Grilled Eggplant Salad with  Halloumi Cheese, sweet summer tomatoes & a flavorful Mint Dressing- a delicious summer salad!

Grilled Halloumi Salad with Eggplant & Mint Dressing- flavorful and easy to make this summertime salad, is a big hit at parties and gatherings. | www.feastingathome.com

This Grilled Eggplant Salad with Halloumi, Tomatoes & flavorful Mint Dressing- is full of summertime flavor and is a delicious side dish for a sumer BBQ. It goes well with grilled meats or can be served on its own over a bed of dressed greens or cooked quinoa.

Halloumi cheese, if you are unfamiliar, is a Greek style cheese that is firm in texture and full flavored. It tastes like feta, but has the consistency of a very firm mozzarella. The best thing about it is -it doesn’t melt, making it perfect for grilling.  Feel free to add other grill-able vegetables like zucchini or summer squash, onions or bell peppers. The mint dressing is flavorful and bright.

For catering events, I will sometimes serve this as a vegetarian entree, stacking the eggplant, tomato and halloumi into a five inch tall napoleon, and skewering it with a tall sprig of rosemary. But here at home, we serve it simple and rustic like this.

Between catering events, we try to be outside as much as possible. Quick camping trips, kayaking, or a hike here and there. But some days, it may end up only being a short walk, watering the garden, or sitting on the porch for a few minutes. One simple way to spend more time outdoors, is to cook dinner outside on the grill, and eat al fresco. During the summer months, cooking techniques shift to reflect the season. The oven is given a break and I try to use the grill more often, or quick stove top preparations. I try to stay away from ingredients that need lots of time braising or baking, opting for ones that cook quickly on the grill. This way the house stays cool and it allows more time outdoors.

Eggplant Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese,Tomatoes & a flavorful Mint Dressing- a delicious summer salad! #eggplantsalad #grilledeggplant #grilledeggplantsalad #halloumi #grilledhalloumi #haloumi
Do you remember when you were young and played outside all day long during the summer months? Curfews changed with the light. Forts were built, bikes ridden, endless days filled with roller skating or skateboarding, running, swimming, racing, screaming.  In those days we wore ourselves out until the sun went down, just being wild.  We went to bed, exhilarated and exhausted. I miss that…
Eggplant Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese,Tomatoes & a flavorful Mint Dressing- a delicious summer salad! #eggplantsalad #grilledeggplant #grilledeggplantsalad #halloumi #grilledhalloumi #haloumi
Eggplant Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese,Tomatoes & a flavorful Mint Dressing- a delicious summer salad! #eggplantsalad #grilledeggplant #grilledeggplantsalad #halloumi #grilledhalloumi #haloumi
I hope you enjoy this Eggplant Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese!
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Eggplant Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese,Tomatoes & a flavorful Mint Dressing- a delicious summer salad! #eggplantsalad #grilledeggplant #grilledeggplantsalad #halloumi #grilledhalloumi #haloumi

Grilled Eggplant Salad with Halloumi & Tomatoes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Salad, vegetarian main
  • Method: grilled
  • Cuisine: mediterranean

Description

Eggplant Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese,Tomatoes & a flavorful Mint Dressing- a delicious summer salad!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 medium sized eggplants or 4 Japanese eggplants
  • 4 medium heirloom tomatoes ( red and yellow)
  • 8 oz haloumi cheese
  • 1/3 C olive oil for brushing
  • salt
Mint Dressing: 
  • 1/4 C mint leaves- packed
  • 1/4 C Italian parsley- packed
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 1/8 C fresh lemon juice
  • 1 T water 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 tsp salt cracked pepper
  • Garnish with a few mint leaves

Instructions

Pre-heat grill, to med-high.
Slice Eggplant to 1/3 inch thick pieces and brush with olive oil.
Slice halloumi into 1/2 inch thick pieces, brush with olive oil.
Slice tomatoes into ½ inch slices, set aside.
Make dressing. Blend or process all ingredients in a blender or food processor…adding a little more water (only if necessary) to get the blender going. Do not blend it too smooth… you want to see pieces of the herbs.
Grill eggplant slices, closing lid, checking heat to make sure they don’t burn, rotating as necessary. Eggplant is done when the white becomes slightly translucent. Stack them on a heat proof dish and cover tightly with foil so they continue cooking through. You could place this on your upper grill rack if you have one, or just set aside, covered.
Grill the Halloumi cheese just until grill marks appear.
Arrange eggplant, tomatoes and cheese all on a platter, layering. Drizzle liberally with the dressing and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve at room temp.
If you want to serve this Napoleon Style- a stacked individual portion, layer eggplant, tomato, and haloumi spooning a little mint dressing on each layer, until 4-5 inches tall. Skewer with a skewer or sturdy rosemary sprig ( removing bottom rosemary leaves).


Nutrition

  • Calories: 234

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Comments

  1. I made this salad as a part of a Mediterranean dinner. It was amazing! I was serving several people so fter grilling, I cut the ingredients into about 2 inch pieces, tossed it all together and added a serving spoon. It got rave reviews from all of us! Thank you!






  2. Very good. Added a zucchini as well. At first I had my doubts about the mint dressing based on tasting it by itself. But I confess that it worked beautifully drizzled over the grilled veggies, halloumi and fresh tomatoes. Will definitely make again.






  3. Wow. 5 stars. My kids even liked it. I flubbed grilling the halloumi a little – by the time it had grill marks, it was melting. Maybe my grill cooled down too much dealing with all the eggplant slices. This was so, so tasty, though.






  4. Beautiful recipe, thanks! I added some steamed and then grilled slices of sweet potato (because when I saw the picture, I thought thats what I saw in there). Gorgeous food.

  5. Hi Sylvia,
    For baking in oven, can you recommend the setting (bake or roast?), temperature, and time duration? Thinking of making this this weekend!
    Thank you.

    1. Honestly, Ive never tried baking before. My guess is 400F for 20-30 minutes? Start there.

  6. Just wondering if these veggies could be baked? Or do you need the char of the grill. Seeing mine with slow cooked lamb. Can’t wait

  7. I’m a teensy bit obsessed with halloumi on the grill — it’s so underrated! Love that you’re doing it here, and with the mint? Yum. Thanks for sharing! – Em (@ The Pig & Quill)

  8. What a great trip! And such a beautiful salad! And that dressing – SWOON! I think I’ll serve this Napoleon style when I make it 🙂

  9. That was a great trip! and there’s nothing better than hot coffee delivered to your tent in the morning, ahhhhh.

  10. Sylvia-
    Your writing is as beautiful as your food! I will definitely have to try this recipe. Miss you!
    Kirsten

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