Pan-fried Halloumi is the perfect topping for this Mediterranean inspired Bulgur Wheat salad with fresh herbs, tomato and cucumber. A delicious vegetarian salad that is full of flavour.
Halloumi and Bulgur Wheat Salad
It’s not secret that Halloumi cheese is one of my favourite things to eat. It is so versatile – I love it on salads and in sandwiches, as a veggie burger, skewered on kebabs and even in tacos.
Pan fried halloumi is something special – crispy on the outside with a delicious soft and gooey middle. It is so perfect on top of a salad, especially one full of fresh Mediterranean inspired flavour like this bulgur wheat salad.
Halloumi makes a great protein packed meat substitute too – I bet even any die-hard carnivores will happily devour this vegetarian salad!
Is Bulgur Wheat Healthy?
Bulgur wheat is a grain made from dried, cracked wheat and has a similar consistency to cous-cous or quinoa. It is a whole grain, popular in Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisines. Bulgur is famously used for the Levantine dish Tabbouleh, which was a huge inspiration for this salad.
Bulgur is not only quick to cook but is also very good for you! Because it’s not overly processed like a lot of wheat products it maintains a high nutritional value. It is full of fibre as well as manganese, magnesium and iron.
If you are looking for a quinoa or rice substitute then bulgur is perfect – it is much cheaper, easily available and (in my opinion) a lot easier to cook. It does have a mild nutty flavour but it is not overpowering at all. This means bulgur wheat is great with many different flavours. You can serve it cold like in this halloumi salad or warm with dishes like curry, Tagine or stir fry.
How to Cook Bulgur Wheat
The best thing about bulgur wheat is that it doesn’t require cooking!
To prepare, simply pour the bulgur into a heatproof bowl (no need to rinse beforehand). Cover with double the amount of water (for example, 1 cup bulgur requires 2 cups water). Cover the bowl with a tea towel or lid and leave to soak for 20-30 minutes until all the water has absorbed.
Fluff up the grains with a fork before serving. The grains should be tender with a slight chewy texture.
Depending on what you are using the bulgur for, you could cover it with stock or add in some spices or seasonings to add some extra flavour.
Ingredients
- Halloumi Cheese – Pan fried so it’s crispy on the outside and soft and gooey in the middle. If you need this salad to be vegetarian check the packet as not all halloumi is sometimes made with animal-derived rennet.
- Bulgur Wheat – you could also use cous-cous or substitute quinoa for a gluten free version
- Red Onion
- Red or Yellow Pepper
- Cucumber
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Fresh Parsley
- Additional Serving Suggestions: Labneh or hummus (try my easy White Bean Hummus) and some toasted flatbread or pitta
You can prepare the bulgur salad in advance – it will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The halloumi is best eaten as soon as it is cooked though.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do!
Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
More easy salad recipes:
- Halloumi Tomato Salad
- Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Feta
- Best Chopped Salad
- Mediterranean White Bean Salad
- Borlotti Bean Salad
- Baked Bulgur Salad
Mediterranean Halloumi and Bulgur Wheat Salad
Equipment
- Large heatproof bowl
- Non stick frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 225 grams halloumi cheese
- 1 red onion - diced
- 1 red or yellow pepper - diced
- ½ a cucumber - diced
- 250 cherry tomatoes - quartered
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- 50 grams parsley - finely chopped
- 50 grams mint leaves - finely chopped
Instructions
- To prepare the bulgur, add to a large heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups of freshly boiled water. Cover the bowl with a lid or tea-towel and leave to soak for 20-30 minutes until all the water has absorbed.
- Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients – dice the pepper, cucumber and onion and quarter the cherry tomatoes. Add them to a large serving bowl and stir in the herbs.
- Pour over the olive oil, lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt and stir well.
- When the bulgur is ready (the grains should be tender with a slight chewy texture) add to the rest of the salad ingredients and stir well. Add more salt, lemon juice and olive oil to taste if required.
- Cook the halloumi just before serving – drain any excess liquid from the packet and cut the cheese into 1cm thick slices.
- Heat a non stick frying pan over a medium heat and add the halloumi slices. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp and golden (Use a little oil if your pan is not non-stick).
- Divide the salad between 4 bowls and top with halloumi. Serve with hummus or labneh and some toasted flatbreads.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been linked to CookBlogShare week 35 hosted by Sisley at SewWhite
I love halloumi like this and this salad is so similar to the way we like to enjoy it too!
I love using bulgur wheat in a salad and I’m loving your Mediterranean flavours combining halloumi and fresh herbs.
This looks so tasty. I’ve been eating a lot of this style of salad over the summer so thank you for another variation to try.
I love halloumi and it goes so well with the freshness of the salad. So tasty.
This looks so delicious, I adore halloumi!