Freekeh Salad with Halloumi

Halloumi is one of those cheeses I can never get enough of. Give me a block of halloumi and a frying pan and I’m happy. Unlike most cheeses, halloumi doesn’t melt when you heat it, which means you can grill or fry it until golden and crispy on the outside while it stays nice and firm on the inside.

For this easy freekeh salad I combine the salty halloumi with juicy cherry tomatoes, peppery arugula and nutty freekeh. It’s a simple salad, but thanks to all those different flavors and textures it definitely doesn’t taste boring. And it’s an easy way to get a good portion of vegetables and greens onto your plate.

Tip from Simone
What is Freekeh?
Recipe Ingredients
Want More Vegetables
How To Make Freekeh Salad with Halloumi
Storing Freekeh Salad
FAQ Freekeh Salad with Halloumi

Tip from Simone

Want to add even more vegetables? This salad is perfect for that. Add grilled zucchini, bell pepper, cucumber or roasted eggplant. It’s also a great recipe for using up those random vegetables hiding in the fridge.

What is Freekeh?

Freekeh is roasted green wheat with a slightly nutty flavor and a lovely firm bite. That makes it particularly good in salads (like in this freekeh salad with zucchini or this freekeh with fennel), as it doesn’t turn soft or mushy quickly.

Can’t find freekeh? No problem. You can replace it with quinoa, bulgur, rice or couscous. Couscous is softer, so the texture of the salad will be slightly different, but it works just as well.

Recipe Ingredients

For this freekeh salad you only need a handful of ingredients. I used basil oil and tomato vinegar which we sold at the time, but any good extra virgin olive oil or apple cider vinegar works perfectly too.

Freekeh – gives the salad a delicious nutty flavor and plenty of bite. Replace it with quinoa, bulgur, rice or couscous if needed.
Cherry tomatoes – I use about 150 grams. Regular tomatoes are fine too; just cut them into small pieces.
Halloumi – about 100 grams is enough for this salad. Feta is a possible alternative, although you won’t get that delicious crispy exterior.
Arugula – adds extra vegetables and a slightly peppery flavor. You can also use spinach, lamb’s lettuce or a mixture of salad leaves.
Basil – optional, but really good with the tomatoes and halloumi.
Basil oil – I originally made this salad with basil oil, but a good extra virgin olive oil works perfectly well.
Tomato vinegar – apple cider vinegar is an easy substitute. Red wine vinegar or a little lemon juice would also work.

Want More Vegetables

This is one of those salads you can easily adapt to whatever you have in the fridge. Cucumber, zucchini, roasted bell pepper, eggplant or even some finely chopped broccoli would all work well. It makes the salad more colorful and you immediately get some extra vegetables in.

How To Make Freekeh Salad with Halloumi

Step 1: Cook the freekeh

Cook the freekeh according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and leave to cool slightly.

Step 2: Prepare the vegetables

Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters and roughly chop the arugula if the leaves are very large. If you’re adding any extra vegetables, prepare those now too.

Step 3: Fry the halloumi

Cut the halloumi into cubes. Heat a frying pan with a little oil and fry the halloumi until golden brown on all sides. You can also use a griddle pan and grill the halloumi without oil.

Leave to drain briefly on kitchen paper.

Step 4: Make the salad

Mix the freekeh with the tomatoes, arugula and any extra vegetables. Drizzle over the basil oil or olive oil and the vinegar and toss everything together.

Divide between plates and add the warm halloumi. Finish with fresh basil if you like.

Storing Freekeh Salad

In the fridge: You can keep the cooked freekeh and vegetables in an airtight container in the fridge for around 2 days. Ideally, store the halloumi separately and fry it just before serving. Halloumi is at its best when it’s freshly fried and crispy.

If you want to prepare the salad ahead, keep the dressing separate too. That prevents the arugula from becoming soggy.

In the freezer: I wouldn’t freeze the complete salad. The tomatoes and arugula won’t have a nice texture after defrosting. Cooked freekeh can be frozen separately, though. Let it cool completely and freeze in an airtight container.

FAQ Freekeh Salad with Halloumi

Yes. Feta is the easiest alternative, although you don’t need to fry it. You could also use grilled tofu if you want a different option.

Yes. Quinoa, bulgur, rice and couscous are all good alternatives. Quinoa is a particularly good choice if you want to keep that slightly firmer texture. Or turn it into a halloumi and lentil salad.

Yes. Cook the freekeh and chop the vegetables ahead of time, but store the ingredients separately where possible. Fry the halloumi just before serving and add the dressing at the last minute.

Quite a few! Cucumber and bell pepper are easy options if you want to keep the salad fresh. For a warmer version, add grilled zucchini, eggplant or roasted bell pepper.

Absolutely. The freekeh salad itself is delicious cold or at room temperature. I do prefer the halloumi warm because that’s when it’s crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside.

Yes. Feta is the easiest alternative, although you don’t need to fry it. You could also use grilled tofu if you want a different option.

No. They are both wheat products, but freekeh is made from young green wheat that is roasted, which gives it its characteristic nutty flavor and firm texture.

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