A pasta salad recipe with a difference, we’ve added fried halloumi, beetroot, chard and dill for a full-of-flavour lunch. It will keep well in the fridge for 1-2 days so it’s a great take-to-work lunch.
Ingredients
- 350g orecchiette or other small pasta shape
- 200g swiss chard
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 300g cooked beetroot, cut into wedges
- Small bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
- Grated zest and juice 1 lemon
- 200g halloumi, cut into 5mm slices
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry pan
Method
- Cook the orecchiette according to the pack instructions. Drain and run under cold water until cool, then put in a large bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile, separate the chard leaves and stalks. Finely chop the stalks and set aside. Roughly chop half the leaves and finely chop the rest. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the chard stalks and fry for 5-6 minutes until soft. Stir in the roughly chopped chard leaves and cook for another 2-3 minutes until just wilted.
- Put the finely chopped chard leaves in a pestle and mortar and pound with a pinch of salt, then drizzle in the remaining
2 tbsp olive oil and combine to a paste. - Toss the cooked chard leaves and stalks, chard paste, beetroot wedges, dill and lemon zest and juice with the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste,then transfer to a serving platter or bowl.
- In a clean pan, fry the halloumi slices for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden. Arrange over the salad, then sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds and serve.
Nutrition
- 636kcals Calories
- 24.1g (10g saturated) Fat
- 24.7g Protein
- 76.9g (8.6g sugars) Carbs
- 6.6g Fibre
- 1.7g Salt
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