Crispy Grains and Halloumi With Smashed Cucumbers
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 3cups cooked grains (such as brown rice, wheat berries, farro or a mix), shaken or patted dry
- 8 to 9ounces halloumi or feta, torn into ½- to 1-inch pieces
- 1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and shaken dry
- 4Persian or mini seedless cucumbers
- Kosher salt
- 2limes or lemons or 1 grapefruit
- ½cup finely chopped cilantro, dill or parsley leaves and stems, or a mix
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1teaspoon ground cumin or coriander
- Black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
925 calories; 33 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 132 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams dietary fiber; 23 grams sugars; 37 grams protein; 1192 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Heat the broiler on high with a rack six or fewer inches from the heat source. Put the grains, halloumi and chickpeas on a sheet pan to air dry while you prepare the other ingredients. (You can do this up to a day ahead and refrigerate the sheet pan.)
- Step 2
Meanwhile, smash the cucumbers with the side of your knife until they’re craggy and split. Coarsely chop into irregular ½-inch pieces. Transfer the cucumbers and any liquid on the cutting board to a small bowl and season with salt. Finely grate about 1 teaspoon of the citrus zest over the cucumbers, then squeeze in 3 tablespoons juice. Cut any remaining citrus into wedges for serving. Add the herbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil, stir to combine and set aside. (Cucumbers can be prepared up to 3 hours in advance.)
- Step 3
Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the cumin to the sheet pan. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, spread in an even layer, and broil, shaking the pan occasionally or tossing with a fork, until the chickpeas start to pop and everything is crisped and golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Step 4
Serve the grain-bean mixture topped with the cucumbers and the dressing in the bowl. Season to taste with salt, pepper, citrus juice and olive oil.
Tip
- You can crisp the grains, halloumi and chickpeas in a large skillet over medium high in a little oil instead of the broiler; simply work in batches. If you choose to use feta instead of halloumi, know that depending on the type, it may melt instead of crisp.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
DMR
I made this with pearled farro, and it was easy and very good. I dried the farro by spreading it on a clean kitchen towel, which was a little messy (it stuck) and probably not necessary. I did find it a bit dense; next time I think I would try to stretch it by adding some sautéed or roasted vegetables, maybe broccoli and/or mushrooms? That would lighten it and make for more generous-looking servings in the same caloric footprint.
Jason C
I made this with ruby grapefruit. I was afraid it would be too bitter, but it was just right after mingling with the cucumber and cilantro for an hour in the refrigerator.
DorothyB
This is really delicious as is! On my second try at this, to distribute the oil and cumin more easily, I combined the chick peas, rice and farro in a bowl and tossed in the oil and cumin. I also added roast broccoli. This is going into my summer rotation!
Zee
I really liked this! I used dill and coriander (combo worked quite well). I added some toasted pepitas, sliced tomato, and avocado because I had them available and it sounded good (and was an excellent addition).
Rob M
This was a hit. Maybe add a pinch of crushed red pepper to the cucumbers next time.
Lizzette
Delicious! Made this for my daughter who loves lemony tasting recipes. Surprisingly, my husband tried it and couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it tasted. He’s a carnivore so getting him to accept a vegetarian recipe for the main entree is a challenge. Made this as written and I agree with some reviews, you can add more vegetables to customize to taste and make it more filling. I’ll use broccoli and add heat towards the end. This is definitely a recipe I would make to bring to a party.
audrey
Added radishes to cucumber mixture and sunflower seeds to grain mixture
Leslie
This is excellent! I added tomatoes to the cuke mix, as I had some on hand. I didn't have fresh herbs, so I used some dried dill and parsley in the cuke tomato mix. I used dried coriandor vs cumin. For cooking - I pre cooked the beans at 400, for about 10 minutes, then pulled them out, mixed them into the rice with the olive oil and spices. Then put them on the pan, added the cheese and broiled on high for 3 min increments, watching it almost the entire time, and mixed it in the pan 3-4 times.
Joe
This was fantastic. So fresh and cooling from the cucumbers, but still hearty enough with the halloumi and chickpeas; the only change I made was ras el hanout for the spice (the blend I have is mostly coriander anyway) and a few dashes of cumin for good measure. Made it for lunch on a Sunday afternoon as a thank you to my brother for helping assemble a new grill for summer. "Four servings" became two very fast!
c
not bad. added a total of 1.5 tbsps of cumin and coriander and an extra .5 tbsp of paprika.
Laura B
I absolutely loved this. I used both halloumi and feta since I had both on hand, and otherwise followed the recipe. It's so easy and so delicious.
sooz
I added spring onion, dill, chives and coriander leaf to veg mix. Used cumin, garam masala and curry mango powder on chickpea/farro/halloumi mix. Pumpkin and sesame seeds on top.
tmon417
Made this with bulgar wheat and plenty of fresh herbs from my garden - mint, parsley, dill and chive. The flavours are so fresh and the texture is hearty. My new go-to summer dinner recipe!
Hannah
Super yummy! I recommend cooking your grain well before, it takes a long time to dry out. I also added sliced avocado and pickled red onions on top!
Christa
I love this summertime salad, just as I love and appreciate all of Ali Slagle's recipes. I used leftover farro and brown rice as well as feta, home-cooked chickpeas, cilantro, cumin. and grapefruit. Thought I'd stir-fry rather than broil because I was afraid of it burning, but it stuck to the pan, so next time, I will either broil or else add the oil first to the pan. The grapefruit segments were a great addition, just as in her watermelon salad.
Name Toby
Tasty Next time make sure the farro is cooked properly Turned out to be undercooked and therefore tough.
alex
Loved the halloumi and wild rice and liked the cucumber and grapefruit but didn’t love the two together. It was just a weird mix for me.
C
Refreshing and delicious dinner! We put the cheese on a separate sheet pan so that it wouldn’t burn. Also used leftover paneer and just salted it well. Highly recommend
allison
I sliced eggplant I needed to use and pre-broiled one side for a few minutes before adding the rice and chickpeas and broiling them together for about 4 minutes then added the halloumi. I didn’t have any herbs for the cukes but everything was still delicious and a nice blend of textures with the eggplant added in.
mag
Take the cheese out earlier, rice and chickpeas need more time
JER
This recipe was meh. I used farro and for me, the ingredients cooked at different times. By the time our chickpeas popped and turned golden, the farro was very dry and difficult to chew, the halloumi was also dry and rubbery. I think if you start the chickpeas first and add in the other ingredients it could work better. The cucumbers gave a bit more moisture and flavor but didn’t help with the dry, rubbery texture.
alana
This is delicious and a crowd pleaser! I’d broil the chickpeas and farro without the halloumi for a little longer — like 10-15 mins, adding the halloumi at the end for 3-5 mins. I found with the instructions as written, the halloumi burns before the rest crisps up.
Mike
Easy to breakdown into a smaller individual portion that can be done in the air fryer. Delicious!
Kelly M
Loved this dish. Made it as written with lime and it was delicious. Topped with some chili peanuts for crunch. Would definitely add some roasted veg next time!
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