Isn’t it funny how food trends come and go? I’m usually not very good at keeping up with them (nor am I good at keeping up with trends with fashion, technology, pop culture, etc…), and often I’m quite late to the game on certain foods. Beets are the perfect example. I had them once, hated them, and promptly refused to touch them again for years. My husband hated them too, and we used to joke about how perfect we were for each other because of it. Romantic, right? Fast forward a few years when we’re at a restaurant with my parents. They ordered their favorite beet salad as a starter, and being polite, we didn’t tell them how much we hated beets. We both ended up devouring the salad, realizing how wrong we had been to write beets off for so long. I still find it funny that every restaurant seems to feature a beet dish now, but I’m no longer complaining about it.
Maybe it’s the preparation of beets that can make all the difference. I still maintain that a poorly prepared beet is a truly disgusting thing, but when cooked properly it’s a different story. Cooking them doesn’t have to be complicated, though. I love roasting beets to play up their earthy sweetness, allowing them to crisp up on the outside and become wonderfully soft on the inside. All you need is a bit of olive oil and salt to make their flavor really sing.
We all know how tasty beets are with goat cheese, but if you’re like me, it’s time to break away from the trend. In this salad, I’ve paired beets with halloumi, the wonderfully salty cheese from Cyprus. Have you had it before? Tart and intensely flavorful, it magically doesn’t turn into a globular mess when you fry it up. I’ve quickly become addicted to it, as it lends such a special touch to any meal. The sweet beets pair so nicely with the salty halloumi, while a maple balsamic dressing and some crunchy toasted pistachios tie everything together perfectly.
I found my halloumi at Whole Foods, but you could also try a local cheese shop if you’re lucky enough to have one nearby. If you can’t find halloumi at all, some grilled feta would be a nice substitute.
- 3 baby beets, ends removed, peeled, and cut into bite-sized pieces
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- About 4 cups salad greens of choice (I used mixed baby greens)
- 4 slices halloumi cheese, about ¼ inch thick
- 3 tablespoons toasted pistachios
- For the dressing:
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Toss the beets in a light amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add to a baking dish and roast for 30-35 minutes, or until the beets are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
- As the beets are cooking, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Just before the beets are ready, start cooking the halloumi. Place the slices on a non-stick frying pan (no oil is necessary). Cook for 2-4 minutes on medium heat. Once a light brown layer has formed on the cheese, flip to the other side. This side will cook faster, so keep an eye on it closely.
- Once the beets are done, let them cool for a couple of minutes. Add salad greens to two plates, divide the beets between the two, and drizzle on the dressing. Place two halloumi slices on each salad and sprinkle with the pistachios. Serve immediately.
My oh my Julia I love this salad! Haloumi is probably one of the greatest gifts to food ever. I mean, it’s fried cheese! Can you get better than that?! I love sweet roasted beets, or the picked ones, or the preserved tinned ones. Once I discovered how much I loved beets I’ve never looked back! I can’t wait to try this salad next time I find some fresh beets!
I’m glad you’re a halloumi fan too, Amy! Isn’t it totally addicting? I keep thinking of new ways to use it! Hope your move is going well 🙂
i am definitely always a little behind on trends too, but i’m so glad you’ve warmed up to beets! this salad looks fantastic, and i have to say, i have yet to use halloumi at home. is it hard to sear it without it getting too gooey? that’s always been my hesitation, but looks like you nailed it.
I figured you were a beet fan, given your blog’s name 🙂 Halloumi is incredibly easy to fry up, and it doesn’t get gooey at all. That’s the beauty of it. I hope you can find some and that you enjoy it!
It took me a while to fall in love with beets too but I think it’s because I had only had them canned in the past. That and I was so intimated by how to prepare them. Turns out they’re not so bad, as long as you wear dish gloves.
I love the idea to pair them with halloumi in this salad! Sounds so unique and delicious!!
Yes, canned beets are probably what I had at first too – not the greatest. And great idea to wear dish gloves…my fingers were magenta after making this salad!
I’ve been meaning to give Halloumi a try but wasn’t sure how to cook it – well now I know. I’m definitely giving this a try. I’m with you on the beet front – definitely grew into like them. Their earthy flavor is a bit of an acquired taste. Thanks, Julia!
Definitely give halloumi a go, Geraldine! It’s so easy, and I think you’ll love it. Let me know if you do end up trying it!
Perceived hatred of beets is the basis of so many relationships these days, it seems. 🙂 No, this looks seriously good, Julia. I bet the beet prep you did was terrific, and can well imagine that your choice of non-disintegrating cheese was ideal. The halloumi is photogenic if nothing else. And of course, pistachios along with a maple balsamic dressing could only add to the pleasure. I’m really looking forward to trying this one!
Non-disintegrating cheese is always a good start, isn’t it? Maybe Subway can start using halloumi for their toasted sandwiches 😉 I hope you guys enjoy the salad!
Haha, Subway can use all the help it can get.
We tried your salad tonight and loved it! The only modifications were to use some almonds we had handy rather than pistachios and to take your suggestion on the ricotta salata. The cheese turned out really well — firm, slightly salty, and the perfect complement for the beets. The dressing was very tasty, too, tangy and sweet. With a nice roll alongside, it was a perfect summer meal.
I’m so glad you loved it! I definitely need to try out ricotta salata now. It’s great to hear that there’s another cheese that works nicely for this salad, since some of my other friends haven’t been able to find halloumi either. I’ll make something with halloumi when you visit, though!
