Roasted Squash and Halloumi
Grilled salty, firm halloumi meets the sweetness of roasted squashes in this side dish salad. Thinly sliced McIntosh apple adds crunch and echoes the sweetness of squash.
Equipment
- baking sheet
- large bowl
- non-stick pan
- small jar
Ingredients
- ¼ small acorn squash cut into ½-inch slices; peeled if desired
- ½ small butternut squash peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 4 tbsp canola oil divided 1 tsp salt
- 18 oz halloumi sliced 1 inch long and ½-inch thick
- 4 cups hand-torn red leaf lettuce
- 1 Mcintosh apple cored, halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup salted white pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup Apple Cider Vinaigrette see below
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ tsp salt plus more as needed
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper plus more as needed
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tsp honey
- ½ cup canola oil
Instructions
Roasted Squash and Halloumi
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the acorn and butternut squash and the sage leaves in a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp of the oil and the salt and toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast until the squash is tender, 22–25 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the halloumi pieces, leaving space between each. Working in two batches, cook until golden-crispy on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Once cooked, transfer to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
- Working quickly so the cheese is still served warm, place the squash, lettuce, apple, pumpkin seeds, Apple Cider Vinaigrette and maple syrup in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Transfer to a large serving platter or individual plates and top with the halloumi.
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- To a small jar, add the garlic, salt, pepper, vinegar, honey, and oil and shake until emulsified. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Store the vinaigrette in a lidded container in the fridge and use within 1 week.
Notes
- Apple cider vinaigrette is a versatile dressing that can be used for almost any salad you can dream up.
- This vinaigrette is easy to make and nicely balanced without any one ingredient hogging the spotlight. You can buy this basic dressing from the store, but it’ll come with a load of preservatives, colour enhancers, and things to keep it shelf stable, along with a price tag that will be about a hundred times the cost of making it from scratch.