Halloumi, Blueberry & Spinach Salad

Name: Halloumi, Blueberry & Spinach Salad
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 8 oz halloumi cheese, sliced into 1/3-inch-thick slabs; 5 oz baby spinach; 3/4 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry; 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted; 1/4 small red onion, shaved paper-thin; 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1/2 tsp lemon zest plus 1 tbsp lemon juice; 8 large mint leaves, torn

⏲ ~29 min total · prep 14 · cook 15 · 4 servings

Lunch⏱ 20 min total🔥 9.9g net carbs⚡ ≈375 kcal/serving~19% of calories from carbs

By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor

Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026

Ingredients

8 oz halloumi cheese, sliced into 1/3-inch-thick slabs
5 oz baby spinach
3/4 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 small red onion, shaved paper-thin
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp lemon zest plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
8 large mint leaves, torn

Instructions

Whisk the olive oil, white balsamic, Dijon, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl with a pinch of pepper until the dressing looks creamy and emulsified.
Press the halloumi slabs between paper towels to lift off the brine, then score one face of each slab in a shallow crosshatch.
Heat a dry nonstick skillet over medium-high until a drop of water skitters; sear the halloumi 2 minutes per side, undisturbed, until deep golden and slightly molten at the crosshatch.
Toss the spinach with two-thirds of the dressing in a wide bowl until just glossy, not soggy.
Mound the blueberries and shaved red onion over the spinach, shingle the warm halloumi on top, and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Finish with the toasted almonds and torn mint, and eat while the cheese is still warm and squeaky.

Why this recipe works

Dry and scored Pressing the slabs with towels lifts off the brine so they sear instead of sputter, and the crosshatch cuts let heat reach the center. Two minutes a side goes deep golden.
A dry, ripping pan Halloumi browns in a nonstick skillet with no oil at all once the pan is properly hot. The cheese gives up its own fat as it softens at the scoring.
Split dressing Two-thirds of the lemon dressing goes on the spinach, the last third over the assembled plates. The berries and onions get their gloss instead of sitting dry on top.

Tips for making this recipe well

Wait for the skitter

Flick a drop of water into the dry pan; it should dance and vanish on contact. Halloumi into a cooler pan sticks and turns greasy instead of golden.

Hands off for 2 minutes

The slabs release on their own once a crust forms. Early flipping tears the crosshatch face and leaves the gold behind in the pan.

Dry the berries

Rinse the blueberries early and spread them on a towel. Water beads dilute the dressing and slide off the waxy skins anyway.

Dress with a light hand

Toss the spinach until the leaves turn glossy, not wet. Soggy spinach collapses under the warm cheese within minutes.

Eat it warm

Halloumi is at its squeaky, molten-at-the-crosshatch stage straight from the pan. Seared cheese that sits turns firm and springs back at the teeth.

Serving suggestions

This is a 20-minute salad, so time the sear for when everyone is already sitting down. Mound the dressed spinach, scatter the blueberries and shaved red onion, then shingle the warm halloumi over the top while it still steams. Finish with torn mint and toasted almonds, then the last thread of dressing. A serving runs 9.9 g net carbs, and cold plates kill the effect fast, so warm them if you have a minute.

Storage and meal prep

Leftover seared halloumi keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated and firms up hard in the cold. Thirty seconds a side in a dry skillet brings the softness back before you rebuild a salad. Keep the components separate: spinach and berries hold a day washed and dried, the dressing sits in a jar for 3 to 4 days, and the almonds stay crisp in a small container at room temperature. Do not freeze any part of this one.

Variations worth trying

Other berries Sliced strawberries or blackberries work in place of the blueberries. Keep them dry like the recipe says.
Basil for mint Torn basil replaces the mint when the herb drawer has run low. The lemon in the dressing already bridges the two.
Walnuts in Toasted walnut pieces swap for the almonds and add a bitter edge that suits the cheese. Toast them dry until fragrant.
Grilled slabs The scored halloumi goes straight onto hot grill grates for the same 2 minutes a side. Grill marks land the same way.

Frequently asked questions

Why no oil in the pan?

Halloumi releases enough fat as it heats to do the job, and extra oil makes the crust fry soft. Dry pan, dry cheese, high heat.

What if I cannot find halloumi?

Queso panela or a firm grilling cheese sears the same way. Feta is the wrong tool here; it will slump and never take a crust.

Can I make it ahead?

Sear the cheese up to a day early and reheat it in a dry skillet before assembling. Everything else takes minutes, so build the salad at the table.

Do I have to score the cheese?

The crosshatch is not decoration. The shallow cuts help heat reach the middle of each slab, and the molten edges at the scoring are the part everyone fights over.

How many net carbs?

One serving lands at 9.9 g net carbs. The blueberries account for most of the count, with the halloumi and almonds making up the rest.

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