Plant-Based Halloumi Salad
Just before we went vegan, halloumi was having a moment in the spotlight. We loved halloumi, so we decided to make a super convincing vegan version using tofu! This recipe is fantastic, the flavours and texture of the "halloumi" is perfect and it's complimented perfectly by the zippy salad. Wonderful!
Serves
Ingredients
For the vegan halloumi
<item-todo-done>400g firm tofu<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>20g nutritional yeast<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 Juice of 1 lemon<item-todo-done>
For the quinoa
<item-todo-done>200g quinoa<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>400g water<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt & pepper to taste<item-todo-done>
For the salad
<item-todo-done>3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>250g cherry tomatoes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>15g dill<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>20g pomegranate seeds<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>20g pistachios<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt & pepper to taste<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 garlic clove<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 cucumber<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 spring onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>15 mint<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Juice of 1 lemon<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Preheat oven to 180°C | Tofu press | Shallow bowl | Baking sheet lined with parchment | Griddle pan | Sieve | Saucepan
Prepare the vegan halloumi
- Press the tofu in the tofu press for 10 minutes
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the shallow bowl, catching any pips in your free hand
- Add the olive oil, nutritional yeast and salt to the bowl and stir to form a smooth paste
- Take the tofu out of the tofu press and cut it into 8 strips
- Put the tofu strips in the bowl and coat in the marinade
- Lay the marinated tofu strips in the baking sheet and drizzle over any remaining marinade
- Put the tray in the oven and roast the tofu for 25 minutes
Making the quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa in the sieve under cold water for 30 seconds
- Add the rinsed quinoa, water and a pinch of salt to the pan, put the pan on the stove over a high heat and bring the water to a boil
- Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and leave the quinoa to cook for 20-25 minutes until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and is nice and fluffy
Preparing the salad ingredients
- Halve the lemon
- Peel and grate the garlic
- Halve the cherry tomatoes
- Trim the ends of the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and finely slice
- Trim the spring onions and finely slice at an angle
- Pick the mint leaves
- Pick the dill fronds
Griddle the halloumi
- Warm the griddle pan on the stove over a medium high heat, lay the tofu strips on the pan and leave them to sear for 2 mins each side to create lovely dark griddle lines
- Transfer the halloumi to a plate and season with a good pinch of salt
Build the salad and serve
- Squeeze the lemon juice into salad bowl catching any pips in your free hand, add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine
- Add the tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions to the bowl and toss to combine and coat in the dressing
- Add the quinoa, mint and dill (saving a little for garnish) to the bowl and toss to combine
- Taste and season with salt and pepper
- Spoon the quinoa salad into bowls, dress with rocket, top with vegan halloumi, sprinkle over the pistachios and pomegranate seeds garnish with the remaining mint and dill and serve immediately with lemon wedges