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Pumpkin, Halloumi and Avocado Salad

WRITER BYCassie
POSTEDDecember 8, 2018
JUMP TO RECIPE

Gone are the days of bland and boring salads!  This pumpkin, halloumi and avocado salad makes for a perfect weeknight dinner - minimal effort, maximum taste.   

pumpkin, haloumi and avocado salad

It's hard to play favourites with recipes, but if I *had* to, this Pumpkin, Halloumi and Avocado salad wins.  And given that it's been the most popular recipe on the blog since I first posted in over a year ago, it seems to be your favourite too.

This doesn't really surprise me. Whether you're an avid salad eater or a notorious salad avoider, this is the salad for you.

It's filled with three of the most universally loved ingredients.

It's really easy to prepare with minimal hands-on time.

AND it's a salad that you can really get excited about.

I know what you're thinking right now - how exactly can I get excited about a salad?  By putting halloumi cheese in it of course!

sliced haloumi cheese on a wooden cutting board

WHAT IS HALLOUMI?

Halloumi is a salty cheese from Cyprus that is made commonly from either cow's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk.  It has a high melting point which allows it to be pan-fried or even deep fried.  Although it can be eaten raw, it is most commonly enjoyed cooked.

WHERE TO FIND HALLOUMI?

Halloumi generally comes in prepacked blocks.  In Australia, NZ and the UK, halloumi is found in all major supermarkets.  In America it can generally be found in Whole Foods and Trader Joes.  If you are struggling to find it, you can always try a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern deli.

HOW TO COOK HALLOUMI?

Halloumi can be cooked in many ways, including pan-fried, grilled, barbecued and baked.  I opt for pan-fried halloumi when making this salad.  It's quick and easy:

  1. Cut the halloumi into slices 1cm thick.
  2. Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan on medium heat
  3. Place slices in pan with a little space in between.
  4. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until brown and slightly crispy, then turn and cook the other side.

If you want to cook the halloumi on a BBQ, I've listed full instructions and photo guides in my How To Cook Halloumi post.  It also has some great meal ideas for using up any leftover halloumi.

diced pumpkin on a baking tray

PUMPKIN, HALLOUMI AND AVOCADO SALAD INGREDIENTS:

When I said this salad was easy to put together I wasn't joking.  Aside from possibly tracking down a block of halloumi I bet you have most of these ingredients already.

  • Roasted Pumpkin - any good roasting pumpkin or squash would work for this recipe.
  • Halloumi
  • Avocado
  • Lettuce
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt + Pepper

Throw it all together in a bowl and dig in!

TOP TIP:  Meal prep some roasted pumpkin at the start of the week and you'll have this salad on the table each night in ten minutes flat.

This recipe uses half a standard block of halloumi.  Find easy ways to use the rest of the block by looking through these 11 Delicious Halloumi Recipes!

pumpkin, haloumi and avocado salad in a bowl

MORE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

    • Roast Pumpkin and Chickpea Salad
    • Mexican Chicken Salad
    • Mango Avocado Salad
    • Roasted Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta Salad
    • Crunchy Kale Salad with Lemon Tamari Dressing
    • Roasted Sweet Potato, Avocado and Feta Salad
    • 35 Easy and Yummy Salad Recipes
    • Salmon Poke Bowl
    • Fruit Salad with Cool Whip

If you’ve tried this Pumpkin, Halloumi and Avocado Salad I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it! Pop a comment and a star rating below!

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RECIPE

Pumpkin, Halloumi and Avocado Salad

Pumpkin, Halloumi and Avocado Salad

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Total Time

50 minutes

Gone are the days of bland and boring salads!  This pumpkin, halloumi and avocado salad makes for a perfect weeknight dinner - minimal effort, maximum taste.  

4.73 Stars (70 Reviews)

servings

2

Scale

Ingredients

Optional

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 180C / 350F

2

Chop pumpkin into bite size pieces, place on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Mix together, then separate out. Cook for 30 – 40 minutes, until browned, flipping pieces’ half way through.

3

Mix 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar in small jar and shake to combine to make a basic balsamic vinaigrette.

4

Heat a frypan on medium-low and add 1/2 tbsp. olive oil. Fry halloumi pieces for approximately 2 minutes each side, or until browned. Be careful not to burn – they cook fast!

5

Add lettuce to bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix well with your hands.

6

Add in avocado, pumpkin and halloumi on top of lettuce, drizzle with dressing and serve immediately!  

Notes

WHERE TO FIND HALOUMI:

  • If you can't find halloumi cheese in major supermarkets near you, try a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern deli.

PUMPKIN - Any good roasting pumpkin or squash would work in this recipe.  For aussies - my favourites are jap or kent.

OPTIONAL TOPPING:

  • Try adding toasted pine nuts on top for additional crunch factor.

STORAGE

  • I wouldn't recommend making this salad ahead due to the fact it uses avocado and halloumi which are best served immediately. If you want to cut down prep time, try roasting a batch of pumpkin at the beginning of the week. You can then either reheat or enjoy cold when putting together the salad.

UPDATES - First Published October 30, 2017.  Last Updated December 8, 2018.  No changes to the recipe, just updated photos & tips.

NUTRITION - Nutrition information is an estimate and is based on one serve.

Did you make this? Tell us about it!

Nutrition Facts

Servings:2
Serving Size:1

Amount Per Serving:

calories

469kcal

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4.73

77 comments & reviews

Aitza B

Aitza B

October 30, 2017

I never thought to put pumpkin in a salad. This looks super healthy and like it would carry be through a busy work day.

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

Hope you enjoy!

Katrina

Katrina

October 30, 2017

I've never heard of pumpkin Haloumi before but it actually sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

Two different things - Pumpkin and Haloumi - Haloumi is a type of cheese 🙂 Hope you enjoy

robin rue

robin rue

October 30, 2017

Dang! This salad sounds phenomenal. I have never had a salad quite like this before, but I sure am looking forward to trying it.

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

Thanks Robin 🙂

Jessica Joachim

Jessica Joachim

October 30, 2017

I have never had this kind of cheese before, but it looks really good and I do love cheese. I also really love avocado so I will have to try this whole thing out soon!

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

Haloumi is seriously one of my favourite cheeses!! So good! Hope you enjoy!

Beth Davidson

Beth Davidson

October 30, 2017

What an interesting combination, I would never have thought of it. I will give it a try though, salads are my lunch staple right now and I love switching it up!

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

I can't get enough!

Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh

Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh

October 30, 2017

That salad screams pumpkin patches, apple cider, changing leaves, and cool breezes. I love the addition of pumpkin!

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

Thanks lovely!

serena

serena

October 30, 2017

So true! If you can eat a salad without dressing and it's good thats a great sign. This recipe looks delicious! Can't wait to try it

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

Thanks so much Serena 🙂

princy

princy

October 30, 2017

I just started my dieting today again, and this seems perfect!

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

You won't even feel like you are dieting!

Andrea

Andrea

October 30, 2017

Three great things that taste great together - i admit i've never tried the haloumi...

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

It's so good!!

Kristina

Kristina

October 30, 2017

This looks tasty! I love salad and always up for trying something new! Healthy eating is something I need to do more of too.

Cassie

Cassie

October 31, 2017

I find if I mix it up often I stick to it!

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