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If you’re a plant-based eater and thought your halloumi days were over, we have fantastic news for you. It’s perfectly easy to create a dairy-free version of the cheese, as this vegan halloumi salad recipe proves.
Read more: 9 Gut-Friendly Recipes Featuring Fermented Foods
Pistachios are having a bit of a moment right now, so recipe developers BOSH! combined the nutritious nuts with their own plant-based halloumi to create this zingy salad.
Benefits of pistachios
Pistachios are a nutrient-dense food, packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. They are particularly rich in vitamin B6, which is important for several bodily functions, including blood sugar regulation and the formation of hemoglobin. A high intake of B6 is associated with improved heart health. Pistachios are also a good source of potassium and antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are beneficial for eye health. The antioxidants present in pistachios can help fight oxidative stress and inflammation, leading to reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Read more: How To Make Tofu ‘Feta Cheese’
Vegan halloumi and pistachio salad recipe
Ingredients
For the vegan halloumi
- 400 g firm tofu
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 20 g nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Juice of 1 lemon
For the quinoa
- 200 g quinoa
- 400 g water
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the salad
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 15 g dill
- 20 g pomegranate seeds
- 20 g pistachios
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cucumber
- 4 spring onions
- 15 mint leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C
Prepare the vegan halloumi
- Press the tofu in the tofu press for 10 minutes
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the shallow bowl, catching any pips in your free hand
- Add the olive oil, nutritional yeast and salt to the bowl and stir to form a smooth paste
- Take the tofu out of the tofu press and cut it into 8 strips
- Put the tofu strips in the bowl and coat in the marinade
- Lay the marinated tofu strips in the baking sheet and drizzle over any remaining marinade
- Put the tray in the oven and roast the tofu for 25 minutes
Making the quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa in the sieve under cold water for 30 seconds
- Add the rinsed quinoa, water and a pinch of salt to the pan, put the pan on the stove over a high heat and bring the water to a boil
- Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and leave the quinoa to cook for 20-25 minutes until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and is nice and fluffy
Preparing the salad ingredients
- Halve the lemon
- Peel and grate the garlic
- Halve the cherry tomatoes
- Trim the ends of the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and finely slice
- Trim the spring onions and finely slice at an angle
- Pick the mint leaves
- Pick the dill fronds
Griddle the halloumi
- Warm the griddle pan on the stove over a medium high heat, lay the tofu strips on the pan and leave them to sear for 2 mins each side to create lovely dark griddle lines
- Transfer the halloumi to a plate and season with a good pinch of salt
Build the salad and serve
- Squeeze the lemon juice into salad bowl catching any pips in your free hand, add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine
- Add the tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions to the bowl and toss to combine and coat in the dressing
- Add the quinoa, mint and dill (saving a little for garnish) to the bowl and toss to combine
- Taste and season with salt and pepper
- Spoon the quinoa salad into bowls, dress with rocket, top with vegan halloumi, sprinkle over the pistachios and pomegranate seeds garnish with the remaining mint and dill and serve immediately with lemon wedges
This recipe was republished with permission from BOSH!. You can view the original recipe here.
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