Cyprus invented halloumi with mint centuries ago specifically because its high melting point survives grilling without collapsing into a puddle.
Autumn Salad with Hot Honey Halloumi, Roasted Sweet Potato & Lentils
Dive into the cozy flavors of fall with this vibrant autumn salad! Featuring crispy halloumi drizzled with zesty hot honey, alongside roasted sweet potatoes and hearty lentils, this dish is a delightful balance of sweet and savory. Perfect for a nourishing lunch or dinner, it’s a warm hug in a bowl!
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This squeaky-cheese phenomenon started in Cyprus centuries ago as a shepherd's preservation trick—brining sheep's milk curds so they wouldn't spoil—but it took Levantine street vendors drizzling hot chili honey over the fried slabs to turn Mediterranean survival food into the sweet-spicy sensation now colonizing hipster salad bowls from London to Melbourne, proving peasant ingenuity beats fine dining every single time.
Regional Twist
In Cyprus's Troodos Mountains region, cooks swap the pomegranate seeds for dried Cypriot carob syrup drizzled over the halloumi, and finish the lentils with wild mountain oregano instead of thyme, giving this salad a proper island backbone.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- optional: 1 ripe avocado, dicedoptional
- 80 g pomegranate seeds (2.82 oz)
- optional: 1 red onion, slicedoptional
- 800 g sweet potato (peeled, diced) (28.2 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 225 g halloumi (7.94 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 can brown lentils (400 g) (14.1 oz)
- 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup) (15 ml)optionalmaple syrup can be used instead of honey
- 2 tbsp honey (30 ml)
- 2 tbsp TOPIKÁ olive oil (30 ml)
- 3 tbsp TOPIKÁ olive oil (45 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- a pinch of salt to taste
- a pinch of salt
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme (5 ml)optionalfresh thyme can be substituted with dried thyme
📦Other(3)
- 150 g arugula (5.29 oz)
- 1 tsp chili flakes (5 ml)
- 100 g roasted pecans, roughly chopped (3.53 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
848
Protein
24g
Carbs
79g
Fat
51g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
- 2
Peel and dice the sweet potato. Rinse the lentils.
- 3
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the diced sweet potato and lentils on it.
- 4
Drizzle with olive oil, thyme, honey, and salt. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
- 5
Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the salad but cook the halloumi last.
- 6
For the hot honey halloumi, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan.
- 7
Slice the halloumi and fry until golden brown on both sides.
- 8
For the hot honey, mix 2 tbsp of honey, 2 tbsp of olive oil, chili flakes, and salt in a saucepan. Heat until bubbling.
- 9
Lower the heat on the halloumi once golden and pour the hot honey over it. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- 10
Further season the salad with balsamic crema, pepper, salt, and extra olive oil. Enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toss sweet potato cubes with oil before roasting and spread in a single layer, ensuring each piece touches the pan surface; this creates 190°C Maillard browning on 60-70% of the surface area rather than steaming if crowded.technique190°C, single layer, 60-70% surface browning
- ✓Drain canned lentils thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels before roasting; residual moisture at >45% will prevent caramelization and result in a soggy texture instead of a nutty, crispy exterior.ingredient>45% residual moisture prevents browning
- ✓Heat your pan to 160-170°C (test with a drop of water—it should sizzle immediately) before adding halloumi; this high-heat contact creates a 2-3mm golden crust in 90-120 seconds per side while the interior stays creamy because the cheese's 88% moisture content resists melting at short exposures.timing160-170°C, 90-120 seconds per side
- ✓Emulsify hot honey by whisking vigorously for 30 seconds once it reaches 65-70°C (before full bubbling); this disperses chili flakes evenly and creates a slightly thicker sauce as the honey's viscosity increases by ~40% at this temperature range.technique65-70°C, 30 seconds whisking, 40% viscosity increase
- ✓Pour hot honey over halloumi within 15 seconds of drizzling to prevent the oil from separating; halloumi's high melting point (around 200°C) allows it to briefly reheat the honey and suspend the emulsion, while waiting longer lets the honey cool and break into a greasy pool.timing15 seconds after pouring
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Cyprus invented halloumi with mint centuries ago specifically because its high melting point survives grilling without collapsing into a puddle.
