Halloumi Blood Orange Fattoush (Printable)

Vibrant Levantine salad with golden halloumi, blood oranges, and sourdough croutons in sumac vinaigrette.

# Components:

→ Salad Base

01 - 7 oz halloumi cheese, sliced
02 - 2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
03 - 7 oz mixed salad greens including romaine, arugula, parsley, and mint
04 - 1/2 cucumber, sliced
05 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 4 radishes, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Croutons

08 - 2 thick slices sourdough bread, cut into cubes
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - Sea salt to taste

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon ground sumac
15 - 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Frying

18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss sourdough cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp, turning once halfway through.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, ground sumac, pomegranate molasses, salt, and black pepper until emulsified. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add halloumi slices and fry 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown and slightly crispy. Transfer to a plate.
04 - In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, radish slices, and red onion.
05 - Add blood orange slices, warm halloumi, and sourdough croutons to the salad bowl.
06 - Drizzle with sumac vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately while halloumi is still warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The warm halloumi stays creamy inside while the edges turn impossibly crispy, creating this textural moment you won't expect in a salad.
  • Blood oranges give you that sophisticated tartness without needing to squeeze lemon everywhere, and the color alone makes people stop mid-conversation.
  • You can have this on the table in 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners that still feel like you put in real effort.
02 -
  • Never dress the salad more than a few minutes before eating, because even sturdy greens like romaine will start to wilt if they sit too long in acid and oil, and you'll lose that crunch that makes this dish worth making.
  • Blood oranges are seasonal and can be tricky to find outside of winter months, so regular oranges work fine as a substitute, though you'll miss that subtle berry undertone and deep color that makes people think you're being fancy.
03 -
  • Make your croutons while the oven is already heating for something else if you can, because it's just a few extra minutes and homemade croutons taste exponentially better than store-bought ones that went stale.
  • If you're cooking for people with dietary restrictions, grilled tofu or vegan feta works in place of halloumi and will absorb flavor from the dressing beautifully without tasting like a sad substitute.
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