Quick Warm Salad with Butternut Squash, Halloumi, and Walnuts - photo 1
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Quick Warm Salad with Butternut Squash, Halloumi, and Walnuts

Salads Vegetarian Dishes 30 min Easy 8 wyświetleń ~41.42 PLN - (0)
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Description

A seasonal, quick salad that combines the sweetness of roasted (or fried) butternut squash with the salty, golden halloumi, crunchy walnuts, and fresh spinach. The dish has distinct contrasts: soft, caramelized squash, springy slices of cheese, the crunch of nuts, and a refreshing honey-mustard dressing. It looks stunning - golden-orange cubes of squash against the green of spinach, dots of pomegranate (optional), and golden slices of halloumi. Perfect as a light lunch, a quick dinner, or an impressive dish for a gathering with friends; it pairs well with sourdough bread or as a side to roasted chicken. Preparation takes little time, and the techniques are simple even for beginners.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (13)

Servings:
4
  • butternut squash 500 g
  • Halloumi cheese 200 g
  • Red onion 1 szt.
  • Walnuts 60 g
  • Olive oil 30 ml
  • Lemon juice 30 ml
  • Honey 20 ml
  • Dijon mustard 20 g
  • Spinach 120 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Black pepper 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Pomegranate seeds 80 g
  • Fresh thyme 30 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~41.42 PLN (10.35 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Vegetables

1

Prepare the pumpkin: wash the butternut squash, peel it with a chef's knife or a vegetable peeler. Cut it in half, remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut the flesh into cubes about 2 cm on each side - uniform pieces will ensure even frying. Place the chopped pumpkin in a large bowl.

Ingredients: butternut squash
Use a large, sharp cutting board and a stable knife. If the pumpkin is large and hard, first cut a thin slice from one side to stabilize it while cutting. Be careful with your fingers while peeling.
2

Season the pumpkin: in a bowl with the pumpkin, pour in 15 g of olive oil (1 tablespoon), add 1 g of salt (1 pinch), and mix thoroughly with your hand or a spoon so that each piece is lightly coated with oil. Heat a large skillet (26-28 cm in diameter) over medium-high heat.

Ingredients: butternut squash, Olive oil, Salt
The best is a pan with a thick bottom or cast iron. Do not overcrowd the pan — if there are too many pieces of pumpkin, fry in batches; otherwise, they will steam instead of browning.
3

Frying the pumpkin: when the pan is hot (a drop of water sizzles), add the pumpkin to the pan in a single layer. Fry without stirring for 4-5 minutes, until the bottom is golden, then stir every 2-3 minutes for another 6-8 minutes, for a total of 10-13 minutes. The pumpkin is ready when the top is golden and the flesh is soft but not falling apart when pierced with a fork.

Ingredients: butternut squash, Olive oil
Use a spatula with a flat edge to flip the pieces. If the pan starts to smoke heavily, reduce the heat by 1 level.
4

Prepare and sauté the onion: peel the red onion, cut it in half and slice it into thin half-moons (about 3 mm). In another pan, heat 7 g of oil (1/2 tablespoon) over medium heat, add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until it becomes soft and slightly translucent. If you want a sweeter flavor, sauté for 6-8 minutes until it lightly caramelizes.

Ingredients: Red onion, Olive oil
For thin slicing, use a sharp knife. The onion cooks faster in a thin layer of fat; be careful not to burn it - if necessary, lower the heat and add a tablespoon of water.

Halloumi

5

Prepare the halloumi cheese: dry the block with a paper towel and cut it into slices about 1 cm thick. Heat a clean pan (or use the same one if it's dry) over medium heat, add 7 g of oil (1/2 tablespoon). Fry the halloumi slices for 1.5-2 minutes on each side until a golden crust forms. Once cooked, place them on a plate lined with a towel to absorb excess fat.

Ingredients: Halloumi cheese, Olive oil
Halloumi likes quick, intense frying; don't move it immediately, let the crust set - then it will turn easier and won't stick. Use a non-stick pan for assurance.

Sauce

6

Prepare the dressing: pour 30 ml of lemon juice into a small bowl, add 20 g of honey, 20 g of Dijon mustard, 1 g of pepper (1 pinch), and remaining salt to taste (use 1-2 g if you want a more pronounced saltiness). Pour in the remaining oil (if exactly 30 g total is left, use 7 g of the remainder); whisk vigorously with a fork or whisk for 20-30 seconds until the dressing thickens and takes on a creamy consistency.

Ingredients: Lemon juice, Honey, Dijon mustard, Olive oil, Black pepper, Salt
If the dressing 'separates', add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water and whisk again; this will help emulsify the oil with the juice and honey.

Assembly and serving

7

Heat the spinach: if you want the leaves to be slightly warm, toss the spinach into a dry large skillet for 30-60 seconds and stir until it starts to wilt slightly. Transfer the spinach to a large salad bowl. Add the warm pumpkin, sautéed onion, and walnuts (whole or roughly chopped). Drizzle with 2/3 of the prepared dressing and gently mix, lifting the ingredients from the bottom to the top so the leaves do not tear.

Ingredients: Spinach, butternut squash, Red onion, Walnuts
Use two tablespoons or your hands (if clean) to gently combine the ingredients. The warm ingredient (pumpkin, halloumi) will slightly soften the leaves and release the aromas.
8

Add halloumi and finishing touches: arrange golden slices of halloumi on top of the salad, drizzle with the remaining dressing. If using, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and fresh thyme leaves (tear the leaves from the stems and sprinkle) — this will add color and aroma. Check the seasoning, and if needed, season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients: Halloumi cheese, Pomegranate seeds, Fresh thyme, Salt, Black pepper
Additionally, you can add pomegranate seeds for contrast; if you don't like the sweetness of honey, replace it with maple syrup (a vegan substitute).
9

Serving: transfer the salad to a large flat bowl or plate - arrange it centrally so that the halloumi slices are visible. Serve immediately while the cheese is still warm; the salad tastes best right after preparation.

Use a plate in a light color (white or gray) — the color contrast will make the dish more visually appealing. If you're preparing in advance, keep the dressing separate and mix just before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

Halloumi comes from Cyprus and is traditionally fried or grilled — its high protein and salt content means it doesn't melt like most cheeses.

Best for

szybka kolacja lekki obiad spotkanie z przyjaciółmi

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the salad immediately after preparation, while the halloumi is still warm. Serve with a slice of crusty sourdough bread or as a side to roasted meat. For a vegan version, replace halloumi with grilled eggplant and use maple syrup instead of honey.

🥡 Storage

Store the salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 24 hours; keep the dressing separate. Halloumi loses its crispness after being taken out of the fridge — you can briefly sauté it again before serving. Longer storage with dressings is not recommended to prevent the leaves from wilting.

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