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    Home » Recipes

    Fall Harvest Salad with Halloumi Cheese

    Oct 11, 2022 · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This fall harvest salad has all the best flavors of fall--sweet potatoes, maple candied pecans, tart and crunchy apples, dried cranberries, and a maple apple cider vinegar dressing. The halloumi cheese adds a little extra tanginess and is so so good.

    A serving bowl filled with lettuce, apples, sweet potato, halloumi cheese, and pecans.

    This fall harvest salad is great as an entree because the sweet potatoes, apples, and halloumi cheese make it super filling. If you'd like to add a protein, turkey or chicken (even rotisserie chicken would work perfectly!) would be super tasty. I think this would be great at Thanksgiving or Christmas, too!

    If you're looking for other great recipes for fall, check out our fall recipes page. Our Sweet Potato Vegetarian Tostadas and Candied Pecan Green Beans are two of my personal favorites.

    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients
    • What is halloumi cheese?
    • Instructions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Fall Harvest Salad with Halloumi Cheese Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Key Ingredients

    • Apples- I used two for this recipe, but feel free to add or subtract as you see fit. I used Jazz apples, which are crisp and juicy, with just a hint of tartness. They're the perfect eating apple. Honeycrisp would work really well too, but use whatever apples you have on hand.
    • Sweet Potatoes
    • Halloumi Cheese
    • Dried Cranberries
    • Pecans- I use raw, unsalted pecan halves. We use pecans in a lot of stuff, so I buy 2 pound bags at Costco.
    • Romaine Lettuce and Spinach or Kale- We used a mixture of romaine, spinach, and kale for this salad, but use whatever lettuce you have on hand or enjoy. Something with a bit of a crunch works well!
    • Other ingredients- Oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, coconut sugar (brown sugar would work as well), cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.

    See recipe card for amounts.

    What is halloumi cheese?

    Halloumi cheese is made from goat's or sheep's milk and has a high melting point, allowing it to be cooked without melting. It has a mellow tangy flavor and tastes great in this salad. If you can't find halloumi in your local grocery store, queso fresco or paneer can also be pan-fried. Feta has a similar flavor, but you'll miss out on the great texture of the halloumi.

    Instructions

    Step 1: Cut the sweet potatoes into small cubes--the smaller they are, the faster they'll cook. I don't peel mine, but if you don't care for the skin, feel free to peel yours. Coat the sweet potatoes in oil, then toss them in cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Transfer them to a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes.

    This is a picture of sweet potatoes on a baking sheet.

    Step 2: While the sweet potatoes are cooking, add pecan halves, maple syrup, coconut sugar, salt and cinnamon to a bowl and stir to combine. After the 15 minutes is up, scoot the sweet potatoes to one side of the baking sheet, put the pecans on the other half, and place it back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

    Note: if the sweet potatoes are still hard after 15 minutes, you should place them in the oven for another 5 minutes BEFORE adding the pecans to the baking sheet. The sweet potatoes should be almost done when you add the pecans.

    Once the sweet potatoes and pecans are done, transfer the pecans to a plate or bowl immediately to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

    This is a picture of sweet potatoes and pecans on a baking sheet.

    Step 3: Cut the cheese into small rectangles and pat dry with a paper towel (this will reduce grease splatter). Add oil to a pan over medium-high heat and let it heat up for about a minute. Add the cheese to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, until slightly browned on the bottom. Then flip the cheese and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the opposite side. Remove the cheese from the pan and set aside.

    This is a picture of halloumi cooking in a pan.
    This is a picture of halloumi cooking in a pan, with one side browned.

    Step 4: Add apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper to a bowl or small jar and whisk (or shake) until well combined. Then add the oil and mix until fully combined.

    Step 5: Add lettuce, apples, dried cranberries, apple slices, sweet potatoes, candied pecans, and halloumi cheese to a large serving bowl and toss to combine. Serve with the dressing and enjoy!

    A bowl of fall harvest salad with dressing in a container on the side.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is this a good Thanksgiving salad?

    Yes! The fall flavors make this a great Thanksgiving side and it goes perfectly with turkey. As written, this recipe serves 4-6. If you need to serve a bigger crowd, just double or triple it.

