/2 block of halloumi, fried
1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine (or balsamic) vinegar
juice from half a lemon
a dash of pepper & oregano
Process:
Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
Slice halloumi & brown on each side in a pan using a little oil to insure they don't stick. About 2-3 minutes each side.
Put the cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add arugula, cucumbers, olives, cherry tomatoes, artichokes & radishes. Gently toss to combine. Add a little of the dressing & toss once more.
Spread the hummus in the bottom of the serving bowl. Top with the quinoa salad & sliced avocado. Sprinkle a little salt & pepper on top.
Enjoy!
