Crispy Shredded Halloumi Kale Salad
A spoonable kale-and-rice salad with garlic cider vinaigrette, dill, pine nuts, red onion, and a generous layer of crispy shredded halloumi.
Grating halloumi creates a mix of tiny crisp shards and chewy golden nuggets that can cover every spoonful of kale, rice, herbs, and vinaigrette.
Instructions
- 1
Put the apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a lidded jar. Shake until fully combined, then set aside so the garlic flavor can meld.
- 2
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat without oil. Add the pine nuts and stir regularly for 3 minutes, until lightly spotted with gold. Immediately transfer to a bowl.
3 min
- 3
Return the skillet to the stove and heat the 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the shredded halloumi and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring more frequently once its moisture evaporates, until mostly golden to deep golden but not brown. Lower the heat to medium-high if needed. Transfer to a bowl; it will crisp further as it cools.
5 min
- 4
Put the chopped kale and red onion in a large bowl. Pour over about 2 tablespoons of dressing and massage it firmly into the leaves until the kale softens and is evenly coated.
- 5
Add the cooked rice, dill, most of the toasted pine nuts, and the remaining dressing. Toss thoroughly so the small pieces are evenly distributed.
- 6
Spread the salad in a wide, shallow serving bowl. Cover the surface with the cooled crispy halloumi and remaining pine nuts. Add halved soft-boiled eggs if desired and serve.
Ago's Notes
- Some halloumi brands crumble when grated; break up larger clumps by hand. Fry only until golden to deep golden, not brown, and let the crumbs cool for a few minutes so they become crisp.
- Strip away the tough kale stems and chop the leaves into 1-1.5 cm pieces. Curly or Tuscan kale works; baby spinach can be substituted but should be tossed, not massaged.
- For the optional soft-boiled eggs, lower fridge-cold eggs into boiling water, keep the water bubbling gently for 8 minutes, then transfer to cold water.
- Pine nuts can be oven-toasted at 350°F (180°C; 160°C fan) for 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway. For meal prep, keep the halloumi and dressing separate and bring the rice salad to room temperature before serving.
Scatter the cooled halloumi over the widest possible surface and serve warm or at room temperature.
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