    Can I make this salad ahead of time?

    You can. I'd recommend leaving all of the components separate until you're ready to eat it. I'd also recommend frying the cheese on the day of, not ahead of time.

    Can I leave the nuts off?

    You can! If you have a nut allergy or don't like pecans, you can leave them off. Pumpkin or sunflower seeds would be a great substitute too.

    A bowl of fall harvest salad with an apple and dressing on the side.
    Fall Harvest Salad with Halloumi Cheese Recipe

    Fall Harvest Salad with Halloumi Cheese Recipe

    Recipe by Mollie

    This fall harvest salad has all the best flavors of fall--sweet potatoes, maple candied pecans, tart and crunchy apples, dried cranberries, and a maple apple cider vinegar dressing. The halloumi cheese adds a little extra tanginess and is so so good.

    Course: LunchCuisine: SaladDifficulty: Easy
    5 from 5 votes
    Pin
    Print
    Servings

    6

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    20

    minutes
    Calories

    350

    kcal
    Total time

    30

    minutes
    Cook Mode

    Prevent your screen from going dark!

    Ingredients

    • For the dressing:
    • ⅓ cup ⅓ apple cider vinegar

    • 2 teaspoons 2 maple syrup

    • 1 teaspoon 1 dijon mustard

    • ½ teaspoon ½ salt

    • ½ teaspoon ½ black pepper

    • ½ cup ½ oil (we use avocado, but any mild-tasting oil works)

    • For the pecans:
    • 1 cup 1 halved pecans (raw and unsalted)

    • 2 tablespoons 2 maple syrup

    • 1 tablespoon 1 coconut sugar

    • ½ teaspoon ½ ground cinnamon

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ salt

    • For the rest of it:
    • 5 oz 5 baby spinach or kale

    • 8 oz 8 romaine lettuce

    • 2 2 sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes

    • 2 2 apples, cut into thin slices

    • 2 tablespoons 2 oil (we use avocado, but any will work), divided

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ salt

    • ½ teaspoon ½ black pepper

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ ground cinnamon

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ crushed red pepper

    • 8 ounces 8 halloumi cheese, cut into inch-long rectangles

    • ½ cup ½ dried cranberries

    Directions

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    • Coat the sweet potatoes in 1 tablespoon of oil, then toss them in cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Transfer them to a baking sheet and place it in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.
    • While the sweet potatoes are cooking, add the pecan ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
    • After the sweet potatoes have cooked for 15 minutes, scoot them to the side of the baking sheet, put the pecans on the other half, and place them back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Once you remove the baking sheet from the oven, transfer the pecans to a plate or bowl to prevent them from sticking.
    • Add the other tablespoon of oil to a pan over medium-high heat and let it heat up for about a minute. Pat the cheese dry and add it to the pan, cooking for about 3 minutes on each side, or until both sides are slightly browned.
    • To make the dressing, add apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper to a bowl or small jar and whisk (or shake) until well combined. Then add the oil and mix until fully combined.
    • Add lettuce, dried cranberries, apple slices, sweet potatoes, candied pecans, and halloumi cheese to a large serving bowl and toss to combine. Serve with the dressing and enjoy!

    Notes

    • If you don't have coconut sugar, brown sugar will also work on the pecans.
    • If you can't find halloumi in your local grocery store, queso fresco or paneer can also be pan-fried. Feta has a similar flavor, but you'll miss out on the great texture of the halloumi.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathryn E. says

      September 28, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      The halloumi cheese really made this dish for me. Also loved adding the sweet potatoes, never thought of doing this but it worked really well. Overall, I love this!

      Reply
    2. Ronda Mills says

      September 28, 2021 at 8:33 pm

      This salad is one of the best salads I have ever eaten. It is truly crisp and fall like just as Mollie says and it is so delicious! I highly recommend you give it a try!

      Reply
    3. Sharie S. says

      October 03, 2021 at 10:53 pm

      Really love this salad! The Halloumi cheese in this was so good!! I love the way Mollie prepared it! Great flavor and made the salad a very filling and satisfying main dish. I also really liked the addition of the sweet potatoes. Will definitely be making this fall salad again!

      Reply

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