Hot honey halloumi salad pairs caramelized carrots, chickpeas, and halloumi with a smooth tahini dressing.
Hot Honey Halloumi Salad is all about bold flavors and satisfying texture. Salty, golden halloumi is coated in a sweet and spicy glaze, then layered with roasted za'atar carrots, crispy chickpeas and crunchy pistachios. Every bite has contrast, from creamy tahini dressing to crisp and caramelized edges. It's the kind of salad that actually feels like a full meal, not something that leaves you looking for a snack later.
reasons you'll love this salad
- Filling - protein rich halloumi and chickpeas stick with you and actually keeps you full.
- Contrast - sweet, spicy, salty, crunchy and creamy, this salad has everything.
- Balanced - roasted carrots, legumes, nuts, and more. This has got a balanced mix of ingredients for a wholesome lunch.
Key Ingredients for Hot Honey Halloumi
- Halloumi: halloumi is a semi firm cheese that is known for its high melting point. Instead of melting it holds its shape and becomes crispy when cooked.
- Hot Honey: I suggest hot honey because the contrast with salty halloumi is incredible, but you can also use regular honey if you prefer there to be no spice.
- Chickpeas: drained, rinsed and dried before roasting.
- Carrots: use any variety you prefer.
- Flavor Makers: olive oil, za'tar spice blend, salted almonds, salted pistachios, tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, and parsley.
What I learned During Testing
- High Heat: Halloumi needs high heat and patience. Moving it too soon prevents that perfect crispy crust, let it fully sear before flipping.
- Add Honey Last: drizzle the honey over the halloumi after it is crispy, adding it too soon will cause it to burn.
- Dry Chickpeas: any moisture will keep them soft instead of crunchy.
- Caramelize Carrots: you want to roast the carrots until they have begun to caramelize around the edges, not just until they are tender.
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Hot Honey Halloumi Salad
Ingredients
For the Carrots and Chickpeas
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried well
- 3 cups sliced carrots
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Za'tar seasoning
For the Hot Honey Halloumi
- 8 ounces halloumi cut into slices
- 2 tablespoons hot honey
For the Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- water to thin
To Assemble
- ¼ cup chopped salted almonds
- ¼ cup chipped salted pistachios
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Toss the sliced carrots and very dry chickpeas with oil and za'atar spices until evenly coated. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 10 minutes, stir or flip, and roast another 10-15 minutes, until the carrots have begun to caramelized and the chickpeas are crispy.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and lightly coat the bottom of the skillet with oil. Add the halloumi slices and cook on both sides until golden brown.
- Drizzle with honey and cook for about 30 seconds, then remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, honey and enough water to thin into a pourable dressing.
- In a large bowl or platter, combine the roasted carrots, chickpeas, hot halloumi, almonds and pistachios.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss gently.
- Top with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Tips:
- This recipe serves 6 as a side, 3-4 as a larger main salad.
Nutrition Information
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Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.
When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.
