Crispy golden cheese over an avocado purée tossed quinoa and summer veggie salad: this Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad is everything I crave during the summer!
Jump to RecipeCorn is truly one of the best summer foods. Eat it raw, char it up, throw it in a Super Simple Mexican Corn Dip — in any case, it’s delicious. Personally, though, one of my favorite ways to eat the summer produce is in a good ‘ole salad. A good ‘ole non-boring salad, that is. I mean, there are only so many times one can eat your classic corn, chicken, and mixed greens situation. Hence, in hopes of deviating from this norm BUT still whipping up a damn good corn salad, this Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad was born. And, let me tell you…with a luscious creamy avocado sauce and perfectly charred cheese, it might be the best bite of the summer.
The breakdown…
This Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad is truly such a simple dish to throw together. Sure, it has a few components, yet it comes together so so fast. I promise. To start things off, you want to get your quinoa cooking. I like to cook my quinoa in bone broth for maximum flavor and protein, but anything will work. You can also use any type of quinoa. Red quinoa, tri colored quinoa, white quinoa… it all works. You could even use another type of grain or pasta! Rice, farro, or orzo would all be delicious.
With that quinoa going, I like to get the avocado sauce locked and loaded. This way you can keep the halloumi warm by the time you serve it by making it last. Plus, the sauce is truly so simple to throw together. Simply blend up 1 avocado with some cilantro, lime, lemon, jalapeño, and water. It gives the quinoa a nice little creamy note while still holding a fresh zip from the lime and lemon, cilantro, and jalapeño. I could seriously eat this stuff straight (maybe with some chips????). Really, though, this avocado sauce is the best, so I recommend making a big batch and keeping it in the fridge to top off just about any salad, bowl, taco, or protein right before serving.
that fried halloumi…
The next step to this Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad is to get that fried halloumi going. If you aren’t familiar, halloumi is a very traditional low-moisture/ high-protein Middle Eastern cheese. It is almost like a sturdier mozzarella but with the flavoring of feta — aka the best of both worlds. Plus, given its high protein count, this cheese truly makes for the best vegetarian plant based protein option. Oh, and it’s super simple to make delicious! Simply get some oil super hot in a skillet and throw in some slices of the cheese. After just a few minutes on each side, voila! Your warm crisp cheese is ready to go and top off that salad.
Next up, throw together all of those veggies with that dressing and halloumi. I’m talking so much sweet raw corn and diced zucchini. Yes, raw!! I know, many people are apprehensive about eating raw corn and zucchini, but it’s truly one of my fav ways to eat these veggies. Summer corn is inherently super sweet by itself, and zucchini has such a fun texture when raw! Oh, and when paired with a bite from some scallions and red onion?? It’s the best. Lastly, throw in some freshness from some cilantro and a bit of cotija or feta for a salty creamy bite and things are looking good.
how to serve it up…
Serve up your Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad with some toasty pepitas and all the charred cheese! Whether you eat it on the spot or save the dressing for later and make this for meal prep, it’s truly the best summer salad. Oh, and a little toasty pita on the side is always a good idea. The perfect vegetarian addition to a backyard barbecue, a nice healthy summer dinner, or even a delicious little lunch! It’s always perfect. Oh, and feel free to sub in any other veggies you would like!
I hope you love these Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:)))
Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad
Course: Main Course, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: American, Mediterranean, Fusion, MexicanDifficulty: Easy5
servings20
minutes10
minutes30
minutesCrispy golden cheese over an avocado purée tossed quinoa and summer veggie salad: this Fried Halloumi, Corn, and Zucchini Quinoa Salad is everything I crave during the summer!
Ingredients
- avocado sauce:
1 avocado
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup cilantro
1 large lime, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
1 small jalapeño, seeded
½ -¾ cup water
Salt and pepper, to taste
- assembly:
1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package
2 cups corn kernels (about 3-4 ears)
1 large zucchini, finely diced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, finely diced
½ cup cilantro, finely diced
1 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup pepitas, toasted and salted
- halloumi:
3 tbsp olive oil
14 oz halloumi cheese, sliced into ½ inch thin pieces
Instructions
- Prepare the quinoa according to its package.
- In a blender or food processor, purée all of the avocado sauce ingredients until smooth.
- In a large skillet, heat the 3 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the halloumi to the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on each diced, or until crisp and golden. Remove from the skillet.
- In a large bowl, toss the quinoa, raw corn, raw zucchini, scallions, red onion, cilantro, and cheese with the avocado sauce.
- Divide your salad amongst your bowls and top with a few slices of the fried halloumi. Garnish with pepitas and more cilantro, as desired. Enjoy!