My favorite cheese…wait, let me start over. My favorite Summertime cheese is definitely halloumi. I would describe halloumi as a salty cheese, similar to mozzarella, but with a harder more squeaky texture. The best part about the cheese is that it grills or pan-sears like a dream.

With this salad, I wanted to add a big hit of freshness. I chopped up watermelon and cherry tomatoes and tossed it all together and it was magical!

The cheese surprisingly stays in tact when grilled or seared. It oozes out just a little bit. Then you chop it up and quickly add it to the salad. BOOM! Quick summer salad that is delicious.

Watermelon Halloumi Salad

Try a different type of cheese in this watermelon halloumi salad. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Juice from 1/2 lemon 
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Pinch of dried oregano 
• Watermelon Halloumi:
• 1/2 small (3-pound) watermelon, melon balled 
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 8 ounces halloumi, cubed into bite-size pieces

Directions

1. To Make the Dressing: To a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined. Set aside. 
2. To Make the Remainder of the Salad: To a large bowl, add the watermelon, tomatoes and Italian parsley. 
3. To a small saute pan, set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When warm, add the green onion and allow to cook until softened, about a minute. Pour into the bowl with the watermelon and tomatoes. Return the saute pan to the stove and add more olive oil, if needed. Add the cubes of halloumi and sear on each side for about a minute, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly before adding it to the bowl with the watermelon. Toss and serve immediately. 

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 (as a side salad)

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.