Spicy Honey Halloumi Salad

Name: Spicy Honey Halloumi Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Eastern Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine; 1 medium cucumber, cut into thin circles; 1 cup spinach, chopped small; 1 cup arugula, chopped up; 1 large red onion, sliced thin; 1 cup water (to cook couscous); 1/2 cup dry pearled couscous; 4 slices halloumi cheese; 1 tablespoon spicy honey (like Mike’s), plus some extra for topping; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (for dressing); drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (for finishing and cooking); 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (to marinate onions); 1 teaspoon sesame oil (for the glaze); 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (for the glaze), plus 1 tablespoon for dressing; 1/2 tablespoon ground sumac; 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed; 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper; a splash of water (to thin out the dressing)

Recipe by Jordan Avery · Updated May 2026

Salad

Crispy golden halloumi gets a sweet-spicy honey glaze, then sits atop a bed of herby couscous and fresh greens with quick-pickled onions for a bright, summery lunch you’ll want to make again.

⏱ 55 mins

Eastern Mediterranean

Servings 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoonsfresh parsley, chopped fine

1 mediumcucumber, cut into thin circles

1 cupspinach, chopped small

1 cuparugula, chopped up

1 largered onion, sliced thin

1 cupwater (to cook couscous)

1/2 cupdry pearled couscous

4 sliceshalloumi cheese

1 tablespoonspicy honey (like Mike’s), plus some extra for topping

2 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil (for dressing)

drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (for finishing and cooking)

1 tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil (to marinate onions)

1 teaspoonsesame oil (for the glaze)

1 teaspoonfresh lemon juice (for the glaze), plus 1 tablespoon for dressing

1/2 tablespoonground sumac

1/4 teaspoonsalt, plus more as needed

1/4 teaspoonAleppo pepper

a splash of water (to thin out the dressing)

Nutrition

430 caloriesCalories

Per serving · Values are estimates

Instructions

Toss the thin onion slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ tablespoon sumac, a pinch of Aleppo pepper, and a small pinch of salt. Let them sit for 10–15 minutes so they soften and the flavors wake up.

Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small pot with a splash of olive oil and a tiny pinch of salt. Stir in the couscous, cover the pot, turn off the heat once the water is absorbed, then let it steam for a few minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and let it cool just enough to handle.

In a large bowl, toss the chopped arugula, spinach, and cucumber together so you’ve got a fresh, crunchy base ready for the warm couscous.

Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a generous handful of chopped parsley in a small bowl. Thin it with a splash of water until it’s pourable, then taste and add more salt if you like.

Stir together hot honey, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice to make a thin glaze. Brush it quickly on both sides of the halloumi slices and let them sit for about a minute so the flavors soak in.

Set a skillet over medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. Once hot, add the halloumi and cook 2–3 minutes on each side until golden and crisp at the edges; brush on extra glaze toward the end for a glossy finish.

Fold the fluffed couscous into the dressed greens, add the marinated onions and a sprinkle more parsley. Divide among plates, top each with a piece of seared halloumi, and finish with extra drizzles of honey and olive oil if you like. Serve right away while everything’s warm and bright.