Autumn Salad with Hot Honey Halloumi, Roasted Sweet Potato & Lentils
Dive into the cozy flavors of fall with this vibrant autumn salad! Featuring crispy halloumi drizzled with zesty hot honey, alongside roasted sweet potatoes and hearty lentils, this dish is a delightful balance of sweet and savory. Perfect for a nourishing lunch or dinner, it’s a warm hug in a bowl!
The Story
This squeaky-cheese phenomenon started in Cyprus centuries ago as a shepherd's preservation trick—brining sheep's milk curds so they wouldn't spoil—but it took Levantine street vendors drizzling hot chili honey over the fried slabs to turn Mediterranean survival food into the sweet-spicy sensation now colonizing hipster salad bowls from London to Melbourne, proving peasant ingenuity beats fine dining every single time.
Regional Twist
In Cyprus's Troodos Mountains region, cooks swap the pomegranate seeds for dried Cypriot carob syrup drizzled over the halloumi, and finish the lentils with wild mountain oregano instead of thyme, giving this salad a proper island backbone.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- optional: 1 ripe avocado, dicedoptional
- 80 g pomegranate seeds (2.82 oz)
- optional: 1 red onion, slicedoptional
- 800 g sweet potato (peeled, diced) (28.2 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 225 g halloumi (7.94 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 can brown lentils (400 g) (14.1 oz)
- 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup) (15 ml)optionalmaple syrup can be used instead of honey
- 2 tbsp honey (30 ml)
- 2 tbsp TOPIKÁ olive oil (30 ml)
- 3 tbsp TOPIKÁ olive oil (45 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- a pinch of salt to taste
- a pinch of salt
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme (5 ml)optionalfresh thyme can be substituted with dried thyme
📦Other(3)
- 150 g arugula (5.29 oz)
- 1 tsp chili flakes (5 ml)
- 100 g roasted pecans, roughly chopped (3.53 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
848
Protein
24g
Carbs
79g
Fat
51g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
- 2
Peel and dice the sweet potato. Rinse the lentils.
- 3
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the diced sweet potato and lentils on it.
- 4
Drizzle with olive oil, thyme, honey, and salt. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
- 5
Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the salad but cook the halloumi last.
- 6
For the hot honey halloumi, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan.
- 7
Slice the halloumi and fry until golden brown on both sides.
- 8
For the hot honey, mix 2 tbsp of honey, 2 tbsp of olive oil, chili flakes, and salt in a saucepan. Heat until bubbling.
- 9
Lower the heat on the halloumi once golden and pour the hot honey over it. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- 10
Further season the salad with balsamic crema, pepper, salt, and extra olive oil. Enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toss sweet potato cubes with oil before roasting and spread in a single layer, ensuring each piece touches the pan surface; this creates 190°C Maillard browning on 60-70% of the surface area rather than steaming if crowded.technique190°C, single layer, 60-70% surface browning
- ✓Drain canned lentils thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels before roasting; residual moisture at >45% will prevent caramelization and result in a soggy texture instead of a nutty, crispy exterior.ingredient>45% residual moisture prevents browning
- ✓Heat your pan to 160-170°C (test with a drop of water—it should sizzle immediately) before adding halloumi; this high-heat contact creates a 2-3mm golden crust in 90-120 seconds per side while the interior stays creamy because the cheese's 88% moisture content resists melting at short exposures.timing160-170°C, 90-120 seconds per side
- ✓Emulsify hot honey by whisking vigorously for 30 seconds once it reaches 65-70°C (before full bubbling); this disperses chili flakes evenly and creates a slightly thicker sauce as the honey's viscosity increases by ~40% at this temperature range.technique65-70°C, 30 seconds whisking, 40% viscosity increase
- ✓Pour hot honey over halloumi within 15 seconds of drizzling to prevent the oil from separating; halloumi's high melting point (around 200°C) allows it to briefly reheat the honey and suspend the emulsion, while waiting longer lets the honey cool and break into a greasy pool.timing15 seconds after pouring