Warm Farro Salad with Crispy Harissa Halloumi
This Mediterranean-inspired warm farro salad is bursting with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, fresh herbs, and chickpeas, then topped with crispy pan-fried halloumi coated in a sweet-and-spicy harissa-honey glaze.
Equipment
- 1 non- stick skillet or grill
Ingredients
For the Grain Salad
- 1 cup cooked farro (or other grain such as pearl couscous or quinoa)
- 8 oz halloumi cheese, sliced into ½-inch planks patted dry with a paper towel
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small cucumber (peeled, seeded, and diced)
- ½ cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup unsalted shelled pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
For the Harissa Halloumi
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon Cumin Dressing
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the farro: Cook the farro according to package directions. Drain and cool until just warm.1 cup cooked farro
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon, Dijon, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper until fully combined.3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, ¼ tsp ground cumin, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Make the salad base: Toss the dressing with the cooked farro, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, and mint. Set aside while you make the halloumi.1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved, 1 small cucumber (peeled, seeded, and diced), ½ cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- Make the harissa glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the honey, harissa, lemon juice, and olive oil.1 tbsp harissa paste, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Pan-fry the halloumi: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the halloumi and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden and deeply browned. During the last 30 seconds of cooking, brush or spoon the harissa honey mixture over both sides of the cheese. Let it bubble and lightly caramelize, watching carefully so the honey doesn't burn.8 oz halloumi cheese, sliced into ½-inch planks
- Assemble the salad: Arrange the farro salad on a serving platter. Top with the warm halloumi, sprinkle with pistachios, and finish with an extra squeeze of lemon and herbs, if desired.¼ cup unsalted shelled pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
Notes
- Dry the halloumi well. Pat it dry with paper towels before pan-frying to help it develop a crisp, golden crust.
- Cook the halloumi last. You want the halloumi to be fresh and crisp.
- Dress the farro while it's warm. Farro will absorb the vinaigrette better when it's warm, resulting in better flavor throughout the salad.
- Add the glaze at the end. Brush the harissa honey mixture onto the halloumi during the last minute of cooking to prevent the honey from burning.
- Taste before serving. Halloumi is naturally salty, so wait until the salad is assembled before deciding whether it needs additional salt.
Nutrition*
Serving: 1g | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 758mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 792IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 616mg | Iron: 2mg
*Nutrition information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Actual values may vary based on ingredients, measurements, and substitutions.
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