Fire up the grill for Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries. It's savory, fresh, drizzled with balsamic blackberry dressing and a cheese lover's dream.

Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries

Fire up the grill for Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries. It’s savory, fresh, drizzled with balsamic blackberry dressing and a cheese lover’s dream. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if my mom was still with us. Would she visit often? Would the…

Fire up the grill for Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries. It's savory, fresh, drizzled with balsamic blackberry dressing and a cheese lover's dream.
Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries

Fire up the grill for Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries. It’s savory, fresh, drizzled with balsamic blackberry dressing and a cheese lover’s dream.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if my mom was still with us. Would she visit often? Would the kids dance with her, teaching her how to dab? I’m pretty sure they would!

I think of her every day, but when Mother’s Day comes around, I especially have these thoughts…and then I find myself feeling grateful that my kids do have a Grammie in their life, and that my husband’s mom has become not only a mother-figure in my life, but a friend.

She was in town a few weeks ago, and I always look forward to spending time with her. Mundane tasks like errands to Trader Joe’s or a stroll through a rose garden is no longer mundane when she visits, and it’s always good to catch up with her.

I find myself creating something in the kitchen when she’s here, too. One winter visit yielded cranberry wine galettes, and I’ll never forget how she gave me the thumbs up after trying the baked oatmeal stuffed acorn squash.

Since this trip brought her out to beautiful spring weather, with the hills a gorgeous green and the sun not feeling shy, a hearty salad sounded like a good idea.

Fire up the grill for Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries. It's savory, fresh, drizzled with balsamic blackberry dressing and a cheese lover's dream.

I was excited to introduce her to halloumi salad, and since I knew she loved beets, there would have to be some earthy, red jewels, too.

Cheese makes salads better - especially a grilled or fried halloumi cheese! Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries is full of flavor and easy to make.
Transform blackberries into a bold blackberry balsamic dressing! It's perfect for spring salads!

She loved the halloumi cheese, and if you have not yet had the chance to try it, I urge you to hurry and find some. There’s something so satisfying with each squeaky bite, the warm, salty, briny cheese adding so much flavor to the crunch and earthiness of this salad, all drizzled with a bold blackberry balsamic dressing. If anything, it’ll make any meal anything but mundane!

Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries is a bold salad for spring. You'll love the blackberry balsamic dressing!

Eat Seasonal

Warm weather is here, the roses are in bloom, and things are light and bright in the kitchen! I’m excited to join Becky from Vintage Mixer and our friends to share dishes that embrace eating seasonal! Check out these recipes for more #EatSeasonal inspiration this May.

May Eat Seasonal Recipes

Roasted Rhubarb Crazy Berry Meringues by Letty’s Kitchen

Polenta with Asparagus, Pancetta and a Poached Egg by Vintage Mixer

Baked Cauliflower Casserole with Goat Cheese by Cookin’ Canuck

Date-Sweetened Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie by JoyFoodSunshine

Sea Salt Focaccia with Radish Ramp Butter by Simple Bites

Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower and Tempeh Power Salad {vegan} by Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Spring Farro Salad with Feta, Lemon, and Mint by Flavor the Moments

Spiralized Zucchini, Quinoa and Turkey Sausage Stuffed Peppers by Foodie Crush

Chocolate Rhubarb Pavlova by Suitcase Foodist

Mediterranean Farro Salad with Arugula and Chickpeas by Aggie’s Kitchen

Radish and Asparagus Breakfast Bowls by Food for My Family

Hummus and Salad Flatbread Pizza by Completely Delicious

Beer-Marinated Grilled Chicken Skewers with Spring Quinoa Salad by Floating Kitchen

Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries

Fire up the grill for Halloumi Salad with Beets and Blackberries. It’s savory, fresh, drizzled with balsamic blackberry dressing and a cheese lover’s dream.

Ingredients

6 oz blackberries, divided
1 oz balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 oz good quality olive oil
3 endives, leaves separated
4 cooked beets, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
6 oz halloumi cheese, sliced
2 tablespoons pistachios, shelled
fresh thyme, for garnish

Instructions

In the jar of a blender, place 3 oz of the blackberries along with the balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and olive oil, and blend until it becomes emulsified, this will take under a minute. Pass the dressing through a sieve to remove the seeds and set aside. You could make the dressing a day in advance, if you wish, keeping it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep at least 3-5 days.

Prepare the salad plate by arranging the endive leaves and scattering with the beets and red onion.

Preheat the grill pan or grill. Brush the halloumi cheese lightly with olive oil on both sides. Place the cheese on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until it has grill marks and is beginning to melt. Arrange on top of the salad along with the remaining blackberries, drizzle with salad dressing and sprinkle with pistachios and fresh thyme leaves.

Serve immediately, with additional dressing on the side.

Notes

Since you are grilling the cheese, this is the type of salad that you need to serve immediately as the cheese will harden again as it cools. The cheese can be reheated if you wish (I’ve been known to use the microwave), but ideally, enjoy immediately!

If you don’t have a grill or a grill pan, not to worry – just use a frying pan!

Comments

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  1. Laura

    Everything is more fun with Mom {even though I think Trader Joe’s is always a fun trip to make lol}! This salad is gorgeous and I feel like I can just taste the deliciousness through the screen!

    Reply
  2. Becky

    This is stunning Liren!!! Oh my gosh!! And I love halloumi so I know it would taste amazing too. I hope you had a great visit with your mother in law; I too am lucky enough to have a sweet relationship with my mother in law :)

    Reply
  3. Liz @ Floating Kitchen

    This is my dream salad! I love halloumi and I think it’s really an under appreciated ingredient. I mean, any cheese that you can grill is amazing! Can’t wait to try this, Liren! Beautiful images, too!

    Reply
  4. marcie

    I’m sorry you lost your mother Liren, but it’s so wonderful that you’re so close to your mother in law and that your kids still have a “grammie”. It sounds like you spoil her when she comes around with your wonderful cooking too! I’ve never tried halloumi, which is ridiculous really. I’ve got to try it out in this salad! I love the gorgeous colors and blackberries are so wonderful right now!

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      I do feel blessed that the kids do have a wonderful grammie – it’s always a treat to have her in town. And I’m glad she tolerates my food experiments :)

      Reply
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