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Plum & Haloumi Cheese Salad

Are you looking for a new favorite salad? Look no further! This salad is fruity, salty, crispy and so fresh! It's a great lunch dish or a wonderful side dish for a BBQ!

The weather is getting warmer and summery and I almost instantly move from soups to salads for lunch. Or as a side dish. Salads have always been a favorite dish of mine and when I'm unsure about what to cook, I often opt for a salad. In particular salads with different textures (like added seeds for crunch) or surprising ingredients like fruit are wonderful!

This salad has everything for me! I love the tart and sweet mixture of plums, the aromatic mint in the sauce and of course, let's not forget the star of the show: haloumi cheese! Haloumi cheese is a cheese from Cyprus and is made from sheep or goat milk or mixture of the two. I couldn't possibly love haloumi cheese more than I do!!

Haloumi and me go WAY back. In the early 90s my family flew to Cyprus once or twice a year for a few years. If you haven't been, it's such a beautiful island with so much history (and amazing food!). The hotel we always stayed in had this really lovely breakfast buffet including big pots of yogurt, the most wonderful cheese bread (the taste of which I remember to this day) and ... haloumi cheese. It was my first encounter with it and I instantly fell in love! Back then it wasn't available here in Germany so I always missed it after we left.

Fast forward 20 years later when it slowly started popping up in shops here as well. Now you can get it almost anywhere and I love using it on burgers, in salad or just as a side. My husband is equally in love with this cheese so we often have a package in the fridge. Have you tried haloumi before? And do you love it so much as well?

Traditionally, mint leaves were used as a preservative for haloumi cheese. I often find little bits of mint leaves on top of the haloumi when I open the package so there is this very slight taste of mint when you eat it. Hence, it made sense for me to add mint to the dressing! I have made it both with fresh and dried mint and like both versions. However, fresh mint isn't something I always have readily available so using dried mint is definitely more convenient.

Will you make this salad soon? Or how about my Persimmon, Blueberry & Poppyseed Salad?

Cooking Method
Courses
Difficulty Beginner
Time
Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 10 min Total Time: 20 mins
Servings 2
Description

Are you looking for a new favorite salad? Look no further! This salad is fruity, salty, crispy and so fresh! It's a great lunch dish or a wonderful side dish for a BBQ!

Ingredients
  • 1 package of haloumi cheese (about 1/2 pound)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 plums
  • 1.5 cup chopped lettuce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried mint
Instructions
  1. Drain the haloumi cheese and slice into thick slices. Heat up the olive oil in a pan. When hot, add the slices of haloumi. 

  2. Fry on each side for about 2 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from the pan and cut into strips. Put aside. 

  3. Half the plums, remove the pit and cut into thin slices. Add the plums and the chopped lettuce to a bowl. Add the haloumi cheese on top. 

  4. To make the dressing, add olive oil, white vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper and dried mint to a shaker. Shake or whisk well, then pour over the salad. Mix well. Enjoy!

Keywords: vegetarian, salad, vegetarian salad, lunch, lunch salad, side dish, haloumi, halloumi, haloumi cheese, plum, plum salad, plum and cheese salad, mint dressing,
Andrea Epstein in her kitchen
Andrea Epstein

Hi, I'm Andrea, a full-time food blogger, mother of 1 wonderful son, 2 equally wonderful stepsons and wife to a darling husband. I live in Munich, Germany with my family. I loves traveling, sharing new recipes, and spending time with my family.