Keto Halloumi Zucchini Salad with Mint
This keto salad is a light summer lunch: grilled halloumi and zucchini meet arugula, fresh mint, pine nuts and a lemon and olive oil dressing. With no croutons, bread or sweet dressings anywhere, the salad stays vegetarian and clearly keto-friendly at around 5 g net carbs.
The key facts at a glance
- Time required: approx. 20 minutes - a light, warm summer lunch.
- Only approx. 5 g net carbs and 31 g fat per serving.
- Ingredients: halloumi, zucchini, arugula, mint, pine nuts, lemon, olive oil.
- Suits anyone who wants a vegetarian lunch without bread.
Ingredients
One serving with approx. 120 g halloumi is designed as a light lunch; if you are very hungry, an extra egg or more halloumi suits it better than bread.
| Amount | Ingredient | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| halloumi | cut into slices approx. 1 cm thick | |||
| cut into slices approx. 1 cm thick | ||||
| zucchini | 1 medium zucchini, in ribbons | |||
| 1 medium zucchini, in ribbons | ||||
| arugula | - | |||
| fresh mint | leaves picked | |||
| leaves picked | ||||
| pine nuts | - | |||
| olive oil | approx. 2 tbsp, for the dressing and the pan | |||
| approx. 2 tbsp, for the dressing and the pan | ||||
| lemon juice | approx. 1 tbsp, juice of half a lemon | |||
| approx. 1 tbsp, juice of half a lemon | ||||
| garlic clove | finely grated, for the dressing | |||
| finely grated, for the dressing | ||||
| pepper | - | |||
| salt | halloumi is already salty | |||
| halloumi is already salty | ||||
How it is made
Cut the zucchini into ribbons and the halloumi into slices and grill both in a hot grill pan until they take on roasting aromas. Whisk a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and pepper and fold in the arugula, mint and toasted pine nuts. The warm halloumi goes on top at the end.
Why this salad works on keto
Halloumi is a firm cheese high in fat and protein with practically no carbs, which makes it a very good filling base for a vegetarian keto salad. Together with zucchini, olive oil and pine nuts, this salad delivers around 31 g fat, 20 g protein and only about 5 g net carbs per serving. That macro split fits well into a ketogenic day of typically 20 to 50 g carbs. The few carbs come almost entirely from the zucchini, with a small share from the arugula and pine nuts. A classic salad with croutons, pasta or a sweet honey mustard dressing, by contrast, would quickly reach 25 to 40 g carbs. Because there is neither bread nor sugar in the dressing here, and fat from cheese and olive oil dominates instead, the salad stays light and still fills you up. Anyone wanting to check the nutrition values of the individual ingredients will find reliable figures in the FDDB nutrition database.
Source: FDDB nutrition database
Without croutons and sweet dressing
The biggest carb lever in a salad is croutons, pasta and sweetened dressings. Carbohydrates are metabolized as sugar and raise blood sugar more sharply than fat or protein do. A dressing of nothing but olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper stays practically carb-free, whereas ready-made salad dressings often contain sugar or honey.
Keeping net carbs predictable
The few carbs come from the zucchini. Reducing the amount of zucchini or replacing part of it with more arugula pushes the serving lower still. Cherry tomatoes go well with it but raise the carbs noticeably, so on strict keto you should use them sparingly.
How do I serve and vary the salad?
Serve the salad while the halloumi is still warm - the contrast between warm, salty cheese and cool arugula is what makes the dish. From experience the halloumi is at its best when the grill pan is genuinely hot and it fries only briefly per side, so it stays firm outside and soft inside. A few olives, cucumber slices or a spoonful of herbed yogurt go well alongside; flatbread or couscous are best left out on strict keto.
Meal prep, prepping ahead and taking it along
The salad is best as an immediate dish, because warm halloumi tastes best fresh and turns rubbery when reheated. For meal prep you can still cut the zucchini and halloumi the evening before, mix the dressing and toast the pine nuts, so that only the grilling is left at lunchtime. If you want to take the salad with you, pack the halloumi, leaves and dressing separately and combine them just before eating; the grilled halloumi is still good cold the next day and keeps for 1 to 2 days airtight in the fridge.
If you do not like halloumi
Instead of halloumi, grilled feta cheese in a firm grilling grade, goat cheese rounds or fried mushrooms work as a savory base. For a version with meat, grilled chicken strips or shrimp suit the salad and make it higher in protein. The only thing that matters is avoiding breaded or sweetened ingredients so the salad stays keto-friendly.
Which keto tips help with this salad?
- Preheat the grill pan well so the halloumi and zucchini roast instead of releasing water.
- Grill the halloumi only briefly per side, or it turns rubbery.
- Cut the zucchini into thin ribbons so it cooks quickly and does not go watery.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan without oil until they smell fragrant.
- Fold the dressing in only just before serving so the arugula stays crisp.
Nutrition values
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Keto context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 168 kcal | approx. 385 kcal | Light but filling lunch; the energy comes from halloumi, olive oil and pine nuts. |
| Light but filling lunch; the energy comes from halloumi, olive oil and pine nuts. | |||
| Fat | approx. 13 g | approx. 31 g | Very well suited to keto, mainly from halloumi, olive oil and pine nuts. |
| Very well suited to keto, mainly from halloumi, olive oil and pine nuts. | |||
| Net carbs | approx. 2.2 g | approx. 5 g | Low; comes chiefly from the zucchini plus a little arugula and pine nuts. |
| Low; comes chiefly from the zucchini plus a little arugula and pine nuts. | |||
| Sugar | approx. 1.3 g | approx. 3 g | Low; the sugar comes from the zucchini and the milk content of the cheese. |
| Low; the sugar comes from the zucchini and the milk content of the cheese. | |||
| Protein | approx. 9 g | approx. 20 g | Solid for a salad, because halloumi delivers plenty of protein. |
| Solid for a salad, because halloumi delivers plenty of protein. | |||
| Salt | approx. 0.9 g | approx. 2 g | Raised by the halloumi; use additional salt only sparingly. |
| Raised by the halloumi; use additional salt only sparingly. | |||
Note: Nutrition values are estimated averages per 100 g and per serving and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, portion size, and preparation. They do not replace individual nutrition or medical advice.
FAQ
Is halloumi suitable for keto?
Yes. Halloumi is a high-fat cheese with a high protein content and practically no carbs. That makes it a very good vegetarian source of protein and fat for a ketogenic salad, as long as it is not breaded.
Can I make the salad without pine nuts?
Yes. You can replace the pine nuts with flaked almonds, chopped walnuts or pumpkin seeds, or leave them out entirely. Without nuts the fat and calories drop slightly, but the salad stays keto-friendly.
Does this salad suit weight loss on keto?
It can, if the serving fits your daily plan. The carbs are low, but halloumi and olive oil deliver plenty of calories. Eat one serving as a full lunch and plan any additional snacks separately.
Can I make the salad without a grill pan?
Yes. You can fry the halloumi and zucchini in an ordinary nonstick pan with a little olive oil, or roast them in the oven at high heat. The grill marks will be missing, but you still get the roasting aromas.