Keto Avocado Salad with Asparagus, Kale and Halloumi

Here’s a quick and easy Keto avocado recipe to tickle your summer salad dreams! Full of super healthy greens and good fats, the addition of kale is an excellent plant-based source of calcium and very important for bone health. The asparagus and kale are steamed while the halloumi is grilled. The addition of toasted hazelnuts brings a nice texture and the lemon zest adds a fresh zing! It requires a little multitasking from the use of different pans, but it all comes together pretty quickly after that. Enjoy this as a main or as a side to your favourite protein!

Can I make this recipe vegan?

You can easily make this Keto recipe with avocado vegan by omitting the halloumi or replacing it with a non-dairy cheese alternative.

Suggested substitutions:

Try varying this Keto avocado salad recipe with fresh spinach leaves in place of the kale or swapping the asparagus for green beans.

If you don’t have hazelnuts to hand you can replace them with toasted almonds, or if you have a tree nut allergy, please feel free to swap the hazelnuts to a mix of pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds.

Top tips for your Keto avocado salad:

This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days.

You can steam the greens ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and serve.

Halloumi is best served warm soon after removing from the pan so be sure to prepare the day of assembly.

Rinse all greens under cold running water or iced water to retain the vibrancy of the green colour and prevent further cooking and wilting.

Net Carbs

2.3 g
Fiber

6.2 g
Total Carbs

7 g
Protein

11.5 g
Fats

28.9 g

324 cals

Quantity

Serving Size

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Asparagus, raw

8 oz
Curly Kale

7 oz
Avocado, black skin (Hass)

1 each
Haloumi

7 oz
Extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp
Lemon Zest

0.5 tbsp
Raw Whole Hazelnuts

2 oz
Scallions or spring onions, tops and bulb, raw

1 oz

Step 1

Add the asparagus to a pan with 3 tablespoons of water. Set over a medium heat. Steam the asparagus for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Once tender, run the asparagus under cold water to stop them from cooking further. Dice the spears into thirds. Set aside.
Step 2

Wash the kale in a colander or a salad spinner, and fill a deep pan with 2 inches of water. Set over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Place the shredded kale in a steamer basket, reduce the heat to a simmer and steam for 3-4 minutes or until tender but still retaining some bite. If you don't have a steaming basket, you can also boil the kettle with 1lt water then pour the hot water over the kale. Immediately after rinse under cold running water again to prevent further wilting.
Step 3

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat until the skins start to flake. Place them in a cloth and rub them together until most of the skins fall off. Discard the skins and roughly chop. Set aside for serving.
Step 4

Thinly slice the halloumi and brush with olive oil to prevent it from sticking. Place on a griddle or frying pan and cook it quickly over very hot heat until golden brown. Carefully flip and repeat on the other side. Remove from heat when golden brown and set aside.
Step 5

Make the salad dressing. Grate the lemon zest and dice the scallions. In a large bowl add the olive oil, lemon zest, spring onion, and season with salt and pepper. Give it a good stir then add in the kale and ensure all the leaves are evenly coated.
Step 6

Add the chopped asparagus and kale to a large serving bowl. Tear in the cooked halloumi. Add the avocado pieces and scatter over the toasted hazelnuts. Drizzle with more good quality extra virgin olive oil to serve.