Grilled Halloumi & Melon Salad: Sweet & Salty
Halloumi is a firm cheese that you can grill! Its salty flavor contrasts beautifully with juicy, sweet melon and an herbaceous basil and mint dressing. This Grilled Halloumi & Melon Salad is fabulous alongside a protein for an unusual summer meal.
Grilling the cheese develops a slight crispy exterior and the inside gets a bit creamy – your timing has be considered as it is best served right after it the cheese comes off of the grill (see Tips).
Watermelon Might Sneak Up On You
You might find many recipes for grilled halloumi salad combined with watermelon…
but unfortunately for us FODMAPers, watermelon is a triple threat! It contains oligos, fructose and polyols and can wreak havoc with your tummy, especially if you are sensitive to them.
Watermelon is certainly off-limits during the Elimination phase. And, by the way, it crops up in odd places. Recently I have spotted it in the form of watermelon juice as a sweetener in a line of snacks (Dang Sticky Rice Chips).
Read labels! Always. It is a great way to learn as you shop.
Cantaloupe and honeydew melon to the rescue! Both of these melons are low FODMAP (in appropriate serving sizes of 90 g) and work perfectly with the salty cheese. With a basil and mint dressing drizzled on top, you have an unusual summer salad to add to your low FODMAP repertoire.
Grilled Halloumi & Melon Salad
Grilled Halloumi & Melon Salad is a simple and unusual salad that is easy enough to make for yourself - or serve to guests. No one will know it is low FODMAP.
Ingredients:
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Garlic-Infused Oil, made with olive oil, or purchased equivalent such as FODY Garlic-Infused Olive Oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine or red wine vinegar
- 2 cups (30 g) lightly packed basil leaves
- 1/2 cup (8 g) lightly packed mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions, green parts only
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
- 1/2 medium (about 1 ½ pounds/680 g) cantaloupe peeled, seeded, and sliced into attractive half-rounds, about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick
- 1/2 medium (about 2 ½ pounds/1.2 kg) honeydew, peeled, seeded, and sliced into attractive half-rounds, about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick
- Or The equivalent of one kind of melon either cantaloupe or honeydew
- 1 pound (455 g) halloumi, drained and patted dry, sliced into 1/4-inch (6 mm) slabs
- Garlic-Infused Oil, made with olive oil, a purchased equivalent such as FODY Garlic-Infused Olive Oil or extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
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For the Sauce: Pour oil and vinegar in bottom of blender carafe. Add basil, mint, scallions, salt and several grinds of pepper. Blend on high until smooth and combined. Sauce is ready to use and can also be refrigerated overnight in an airtight container.
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For the Salad: Arrange the melon slices alternately (if using both) and attractively on a rimmed platter. Heat a grill pan or have your wood or propane-fired grill on a medium heat (see Tips). Brush the halloumi generously with olive oil on both sides and grill for about 2 minutes on each side, or until you get nice grill marks and the interior of the cheese has softened. Transfer to platter, placing on top of melons. Lightly season with salt and peppr.
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Drizzle sauce over all - you will probably use about three-quarters of it (reserve extra sauce for sautéing tofu, chicken or shrimp or to dress another salad). Serve immediately.
Notes:
Tips
- I often make this inside, with a grill pan. If, and only if I have the outdoor grill going, then I will grill the halloumi outside. In my opinion it would be a lot to ask to have you light a fire just for grilling some cheese! But that’s up to you…
- Learn from my mistakes. I tried to make this ahead for a party and attempted to gently re-warm the cheese. Didn’t work. The cheese remained firm and “seized” in an odd way. Grill the cheese right before you are ready to serve this dish. The sauce, however, can be made the day before, so you can take advantage of that.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
