Recipes › Onion (Salad/Spring) › Grilled Spring Onion, Halloumi and Watermelon Salad
Grilled Spring Onion, Halloumi and Watermelon Salad
Whole spring onions are grilled until charred and sweet, then piled onto a plate with salty halloumi, juicy watermelon, and a bright mint-lemon dressing. It sounds surprising but it is one of the great summer combinations — the spring onions lose their sharpness entirely on the grill and take on a smoky, almost caramelised depth. This comes together in under 25 minutes and is exactly what you want to eat in July.
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Ingredients
- 300 spring onions, trimmed, left whole
- 500 g halloumi, cut into 1cm slices
- 800 g watermelon, rind removed, cut into rough triangles or chunks
- 20 g fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molassesuse a squeeze of extra lemon and a pinch of sugar if unavailable
- 1 tsp runny honey
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground
Contains: sulphites.
Method
- Heat a griddle pan or outdoor grill to a very high heat — it needs to be properly smoking hot before anything goes on it.About 3 min
- Toss the whole spring onions in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Lay them on the griddle in a single layer and cook for 3–4 minutes per side without moving them, until they have deep char marks and have softened completely through. Set aside on a plate.About 8 min
- While the spring onions rest, lay the halloumi slices on the hot griddle and cook for 2 minutes per side until well coloured with golden-brown char lines. Do not move them before they are ready to turn — they will release when they have a proper crust.About 4 min
- Make the dressing by whisking together the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, pomegranate molasses, and honey. Season with black pepper.About 2 min
- Arrange the watermelon chunks across a large sharing platter. Lay the grilled spring onions over the top, then add the halloumi. Scatter over the torn mint leaves.About 2 min
- Drizzle the dressing evenly over the whole salad, finish with flaky sea salt, and serve immediately while the halloumi is still warm.
Tips
- The griddle pan must be properly preheated — a lukewarm pan steams rather than chars, and you lose all the flavour.
- Don't salt the halloumi before grilling — it is already very salty and extra salt will draw out moisture, preventing browning.
- This needs to be eaten while the halloumi is warm. Once it cools it turns rubbery, so build the salad and eat within 10 minutes of grilling.
Ring the changes
- Crumble over 80g of feta instead of halloumi for a no-cook version — just omit the grilling step for the cheese.
- A handful of rocket or watercress tucked under the watermelon adds a peppery base and makes it more of a composed salad.
Keeping it
Best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day but the halloumi will firm up and the watermelon will release liquid — eat cold as a side rather than reheating.
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