Print

Fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Grilled Halloumi

fresh mediterranean quinoa bowl - featured image
Print Recipe

A quick and easy Mediterranean-inspired quinoa bowl featuring nutty quinoa, fresh veggies, herbs, and golden grilled halloumi cheese for a satisfying and flavorful meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (170g) uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
  • 7 oz (200g) halloumi cheese, sliced into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 medium cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup (75g) Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Cucumber or radish slices for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse 1 cup (170g) quinoa thoroughly under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups (480ml) water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly.
  2. While quinoa cooks, dice cucumber, halve cherry tomatoes, thinly slice red onion, pit and halve Kalamata olives, and chop parsley and mint. Toss all into the bowl with the cooled quinoa.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and zest, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  4. Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat halloumi slices dry with a paper towel. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.
  5. Drizzle dressing over quinoa and vegetable mixture and toss gently to combine. Divide salad into serving bowls and top each with warm grilled halloumi slices. Garnish with cucumber or radish slices and extra fresh herbs if desired.

Notes

Pat halloumi dry before grilling to get a better crust. Let quinoa cool before adding dressing to avoid sogginess. If halloumi sticks to the pan, wait until a crust forms before flipping. Quinoa can be cooked ahead and stored chilled. Grill halloumi last to serve warm and crispy. For vegan option, substitute halloumi with grilled tofu or tempeh.

Nutrition

Keywords: quinoa bowl, grilled halloumi, Mediterranean recipe, healthy bowl, vegetarian, gluten-free, easy dinner, fresh herbs

Find it online: https://yumnode.com/fresh-mediterranean-quinoa-bowl-with-grilled-halloumi-easy-healthy-recipe/