Roasted Tomato, Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pesto

Ok friends, this Roasted Tomato, Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pesto might just be my new favourite summer salad!

This salad is full of many seasonal ingredients; you’ll find juicy tomatoes, arugula and basil pesto.

Then the salad is topped with halloumi cheese making it perfect for summer lunch, dinner and even for feeding a crowd!

My first taste of halloumi cheese was in Sweden of all places. We enjoyed it pan-fried to accompany a lunch of breads, spreads and vegetables. Halloumi is a Greek cheese with an extremely high melting point which makes it great for pan-frying or grilling.

It only takes a couple of minutes to cook giving you a delicious, savoury bite that is crispy on the outside and soft and a bit chewy on the inside. I love keeping halloumi in my fridge as an easy protein add-on to salads or wraps; it goes so well with greens!

And, that is exactly why I knew the cheese would pair so well with the roasted tomatoes, arugula and pesto in this salad.

By roasting the tomatoes you get juicy bursts of flavour throughout the salad.

The pine nuts add a bit of crunch and the pesto brings the freshness along with the arugula. Finally a squeeze of lemon brings all of the flavours to the next level.

Roasted Tomato, Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pesto

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: salad, summer salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 2 large salads or 1 salad to share

Made with tomatoes, pesto and arugula, this Roasted Tomato, Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pesto is sure to become a summer favourite. Perfect for sharing!

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Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes

• 2 cups baby tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• ground pepper
• 8 slices halloumi cheese (about half-inch slices)
• 6 packed cups arugula
• 1/4 cup toasted nuts I used pine nuts but almonds or walnuts would work too
• lemon
• 4 tbsp prepared pesto I love my easy basil pesto but you can use whatever you like!

Instructions

Roasted Tomatoes

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix together tomatoes, olive oil, thyme, garlic powder, coarse salt and a pinch of pepper.

3. Spread tomatoes in an even layer on the baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes until tomatoes are soft and fragrant.

4. To make the halloumi, heat a medium frying pan to medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the halloumi about 3-5 minutes per side, until a bit golden on each side. Set aside.

5. To make the salad, divide the arugula between two large plates.

6. Divide the remaining ingredients amongst the two plates: roasted tomatoes, toasted nuts, pesto and juice from a quarter of a lemon. Toss and taste, adding more pesto or lemon to your liking and then top the salad with the halloumi slices.

7. OR if serving as one large salad, put all of the arugula in one large bowl followed by the remaining ingredients and add the halloumi at the end.

If you’re looking to make this salad quicker, skip the roasting of the tomatoes and serve them fresh! As we head into peak tomato season, serving the tomatoes fresh will be delicious too.

But if you opt to roast the tomatoes they can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature. I’ve also stored the tomatoes in the fridge and used them the next day too!

This Roasted Tomato, Arugula and Halloumi Salad with Pesto is great for an easy weeknight dinner or serve it on the weekend for guests.

This salad recipe is also versatile:

• Use different salad greens – baby kale or mixed greens work well too
• Switch out the pine nuts for walnuts or almonds
• For even more protein, add chicken

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess