The vinaigrette is made by blending pitted cherries with lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a smooth, vibrant dressing that coats everything instantly and adds a sweet-tart brightness no bottle will give you. The halloumi is grilled in a pan until golden on both sides, resulting in a salty, squeaky, and warmth against the cool romaine and fruit around it. Baby romaine is the right choice when making a salad for two; easier to manage and perfectly portioned.
This is a salad you will make every summer for as long as cherries are available, which is part of what makes it worth knowing. The corn can be fresh or canned depending on the season; the cherries cannot be substituted. Make it while you can.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Cherries – any type, as long as they are at their top of ripeness.
- Romaine lettuce – this lettuce delivers a great crunch and adds a lot of volume to the salad. I used the baby romaine, as that is a easier to use when you cook for two.
- Sweet corn – preferably fresh, but canned can work as well
- Halloumi cheese – the best grilling cheese, but their are alternative available. Check out this post. There are not even more alternatives.
- Tomatoes – cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Whole wheat bread – gives a more flavorful roasted bread cube, and satisfies more than white bread, but white will do as well.
- Basil and parsley
- Lemon juice and zest
How to Make Cherry & Romaine Salad with Halloumi
Step 1 – Make the cherry vinaigrette. Halve and pit the cherries and transfer them to a pitcher. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil and salt & pepper and blend with a immersion blender until smooth.
Place in refrigerator until needed.
- Step 2 – Cube the bread and cut the Halloumi cheese in cubes (about 1/2 inch). Place bread cubes and cheese slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle olive oil, and salt and pepper over the bread cubes and coat the cheese with olive oil (no need to add salt and pepper). Place the baking sheet in an oven of 425°F and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn the cheese half way in the cooking time, so both sides become nice and brown.
- Step 3 – Shuck the corn and cook it for 10 minutes in boiling water with salt. Then cut the kernels off the cob.
Step 4 – Chop all the ingredients; cherries, tomatoes, lettuce, corn, bread, parsley and basil. Place them in a bowl and mix.
Step 5 – Pour dressing over the salad and mix.
Step 6 – Divide salad over 2 plates or bowls and add Halloumi cheese.
Other Salads with Halloumi to Try
Cherry & Romaine Salad with Halloumi
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 2 cups cherries, halved and pitted
- 2 heads baby romaine lettuce
- 8 ounces Halloumi cheese, cut in thick slices
- 2-3 slices whole wheat bread
- 1 ear corn
- 1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 4 ounces tomatoes, cut in halves
- 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Halve and pit the cherries.
- Make the cherry vinaigrette first. Transfer half of the pitted cherries to a pitcher. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil and salt & pepper and blend with a immersion blender until smooth. Place in refrigerator until needed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cube the bread and transfer the cubes to the baking sheet. Sprinkle olive oil, and salt and pepper over the bread cubes.
- Cut the Halloumi cheese in thick slices (about 1/2 inch). Place cheese slices on the same baking sheet and brush with olive oil (no need to add salt and pepper).
- Place the baking sheet in an oven of 425°F and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn the cheese half way in the cooking time, so both sides become nice and brown.
- Shuck the corn and cook it for 10 minutes in boiling water with salt, then cut kernels off the cob.
- Chop basil and parsley fine.
- Add all ingredients (except for Halloumi cheese) into a large bowl and mix.
- Pour cherry vinaigrette over the salad and mix again.
- Divide salad over 2 plates or bowls and add Halloumi cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.