Halloumi Salad

Colorful and bright watermelon, halloumi, arugula, and cherry tomato salad with a zesty grapefruit dressing.

Updated Nov 03, 2025, Published Jun 04, 2024

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This halloumi salad combines crispy, grilled halloumi, juicy watermelon, tangy cherry tomatoes, peppery arugula, and a zesty grapefruit dressing.

A plate of salad with cubed watermelon, halloumi cheese, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and mint leaves on a gray surface.

Quick to prepare, the salad is wonderfully salty, sweet, and satisfying to eat. It’s my go-to side dish for BBQs and outdoor lunches and can easily be turned into a main course, too!

A sideview of a cubed watermelon, grilled halloumi, cherry tomato, mint and basil salad on a white plate with a grapefruit in the background.

When the weather turns warm, I make salads pretty much every day, rotating through recipes like my tomato caprese salad, prosciutto salad, and nectarine salad. They’re all delicious, but this halloumi salad recipe is a particular favorite for summer, allowing me to take advantage of a wide variety of fresh produce at once.

A bowl of colorful salad with watermelon cubes, cherry tomatoes, orange segments, greens, and fresh herbs. Nearby are grapefruit slices on a board and a blue checkered cloth.

With a variety of tastes and textures, it’s a unique dish that’s quick to prepare and easy to customize. I typically serve it as an appetizer or side, but it can also double as a filling vegetarian main course. Or add grilled chicken for extra protein.

Recipe Tip

If you omit the arugula and micro-chop everything, you can serve it as a salsa to top onto your favorite wraps and tacos.

Halloumi Salad Ingredients

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!

Watermelon: You’ll need two slices of a medium-sized watermelon cubed into similar sized pieces.
Halloumi: This salty cheese doesn’t melt like other cheeses. Pan-fry it in butter for that delicious and crispy texture.
Butter: I use salted butter.
Cherry tomatoes: Ideally firm and preferably sweet. I use yellow and red cherry tomatoes for a burst of color.
Arugula: Make sure to choose fresh, crisp leaves for the best taste. If they are on the wilted side, submerge them in cold water until they crisp up again.
Herbs: Fresh mint and basil.
Dressing: You’ll need grapefruit juice, white balsamic glaze, extra virgin olive oil, finely chopped fresh mint, sea salt, and black pepper.

How to Make a Halloumi Salad

Prepare the ingredients: Cube the watermelon and halve the cherry tomatoes. Cube and fry the halloumi in butter in a pan on medium-high until golden brown.
Prepare the dressing: Mix grapefruit juice, balsamic glaze, olive oil, finely chopped mint, and season well.
Arrange the salad: Add arugula, cherry tomatoes, cubed watermelon, and fried halloumi to your platter.
Final details: Pour the dressing over the salad. Mix well and garnish with fresh basil and mint.

Possible Variations

Watermelon: Or cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, or Galia.
Halloumi: Try plain feta or goat cheese instead (no need to fry it).
Butter: Swap for extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee.
Cherry tomatoes: Grape tomatoes or chopped vine tomatoes.
Arugula: Kale, baby spinach, lettuce, mixed salad greens, or watercress.
Grapefruit: Use lime or lemon juice.
Balsamic glaze: Swap for a regular dark balsamic glaze, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or honey.
Add-ins: Top with any nuts and seeds for some crunch, homemade croutons, red onions, chili flakes, sumac, jalapeños, couscous, chickpeas, shredded chicken, or grilled shrimps.