Pumpkin & Halloumi Salad with Bacon, Avocado & Macadamias

This flavour-packed halloumi salad with crispy bacon, macadamia nuts, avocado and sweet roast pumpkin tossed with a creamy sesame dressing, will be ready to serve in just 30 minutes!

This BIG, BOLD, and FLAVOURSOME salad puts boring salads to shame!

If you’re looking for easy salad recipes that are most definitely not boring, then this Halloumi salad is for you!

Halloumi cheese is fried until golden, then mixed with crispy bacon, sweet roast pumpkin, crunchy macadamia nuts, creamy avocado and fresh spinach, before being dressed in a creamy sesame dressing. There is SO much flavour in every bite!

Like my roast pumpkin salad with feta, Changs crispy noodle salad, and creamy broccoli bacon salad, this fried halloumi salad makes a delicious lunch, or serve it as a side for an easy family dinner.

Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe

• Easy to make – halloumi cheese salad is SO easy to make: just bake and fry the ingredients, then combine and serve!
• Versatile – this salad is so versatile, just swap with ingredients you have. Don’t have macadamia nuts? Use cashews instead. No baby spinach? Finely chop regular spinach. Don’t like pumpkin? Use sweet potato instead.
• Full of flavour – with crispy bacon, crunchy macadamia nuts, creamy avocado, sweet roast pumpkin all coated in a sesame dressing, this halloumi salad is packed with flavour in every mouthful!
• Perfect for entertaining – this recipe is great for BBQs, celebrations and family get-togethers. Cook the pumpkin, bacon and halloumi in advance and assemble just before serving.
• Keto friendly/low carb recipe – halloumi salad is perfect for those following a low carb or keto diet.

What You Need 

You need just a handful of easy to find ingredients to make this fried halloumi salad.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

• Pumpkin – you can use any variety of pumpkin you like, I generally use Kent or Butternut pumpkin (this recipe uses approx. ½ butternut pumpkin).
• Olive oil – regular olive oil, to roast the pumpkin.
• Salt and pepper – to season the pumpkin.
• Streaky bacon – I recommend using streaky bacon as it becomes crispy when fried.
• Halloumi cheese – this Cypriot cheese has a high melting point, making it great for frying or grilling.
• Macadamia nuts – you can use either roasted and salted macadamia nuts, or raw macadamia nuts and toast them yourself in a dry frying pan.
• Baby spinach leaves – or substitute with regular spinach, finely chopped, or rocket (arugula).
• Avocados – use a firm but ripe avocado.
• Kewpie Roasted Sesame Dressing is a Japanese dressing available at all major supermarkets. It’s a creamy, nutty, sweet dressing (that is also often served with rice paper rolls). Alternatively you can make your own roasted sesame dressing. 

Equipment Required

• Baking tray – to roast the pumpkin.
• Frying pan – to cook the bacon and the halloumi cheese.
• Small frying pan – to fry the macadamia nuts if they aren’t already roasted.
• Oven – I specify fan-forced temperatures. If you use a conventional oven, increase the temperature by 10-20 degrees celsius.

Step By Step Instructions

This bacon and halloumi salad with roast pumpkin takes just 10 minutes of active prep time!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 – Roast The Pumpkin

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced). 

Remove the skin from the pumpkin and chop into 2cm cubes. Drizzle a flat baking tray with the olive oil, add the pumpkin pieces and season well with salt and pepper. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender (but not too soft).

Allow pumpkin pieces to cool. 

Step 2 – Fry The Bacon

Place the chopped bacon into a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towel to drain any oil off. 

Step 3 – Fry The Halloumi And Macadamia Nuts

Wipe any excess oil from the frying pan. Over a medium heat, cook the halloumi slices for 1-2 minutes on each side (or until golden). Chop into smaller pieces and set aside. 

If your macadamia nuts are not roasted, place them into a small dry frying pan over a low to medium heat. Toast them, while stirring regularly, until lightly golden (keep a close eye on them as they can easily burn!). Set toasted macadamia nuts aside. 

Step 4 – Assemble The Salad

Place the baby spinach into a large serving bowl.

Add the crispy bacon, fried halloumi, diced avocado and toasted macadamia nuts, reserving a little of each for presentation. 

Step 5 – Pour Over The Dressing

Drizzle approximately 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing over the salad just prior to serving.

Toss all together gently to combine. 

Step 6 – Serve

Add the reserved bacon, halloumi, avocado and macadamia nuts over the top and drizzle with a little extra dressing. Serve halloumi salad immediately.

Expert Tips

• Toasting the macadamia nuts – macadamia nuts can easily burn so keep an eye on them when toasting in a dry frying pan.
• Make ahead – this halloumi salad is best served on the day it is prepared. Store in the fridge until needed and then pour over the dressing just before serving.
• Storage – store any leftover salad in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. This salad is not suitable for freezing.

FAQs

For more easy and delicious salad ideas that are packed with flavour, check out these other popular recipes:

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