Easy Eats Recipe: Mediterranean chickpea salad with halloumi

Mediterranean chickpea salad with halloumi by Kelly Gibney Photo: Kelly Gibney

This is a fresh and hearty salad that can be thrown together fast and is perfect for hot summer evenings. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

1 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

1 red capsicum, chopped into small chunks 

200g cherry tomatoes, halved 

1 medium telegraph cucumber, chopped into small chunks 

½ red onion, very thinly sliced 

1 cup pitted olives 

½ tsp dried oregano 

200g halloumi cheese 

For the dressing: 

2 garlic cloves, diced 

1 tsp wholegrain mustard 

2 tsp maple syrup 

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Juice of 1 lemon 

Sea salt and cracked black pepper 

Method

Place all the dressing ingredients into a small jar. Shake well to combine. Season generously. 

Combine the chickpeas, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and oregano in a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing, toss well and set aside while you cook the halloumi. 

Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan over a medium heat. Cut the halloumi into slices around 7mm thick and cook for a minute or so on each side until golden. Cut the cheese into bite-sized pieces and add to the salad. Serve while the cheese is still warm. 

Photo: Kelly Gibney

Kelly Gibney is an Auckland-based food writer, photographer and cookbook author. Her latest book ENJOY: Food worth sharing with the people you love shares delicious and achievable ideas for making every meal memorable. She also shares weekly recipes via her newsletter.