Crispy pan-fried halloumi is served over over bright and lemony quinoa with roasted beets and sautéed garlicky rainbow chard, then topped with pickled red onions, tzatziki, and mint. With pre-roasted beets and store-bought tzatziki, this is our go-to quick weeknight dinner that tastes like it took hours!
5 from 2 reviews
Ingredients
Garlic Lemon Quinoa
1teaspoonextra virgin olive oil
4clovesgarlic, thinly sliced or pressed
1½cupsquinoa, rinsed (white, red, or tri-colored)
1½cupsvegetable broth, I use bouillon cubes
1teaspoonground sumac, see note for substitution
Juice of 1 lemon
Pickled Red Onion
⅓cuphot water
1teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoongranulated sugar
⅓cupwhite wine vinegar, see notes
1small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Sautéed Chard or Kale
1teaspoonextra virgin olive oil
2clovesgarlic, pressed
1large bunch rainbow chard or lacinato kale, torn from stems and ripped into bite-sized pieces. Discard stems or finely chop them separately.
¼teaspoonkosher salt
The Bowls:
8.8ounceshalloumi, cut into scant ¼-inch thick slices
8ouncescooked peeled beets, cut into wedges and heated in the microwave or in a skillet, if desired (such as Love Beets)
½cuptzatziki, pre-made such as Boar's Head Tzatziki Greek Yogurt Dip, or make your own - see notes below for quick recipe
Optional for garnish: ¼ cup pomegranate arils
Optional for garnish: Fresh mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the quinoa. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat or an instant pot on sauté function. Add olive oil and garlic, and cook, tossing, for 1 minute until lightly golden brown. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, and sumac. If using an instant pot, cover and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes and allow to naturally release for 10 minutes. Over stovetop, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the broth has been absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and fluff with a fork.
Make the quick pickled red onions. Pour the hot water over the sugar and salt in a medium jar. Stir to dissolve. Add the vinegar then nestle in the red onion slices. Let sit until ready to serve. The pickles will get even stronger as they sit and will last a couple of months in the fridge.
Cook the chard. Heat a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute, until lightly golden brown. If using stems, add stems with 1 tablespoon water and cook, stirring, until softened, 1-2 minutes. Add ripped chard leaves and salt, and cook, tossing, until wilted. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the pan.
When ready to serve, fry the halloumi. Heat the same large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the halloumi slices in a single layer, cooking in batches if needed. Cook 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. Use a thin metal spatula to flip the halloumi and cook on the other side until golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining slices.
Build the bowls: Divide the quinoa among four bowls then top with pickled red onion, cooked chard, fried halloumi, and beets. Garnish with a couple tablespoons of tzatziki, and, if using, pomegranate arils and fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately.
Notes
Sumac: Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice that is smoky, tangy, and sour with a hint of citrus. It adds flavor depth to the quinoa and is one of my pantry staples (use it over grilled chicken or veggies!). In a pinch, you can sub in ½ teaspoon lemon zest in this recipe, but note that your quinoa won't have quite the depth of flavor.White wine vinegar: Sub in apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice vinegarTzatziki:The Boar's Head tzatziki Greek yogurt dip is great for super quick dinners, but if you can't find any pre-made or you have the extra time, tzatziki is super easy to make at home. Mix together ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 chopped Persian cucumbers, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 clove pressed garlic, pinch salt. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.Make-ahead and Storage: All the components can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored separately in an airtight container in the fridge. Halloumi is best served freshly fried, so I recommend saving that step until you're ready to eat. However, you can also store fried halloumi and reheat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and it's still quite delicious.