May I take some credit for introducing you & Tomas to beets? I had no idea that you two didn’t care for them, but am so glad that one of those delicious and popular beet salads changed your minds. I’ve already bought the ingredients to make this salad, though I am substituting ricotta salata for the halloumi cheese. I’ll let you know how it turns out. For the record, when I was a kid I did not like the taste of beets either–it took goat cheese and toasted nuts and balsamic vinegar to do the trick!
Yes, you and dad get some credit 🙂 Btw, the salad that comes to mind in my story was the one at Catch 35 – delicious! Let me know what you think of the ricotta salata!
Um, can I come over for dinner next time you make this?! I actually love the combination of beets and cherries, often thrown them in with quinoa. But in a salad with halloumi and pistachios? Yes, please!!! Gorgeous pictures too. Oh, and I’m not good at following trends either. If you think you get behind on them, I’m probably behind you. 😉
You’re welcome anytime, Katie – the flight from Switzerland to San Francisco can’t be that bad, right? Is it easy to find halloumi in Switzerland? I love your idea to have beets with cherries and quinoa, and will have to try that out very soon!
Yes, we have halloumi in Switzerland. I get it from time to time. But it’s a more seasonal cheese here. Since it’s usually grilled, people associate it with summer grilling only. 😉 Going to post a quinoa, beet, and cherry salad sometime soon in fact. We’re thinking along the same lines. 😉
That’s interesting that it’s a seasonal cheese there, Katie. I could see myself eating halloumi year-round, but maybe that’s just me 😉 I can’t wait to see your quinoa, beet and cherry salad recipe!
I love love love beets! I actually often buy the ready cooked vacuum packed ones because roasting them always seems like such a chore. They’re earthy flavour is perfect with halloumi too! Yummy 🙂
I’ll have to be on the lookout for vacuum-packed beets, Emma – thanks for the tip! I agree that peeling them can be a bit of a chore. I hope you enjoy the salad!
Hehe… I was late too. To the beets. If I recall, my first introduction to them was from a jar, in pickled form that had been on the shelf for who knows how long. I never wanted to eat them again, sadly. That is, until my sister grew some in her garden when we first moved to Whidbey Island. I had never had a fresh beet before. Then I tried the greens, sautéed and then mixed into the proverbial goat cheese:D. I realized what I had been missing all my life. Now I eat them every chance I get and do a happy dance when they make their appearance in my CSA or at the market. I always am stocked with beets! Halloumi is a different story. As badly as I want to try it, I often forget about it… then when I do remember, I can’t seem to find it! Aaaack!! So, now, Julia, Halloumi is going on my grocery list and will stay there until I find it! Thank you for this gorgeous Salad!
I feel like pickled beets could either be really good or really bad…but I’m glad to hear I wasn’t the only one who shied away from them at first. I really hope you can find halloumi, Traci! Do you have a Whole Foods nearby? That’s where I found mine. My mom was unable to find halloumi too, so she is trying this salad out with ricotta salata. I also think some baked feta would be yummy with this too. Let me know if you’re able to track some down!!
You see being polite does have its distinct advantages 🙂
I first got hooked on pickled beets — they were often served over Christmas along with other sour briny delights (like olives my fave) from there it took a bit to grow into fresh beets as I recall but once I was hooked there was no turning back. Funny how that works…roasting brings everything to the next level of deliciousness doesn’t it? Maybe it’s the oil/salt combo and those crunchy bits… I can just imagine how well they play here with your halloumi and delicious pistachio. There is nothing I don’t love about this salad Julia. What a beauty. By the way, I was thinking of you yesterday… our son went to see Man U vs. Barcelona! We told him it was his birthday present for the next 5 years LOL (yes, even a ‘friendly’ is astonishingly expensive).
I still need to try out pickled beets! I bet they taste absolutely wonderful along with olives (then again, I love anything if it has olives in it!). And how fun for your son, Kelly! Funny enough, I considered buying tickets to that game for my husband as a 1st anniversary present, since the theme is paper. But then I looked at the price and…well, changed my mind 😉 I hope your son had a wonderful time!!
My husband hated beets because his mom used to serve him canned beets and he hated the mushy texture of them. Then when we got together, I started to make him properly cooked beets and he has loved them ever since!
This looks like a lovely salad, perfect for a summer bbq.
It definitely seems like I’m not the only one who didn’t like beets! It’s all about the preparation. And yes, I agree that this would be great at a barbecue!
Yay for breaking away from the beet and goat cheese trend! I love beets, but as a vegetarian I have to laugh a little every time I see “beet and goat cheese salad” as my veggie option. Yes, it’s delicious, but it seems to be only veggie option people think of! This is beginning to change and thank goodness, because I wouldn’t have wanted to tire of beets. I agree that poorly prepared vegetables are disgusting. Every time I hear about the death of broccoli by overcooking via boiling, I cringe a little. Vegetables are a vehicle for flavour! My stomach doesn’t do well with dairy, but I do adore the saltiness of halloumi and how gorgeous it is when seared.
I’m right there with you, Genevieve! I think every single restaurant these days has a beet and goat cheese salad. Too funny! And boiled, overcooked broccoli is pretty bad…broccoli is one of my favorite veggies, and there are so many other wonderful ways to cook it!
This looks amazing! I LOVE beets, but it definitely took me a little while to figure out how to cook them to my liking. They are so good for you though. Your ingredients pair perfectly together! The presentation is also beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Jenn! I love beets now too – and they are so pretty that they really jazz up any meal!
Yess to roasted beets as a salad topper! Love the idea of pairing them with cream halloumi cheese and crunchy pistachios!
Thanks, Felicia! It’s a pretty addicting salad – I hope you try it out!
This is just about my dream meal. Love!
Thank you, Anna! Halloumi is definitely a dream for me too 🙂