Grilled Halloumi and Watermelon Salad
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~$5.80 CAD per serving (estimate)
Ingredients
- 800 gseedless watermelon (rind removed, cut into 2 cm triangles or cubes)
- 1English cucumber (about 300 g, halved lengthwise and sliced 5 mm thick)
- 20 gfresh mint leaves (larger leaves torn)
- 4spring onions (thinly sliced on the diagonal)
- 1lime (zest and juice)
- 250 ghalloumi (sliced 1 cm thick)
- 2 tbspolive oil (divided)
- 1 tbsphoney
- 0.5 tspchili flakes (optional, for heat)
- 0.25 tspflaky sea salt
- 1 tbsptoasted pumpkin seeds (optional, for crunch)
Nutrition / serving
- Calories310 kcal
- Protein16 g
- Carbs22 g
- Fat18 g
- Fiber1.5 g
Cost Estimate
~$5.80 CAD per serving (estimate)
On a hot afternoon, this salad takes twenty minutes and asks nothing of your oven. Salty halloumi comes off the grill pan with a golden crust that holds its shape against cold, juicy watermelon — the contrast is the whole point. A handful of mint, thin cucumber, and a sharp lime dressing pull it together without fuss.
Instructions
Make the dressing
Whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, honey, chili flakes, and 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a small bowl until the honey dissolves. Taste — it should be bright and slightly sweet. Set aside.
Arrange the salad base
Spread the watermelon pieces across a large serving platter or wide shallow bowl. Scatter the cucumber slices, spring onions, and most of the mint over the top. Refrigerate while you grill the halloumi.
Grill the halloumi
Heat a cast-iron grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Brush the halloumi slices with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and lay them in a single layer. Grill without moving for 90 seconds, until deep golden grill marks form, then flip and cook another 60–90 seconds on the second side.
Dress and finish
Pull the platter from the fridge and lay the hot halloumi directly over the watermelon — the temperature contrast is intentional. Drizzle the dressing over everything, scatter the remaining mint and the pumpkin seeds, and finish with a pinch of flaky salt. Serve within five minutes.
Chef's Cool Facts
Why halloumi doesn't melt
Halloumi is made without a starter culture and is briefly boiled in its own whey before brining. That cooking step denatures the proteins and raises the melting point to around 200 °C — well above what a grill pan reaches — so the cheese browns and crisps instead of collapsing.
Salt as a flavour bridge
The classic pairing of salty cheese with sweet melon works because salt suppresses bitterness and amplifies sweetness on the palate. Watermelon contains small amounts of bitter cucurbitacin compounds; the salt in halloumi dampens them, making the fruit taste sweeter than it would alone.
Halloumi's protected origin
Cyprus registered halloumi as a Protected Designation of Origin product with the EU in 2021, after a decades-long effort. Authentic Cypriot halloumi must contain a minimum percentage of sheep's or goat's milk alongside cow's milk — that blend is partly responsible for its characteristic squeaky texture.