Halloumi and snap pea salad with honey lime dressing is everything that a normal winter meal is not. It’s light, it’s bright, it’s healthy and it’s ready in just under fifteen minutes. Speedy and easy couscous gets topped with crispy sliced snap peas, fresh strawberries and grilled halloumi cheese. A citrusy sweet honey lime vinaigrette dresses the salad. A dollop of labneh and a sprinkle of fresh mint elevate the plate.
New Year’s Reset
January is the time when most of us want to hit the reset button.
New year, new you?
But it’s not easy when the temperatures are cold and the sun sets before most of us even think about starting dinner. It can be so tempting to keep the comfort food coming. Halloumi and snap pea salad with honey lime dressing is the perfect antidote. The addition of labneh on the side elevates this way beyond your typical dish plus increase the amount of protein to make sure you’re not hungry two hours later.
Same Recipes, Different Day
I love recipes. I subscribe to quite a few blogs and follow several major recipe publications, many of which are vegetarian or vegan because I’m always looking for new ideas that don’t require meat. My inbox gets bombarded with new stuff daily, but I often feel like I’m seeing the same sweet potato buddha bowls and cauliflower taco recipes that I’ve seen before.
I scroll anyway, and wait for inspiration to strike. Today it did, and this halloumi and snap pea salad with honey lime dressing was my reward.
I always make my own salad dressings. I gave up bottled years ago. You don’t need any fancy vinegars to make your own salad dressings. Lemon or lime juice mixed with olive oil will work for almost any salad recipe.
This halloumi and snap pea salad with honey lime dressing is a good place to start if you want to try it yourself. It’s just my simple lime vinaigrette with a generous squeeze of honey. Anyone can do it.
15 Minutes of Fame
Even if you have a couple of light and lean suppers on rotation already, there’s always room for new flavor inspirations. Halloumi and snap pea salad with honey lime dressing is a great escape from the everyday dinner salad. Best part? Done in less than 15 minutes.
As I mentioned in my New Year’s Reset post, I’m currently obsessed with labneh and this is a perfect dish to showcase the ingredient. Never heard of it? Read this culinary guide to labneh and then try it in the halloumi and snap pea salad with honey lime dressing. Prepare to be blown away.
Halloumi and Snap Pea Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
This easy weeknight meal comes together super fast. Just line up all of the ingredients and follow the steps in order.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain couscous
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp lime juice (about 1 whole lime)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp honey
- salt and pepper
- 4-5 large strawberries, sliced
- 6-7 snap peas, sliced lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces
- 1/3 pkg halloumi cheese
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup labneh
- 2 tbsp fresh mint
- 1 tbsp fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
- Place the dry couscous in a small bowl. Microwave the water for 2 minutes or until just boiling. Carefully pour the boiling water over the couscous, swirl gently to make sure all the couscous is submerged and cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel. Set aside.
- In a small ramekin or mixing cup, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it and adjust to your liking. Don't skimp on the honey! Set aside.
- Heat a cast iron grill pan over med-high heat. Open a package of halloumi cheese and slice it lengthwise into thirds (see photo). Save 2 of the 3 pieces for another use.
- While the pan is heating, slice your strawberries, snap peas and mint (see photo).
- Once the pan is hot (3-4 minutes), use a fork to add the coconut oil and spread it as it melts over enough surface to handle the halloumi block. Pat the halloumi dry with paper towels and then add to the hot pan. Sear on each side for about 2 minutes until golden grill marks are visible. Remove from pan and slice into strips or bite-sized pieces.
- Build the salad: Use a fork to fluff your couscous and put that in the bottom of your salad bowl. Add the sliced strawberries, snap peas and halloumi. Pour the dressing over the entire salad. Sprinkle with chopped mint. Place a dollop of labneh on the side. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Hungry For More Healthy?
Check out pineapple and banana oat milk smoothie, then subscribe below to make sure you don’t miss the 2024 recipe collection.
One thought on “Halloumi and Snap Pea Salad with Honey Lime Dressing”