Watermelon, Honey Glazed Halloumi & Za’atar Salad
This watermelon, honey glazed halloumi & za’atar salad is the perfect summer dish! Fresh, vibrant & full of flavour, this one’s seriously tasty.
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This watermelon salad is fresh, vibrant & absolutely jam packed with flavour! Perfect for summertime, this salad makes a great lunch dish or a side to barbecued meats.
To make this salad, we’re mixing fresh watermelon with in season tomatoes, chunks of cucumber & torn mint leaves. This is then dressed with a zingy, homemade za’atar dressing & served with crisp, pan fried halloumi that has been glazed with honey. This one’s proper tasty & is also incredibly easy to prepare…
For some more lunchtime inspiration, take a look at our ever growing collection of lunch recipes! There’s something for everyone here, from tasty salads, scotch eggs, pies & next level sandwiches.
Ingredient Notes
You only need to use a few ingredients to make a seriously tasty watermelon salad! Here’s what we’re putting in ours…
- Watermelon
This recipe makes 3-4 portions of salad & uses half a large watermelon. For a more vibrant colour & firmer texture, you can also use a vacuum sealer to compress the melon, this is optional though. For a full guide to doing this, check out our step by step tutorial here. - Halloumi
You’ll need one, 250 gram block of halloumi for this salad. Feel free to use more though, if you’d prefer. To cook this, we’re going to be pan frying slices until crisp & golden then glazing it in honey & sprinkling with za’atar. - Za’atar Dressing
We’re making our own za’atar with sesame seeds, dried oregano & sumac, which we’re using alongside honey, fresh lime & olive oil for our salad dressing. - Cucumber
I find that a quarter of a large cucumber is the perfect amount for this salad. To cut mine, I quartered the cucumber lengthways then sliced into thick chunks. - Cherry Tomatoes
Good, in season cherry tomatoes are best for this salad. I like to simply cut them in half. - Fresh Mint
Feel free to add as much fresh mint as you like to your salad (I used a small handful). You can either leave the mint leaves whole or tear them.
Serving Suggestions
This watermelon & halloumi salad is great served on its’ own (it’s surprisingly filling!) or as a side dish. It would go especially well with grilled/barbecued meats, such as chicken or pork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Za’atar is a spice blend, originating from the Middle East. Za’atar consists of dried herbs, sumac & sesame seeds and has a zingy flavour & an earthy flavour profile.
Compressed watermelon is melon that has been vacuum packed, which forces the air out of the fruit, improving the texture & colour. Check out our compressed watermelon guide, for more info!
Sliced halloumi should be fried in a pan, over a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown & crisp. Halloumi can also be cooked on a barbecue, for the same amount of time.
If you don’t have fancy using halloumi, you could use crumbled up feta or spoonfuls of cottage cheese.
Equipment Used
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- Microplane Grater
- Juicer
- Mixing Bowl
- Frying Pan
- Vacuum Sealer – If you want to compress the melon.
More Lunch Recipes To Try!
- Butter Bean Hummus Bowls
- Smoked Lamb Shawarma & Za’atar Halloumi Sandwich
- Panzanella Salad With Burrata (Tuscan Tomato & Bread Salad)
- Hazelnut Pesto Pasta Salad
- Watermelon, Dukkah & Feta Salad
- Fried Chicken Katsu Sandwich
Watch How To Make This Recipe
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Watermelon, Honey Glazed Halloumi & Za’atar Salad
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Microplane/Grater
- Small Frying Pan
- Large Frying Pan
Ingredients
Za'atar Dressing
- 1½ tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1½ tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Sumac
- 1 Lime (Zest & Juice)
- 1½ tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Honey
Watermelon Salad
- 250 g Halloumi (1 Block)
- ½ A Large Watermelon (Rind Cut Off)
- ¼ Cucumber
- 100 g Cherry Tomatoes
- A Good Handful Of Fresh Mint Leaves (Torn)
- 1 tbsp Honey
Instructions
Za'atar Dressing
- First, place the sesame seeds into a small frying pan then toast over a medium heat, until golden brown. Transfer to a small mixing bowl & leave to cool.
- Add the oregano & sumac to the sesame seeds then mix to combine. Transfer 1 tsp of the za'atar to another small bowl & set aside. We'll be using this for the halloumi.
- Add the lime, olive oil & honey to the remaining za'atar, season with salt & pepper then mix to combine. Set to one side.
Watermelon Salad
- Cut the halloumi into thick slices, dry with kitchen paper then set aside.
- Take the half melon, cut in half lengthwise then cut into 1" thick slices. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Roughly chop up the cucumber & half the tomatoes then add into the bowl with the melon. Add in the torn mint leaves then pour in the za'atar dressing & mix to combine.
- Next, place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add in a tbsp of veg oil then leave to heat up for a minute or two.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully add in the halloumi then fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until crisp & golden. Pour in a tbsp of honey then continue cooking for 30 seconds, flipping the halloumi over a couple of times, to glaze both sides. Sprinkle with the za'atar that we set aside earlier.
- To serve, pile the watermelon salad into bowls (or onto one large plate) then top with the fried halloumi.
