I joke that if I were to ever have a Ben & Jerry’s flavor I’d have to name it “Hold it Together” because I’d strictly want the ice cream there JUST as a vehicle for holding together all the toppings, and that’s kind of how I feel like this quinoa salad with halloumi acts, too. It’s really just a vehicle to hold together all my favorite summer vegetables, which I seem to be buying in bulk during July and August.
Now, the dressing and halloumi are also what make this quinoa salad particularly special AND really versatile. I say you can toss whatever vegetables you want in here, and while there are limits, I definitely mean it! The coconut cilantro dressing pairs so well with the halloumi that truly anything (and everything!) else is additive. And also, once you get started on making coconut milk dressing, you’ll have a hard time stopping. It’s the perfect amount of creamy with just a touch of sweetness, and it’s oh-so easy to make.
This recipe makes four big servings, so it’s great for meal prep or for making as a healthy weeknight dinner. I love it for using during the rest of the summer, and hopefully well into the cooler months!
Table of contents
What ingredients will you need to make this quinoa salad with halloumi?
What I like about this salad is that it is a maximalist. The more vegetables, the better! It has a huge amount of dressing! It fills you up with CHEESE. (Which you can of course substitute for tofu if you are vegan!)
But in this maximalist healthy recipe, here are the base ingredients that I suggest using:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 packed cup cilantro, 2.5 ounces / 70 grams
- 1 large jalapeño, 1.5 ounces / 42 grams (see Note)
- 1 13.5 ounce can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 large summer squash, 12 ounces / 340 grams
- 3 medium ears of corn, yields 12 ounces / 350 grams of corn kernels
- 1 large sweet bell pepper, 8 ounces / 226 grams
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 8 ounces / 226 grams
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Why are some vegetables cooked and some raw in this quinoa salad?
This is a great question, and one that I knew I’d run into! I have some vegetables cooked in this quinoa salad and some raw strictly because I think that is how they are the most delicious. Raw sweet pepper and tomatoes add their bright, crisp flavors, while cooked corn and summer squash give their buttery, rich sweetness to the salad.
Of course, if you want to save time (and don’t mind the flavor of uncooked squash…which I think can get a little dicey), feel free to toss in all the vegetables raw!
On the other spectrum, if you want the peppers and tomatoes to go from bright and sweet to softened and jammy, feel free to cook them alongside the corn and squash.
I like a variation of cooked vs. raw in this quinoa salad, both for nutrients and for flavor, but as you mix-and-match your vegetables, feel free to do what is best for you!
My tips as you cook the halloumi and vegetables together
To get the halloumi all browned and delicious, you first need to cook it on its own in the pan. The vegetables will go in later.
But what’s wonderful about cooking the halloumi first and then adding in the corn and squash is that you truly will not be able to burn the halloumi. It can stay in there with the corn and squash for up to twenty minutes and not change a BIT in color. This is because the squash and corn add so much moisture to the pan, that instead of continuing to sear, the halloumi will begin to just steam in the heat, in a sense. This means you still get that crispy golden exterior, but the interior gets all melty and cheesy as the vegetables cook.
So my one big tip for this quinoa salad with halloumi? Don’t stress the cooking the vegetables part. You don’t need to hover, just check in every now and then, because it will take a LOT to get these vegetables and cheese to burn.
What substitutes can I use in this salad?
The salad is VERY substitute friendly, meaning: you have options! Here are a few of my favorite substitute suggestions:
For the halloumi – feel free to sub in tofu or tempeh! Just sear them in the same way, and you’re good to go. And then this recipe is automatically vegan!
For the tomatoes + bell pepper – any crisp, crunchy vegetable will do! Think: cucumbers, radishes, sweet onion, globe tomatoes – KOHLRABI, if you are feeling crazy! Carrots, red cabbage, you get it!
For the summer squash + corn – for the vegetables you cook, I suggest any other variation of zucchini as your substitute. You can also skip the corn altogether and sub it for edamame, if you like extra protein.
Looking for similar recipes?
Here are a few I love from the blog!
And that’s it for this quinoa salad with halloumi!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Quinoa Salad with Halloumi & Coconut Cilantro Dressing
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 blender
- 1 large sauté pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 packed cup cilantro 2.5 ounces / 70 grams
- 1 large jalapeño 1.5 ounces / 42 grams (see Note)
- 1 13.5 ounce can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 large summer squash 12 ounces / 340 grams
- 3 medium ears of corn yields 12 ounces / 350 grams of corn kernels
- 1 large sweet bell pepper 8 ounces / 226 grams
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes 8 ounces / 226 grams
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Begin by cooking your quinoa according to package instructions. I like to do this in a rice cooker with a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa, but any method works! When it's finished, set it to the side to cool to room temperature.
- While the quinoa is cooking, add 3/4 cup of cilantro to a blender, reserving the rest. Add 1 jalapeño, one can of coconut milk, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, one teaspoon of cumin, one teaspoon of salt, and blend until it is a smooth, light green dressing. Taste and season with salt as preferred. Set this aside.
- Thinly slice the summer squash and add it to a large bowl. Cut the corn kernels from the ears of corn and set them in the same bowl.
- Thinly slice the sweet bell pepper and quarter the cherry tomatoes. Set those aside.
- Cut the halloumi into bite-sized cubes.
- Set a pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil, just enough to coat the surface. Add the halloumi and let it cook, untouched, until it is golden and sizzling on one side, about 3-4 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the halloumi and let it continue to cook, browning on all sides, another 3-4 minutes.
