Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Halloumi

A nourishing, zero waste recipe, featuring the bold flavours of the Mediterranean in one hearty salad.

Earthy lentils, salty cheese, tangy lemon and smoky onion, all tied together with a herby green olive dressing, makes this Mediterranean lentil salad recipe an absolute knockout. If you’ve tired of your usual salads, I can promise that this one is astonishingly tasty.

Serve it up as a side dish at your next barbecue or enjoy it as weekday dinner on a warm summer evening. It also works very well as a do-ahead lunch or pot-luck entree. Rest assured, I’m also giving you lots of options for substitutions so you can use what you have on hand.

The Versatile Mediterranean Salad…

…and why I love it so. The flexibility of a nourishing grain salad will never cease to amaze me. On busy weeknights it rescues dinner, thanks to grains from the freezer, a can of lentils or beans, and bits ‘n bobs from the fridge to built it out. Indeed, that is how this recipe was born.

How can just a few ingredients deliver such a flavourful salad? With a touch of smokiness from the grill (or broiler), fresh herbs in abundance, and briny olives paired with peppery olive oil in a punchy vinaigrette. (Psst: Choose large, meaty green olives, not a pimento-stuffed cocktail olive.)

This salad was also created to use a surplus of fresh garden herbs. Think Mediterranean when you build your salad and include a combination of flat-leaf parsley, basil, oregano and thyme.

Below are examples of the many variations this protein-packed lentil salad can take on. Make it yours.

Mediterranean Lentil Salad Variations

The ingredients are simple, yet they all work so well together. Use these suggestions and my recipe formula below to create a custom salad from your pantry and garden.

Pulses

Green, Brown, French Green/du Puy and Black/Beluga all work in this salad. Canned lentils may be used; I prefer to cook from dry, after a good soak. I adore the Canadian-grown French Lentils from Flourist.

Whole Grains

Bulgur, quinoa, farro, rice, millet, barley…the list of delicious ancient grains goes on. I’ve chosen to use nutty farro in this salad. Cultivated for thousands of years in the Mediterranean, I absolutely love how it pairs with both olives and lentils.

The type of grain used in this salad will determine if it is gluten free or not. (Gluten-Free: quinoa, rice, millet. Gluten: barley, bulgur, farro). Gluten is not an issue in our home; in fact we try to make ancient grains a big part of our diet.

Grilled Alliums

I’ve used spring onions in this version, but it is equally as delicious with grilled or charred red onion, leeks, shallots or sweet onion. If you’re lucky enough to have access to wild ramps in the spring, by all means, use them.

Cheese

It’s fair to say that Halloumi is having a moment. Indeed it is such a versatile cheese, incredibly satisfying; there’s a lot to love. All summer long I am throwing hunks of halloumi on the grill, and they often end up on a salad.

Feta is a close second choice for this hearty salad, either crumbled and tossed with the lentils, or presented as a slab on top. Use a light hand! Too much feta can make the salad overly salty. Blue cheese and goat cheese are also two excellent options. Use what you have.

Add-Ins

This Mediterranean lentil salad is a great base for building and expanding with your favourite salad ingredients. Try it with crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes or grilled asparagus spears. Get fruity with grilled peaches or strawberries (yes indeed!). Garnish with toasted pine nuts or buttery croutons.

Grilling or Charring: An All-Season Salad

Lentils should be enjoyed year round, which is why I’ve tested this recipe using an oven in addition to a grill. Yes, you can still achieve a lovely smoky char on the green onions, lemon and halloumi under the broiler. In fact, it’s a wonderful shortcut, should you need to cut corners.

For pure ease of summertime charcoal grilling, I’ve been loving the new Konnected Joe that was gifted to me from the Kamado Joe family of grills. I’ve always got so much on the go in addition to grilling (I’m usually lifeguarding and entertaining) and I need SIMPLE. I love how easy this ceramic grill is to use. It lights with the push of an automatic starter, and is then controlled by an app on my phone!

Do-Ahead and Meal Prep Suggestions

Thanks to the heartiness of lentils and whole grains, this salad holds up extremely well in the fridge. I tested it up to five days and -yup- still delicious. It won’t last that long again!

Every component can be prepared in advance. The salad can be assembled – grains, lentils and a punch green olive vinaigrette – and then refrigerated for a day or two before assembly. All you have to do is toss the onions, lemon and halloumi on the grill and then dress the salad. It’s really the perfect backyard barbecue side dish or vegetarian main.

This would be oh-so-fabulous with other Mediterranean-inspired recipes. Serve it with my Grilled Peach and Chicken Kebabs or Sheet Pan Meatballs.

• 1/2 cup pitted green olives
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves or other mild fresh herb such dill, etc
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for grilling
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked French lentils or green lentils
• 1 cup cooked grains quinoa, rice, farro etc
• 1 250g Haloumi cheese or feta
• 1 bunch green onions or spring onions
• 1 lemon thinly sliced

Make the Green Olive Dressing

• Finely chop the green olives and fresh herbs. If you’re making a big batch, save time and use a food processor.

• In a small bowl, stir the minced olives and herbs together with the vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil. Add pepper; stir well to combine the dressing.

• In a large bowl combine the lentils and grains together with the green olive dressing. At this point the salad can keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Get Grilling

• Preheat your grill or broiler, depending on the season. Toss the green onion with a little olive oil and spread onto a sheet pan, together with the sliced lemons.

• Slice the halloumi into two slabs and score a crosshatch in the top of each with a knife. Rub olive oil into the cuts on the cheese.

• Grill (or broil) onions, halloumi and lemons until they have a lovely char. The green onions will wilt and blister. The halloumi will take on a beautiful golden crust.

• Finely chop the grilled lemon slices. Roughly chop the green onion. Slice the halloumi into bite size pieces. All of these additions may be prepped in advance.

Assemble the salad.

• Stir the lemon and green onion into the lentil salad base. Heap onto a plate or platter. Top with sliced halloumi. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh herbs. Chive blossoms make a pretty addition. Serve at room temperature. The salad can also be covered, refrigerated, and held for several days.

Keep the salad gluten free by choosing a gluten-free whole grain such as quinoa or millet.
Add a little heat to the salad with a minced fresh chili.
For a recipe shortcut, use a green olive tapenade in place of the olive.
Salad can be prepped up to 24 hours ahead of time. Add the grilled haloumi on top just before serving.