Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Halloumi Salad

I know I make a lot of baked goods and desserts, but I eat some type of salad almost daily, and my salads are never boring. I need my salads to have flavor, protein, differentiation of vegetables and greens, etc. This is one of my favorite salads, and it is extremely easy to throw together, too.

This is my Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Halloumi salad—inspired by the flavors of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The Brussels sprouts get air fried for six minutes, the halloumi grills on the stove for 5 minutes, and the dressing is simply whisked in a bowl.

The dressing is just tahini, pomegranate molasses, a little olive oil, and some salt and pepper. I absolutely love tahini and pomegranate molasses together, it is tart, creamy, and nutty. Pomegranate molasses is just pomegranate juice and sugar cooked down into a syrupy molasses. It can be found at Whole Foods, specialty grocery stores, and Amazon. If you don’t want to go out and find this ingredient, you could probably swap it out for equal parts pomegranate juice and honey—or you can make it at home!

I know you all will love this salad. If you try it, please let me know in the comments. Enjoy, and happy cooking!

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 12 oz bag of shaved Brussels sprouts (you can cut down your own if you can’t find pre-shaved)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper (or 1/8 tsp cayenne)

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1/2 block of halloumi cheese, sliced

• 1/2 cup high quality, drippy Tahini (I prefer Soom or Trader Joe’s)

• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (see words above for tips)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• pinch of kosher salt

• pinch of freshly cracked black pepper

• for garnishing:

  • pomegranate seeds

  • roasted + salted pistachios

  • hot honey

Method:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (you could bake these, but you will get a much better result with the air fryer.)

2. Toss the shaved Brussels sprouts in a large bowl with 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper. Toss thoroughly to ensure that the sprouts are fully coated in the oil and seasonings.

3. Place the sprouts in the air fryer basket and air fry for 6 minutes total, pulling the basket out every 2 minutes to shake them up so they cook evenly.

4. Place a small skillet over medium heat with 2 tsp of olive oil. Once hot, lay down the halloumi slices and grill for 2-3 minutes on both sides or until golden brown. Place the cooked halloumi on a plate until you are ready to serve. You can leave the halloumi in slices or tear it up into bite-sized pieces.

5. In a small bowl, whisk the tahini, pomegranate molasses, 1 tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper together until emulsified.

6. Toss the cooked sprouts in a large bowl with the tahini dressing. The dressing will look thick, but as it is tossed with the warm sprouts, it melts into a creamy consistency.

7. To serve the salad, top the sprouts with the grilled halloumi, pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and a little drizzle of hot honey. Serve warm, and enjoy!