- When the halloumi has browned, add in the corn and squash. Season with a few large pinches of salt and cook, stirring often, for 7-9 minutes, or until the squash has softened and the corn is taking on a bit of color.
- Add the cooked vegetables and halloumi to a large bowl with the quinoa. Let this cool to room temperature for 10-15 minutes (or else the other veg risks getting soggy).
- When the quinoa salad has cooled, add the pepper and tomatoes, plus the reserved cilantro. Mix everything together.
- Top each serving with a healthy amount of the dressing (nearly 1/2 cup per bowl), but if you are saving it for meal prep, store the salad and the dressing in separate containers. Serve and enjoy!
This salad looks amazing! Is there another substitute if you do not like summer squash or zucchini? Thank you!
Really any vegetable you like! If you replace it with cucumber, obviously don’t cook it. But if you replace it with something like eggplant, feel free to cook it alongside the corn!
Do you have a specific brand of coconut milk you like?
Okay I’m going to keep it real – I really just buy whatever is cheapest at the grocery store! The two main things to look for are that it is full-fat, but not coconut cream. There will be a few choices but all will work the same!
I’m thinking of no halloumi or tofu , and just using it as a side for some salmon . Would this coconut dressing be good with this combo ?
Absolutely! It would be fabulous with a salmon and grain 🙂
this salad is a summer dream! What would you recommend subbing if you’re a cilantro-tastes-like-soap genetic mutant like me?
Parsley or mint! Or a blend of both is extra good (and you’re not a mutant, Ina Garten has it too lol)
This was so delicious I started dancing! The dressing is 🔥 and the halloumi complements the zing from the dressing perfectly. Total winner!
This comment is making me smile SO BIG!! I’m so glad you liked it! (We definitely have the same palate, I think the halloumi with the dressing is a dream)
looks so good! Unfortunately I have the gene where Cilantro tastes like soap for me, any recommendations for a substitute in the dressing?.
Parsley, or a mixture of mint and parsley, will also be delicious!
Hi!! I love your recipes! Super excited for this one but noticed my dressing seems a bit watery. Is there anything I can do to help thicken it up?
Oh no! What brand of coconut milk were you using? It should be canned, to thicken it you can add cilantro and blend again and that should help significantly! Feel free to add more salt to temper the flavor
Absolutely delicious, will be making on repeat!
So SO thrilled you liked it!
This is a super-tasty way to use up all the delicious summer market veggies! It’s a well-balanced mix of spicy, sweet, fresh, and savory flavors. I used the following substitutes, to great effect:
-parsley for cilantro
-canned low-fat coconut milk (dressing was probably more watery than intended but still delicious)
-2 zucchini that I cooked with the corn for longer than stated, to get a little bit more char
-Sungold tomatoes added at the very end, along with mini sweet bell peppers
-instead of halloumi, I crumbled cotija cheese on top after the salad was assembled 🙂
I stored the quiona, dressing, and veggies in separate containers after mixing my bowl for dinner. For the leftovers, I made tempeh bacon and it was a great match!
This was incredible!! The taste was a 10/10! The only trouble is that the dressing solidified when I refrigerated for meal prep due to the coconut milk – did that happen to you as well/tips to help that? I’m obsessed with the coconut milk dressing idea – the taste was amazing.
The taste was awesome!! I just had similar troubles to some other commenters with the dressing. It wouldn’t emulsify until I heated it slightly, and was very watery. I used Trader Joe’s canned, organic full fat coconut milk, and it definitely was pretty separated to begin with–maybe I should try again with another brand of coconut milk… still very tasty and would love to make again if you have any tips for thicker sauce!
Hi! This is actually an easy fix, the coconut milk should be completely smooth when you use it, so shake up the can vigorously for a few minutes next time and that should fix any separation!
Justine, your recipes rock! This was delicious, uncomplicated, and exactly what I want in a salad. I subbed what I had in my fridge: greek yogurt + some olive oil instead of canned coconut milk, and added green cabbage since I didn’t have a pepper. Came out absolutely delicious! Though, that’s not a surprise since everything I make from your blog comes out so well. 🙂
This is the HIGHEST COMPLIMENT. I’m so glad you loved it!
This looks so good.
I’m having trouble finding halloumi cheese, any suggestions?
Thanks so much!
Feta is a great swap, just don’t cook it! Tofu is also a good sub, and if you have a Trader Joe’s near you, their “grilling” cheese is similar to halloumi!
this is soooo good! i’ve made it twice, the first time with corn, peppers and tomatoes, and the second time with summer squash, green beans and carrots (per what we got in our CSA box) and it was delicious both times! truly my dream meal, creamy, crunchy, spicy, herby, zingy, salty- great for meal prep but also easy enough to make on a weeknight. you nailed this one Justine! thank you!
So SO glad you liked it!
We really liked this! Healthy and delicious— I’d never cooked with halloumi before and it is a treat, yum. Subbed diced raw cucumber for the corn since I’m allergic. I like the idea of using eggplant from the comments too…will have to try that.
The dressing was *almost* too spicy for us but I could always deseed the jalapeño next time. This was the first recipe I’ve tried from you Justine and will definitely be trying more, Thanks!
Hello! First, so glad you liked it, and thank you for taking the time to leave a review! Secondly, you hit the nail on the head, cutting out the seeds will nix the spice issue in the future 🙂