24 Tangy, Unexpected Halloumi Recipes You’ve Never Tried Before
What’s briny, creamy, savory and positively magical? If you guessed halloumi cheese, you’re right. When fried or grilled, the semi-hard Cyprian cheese develops a crispy crust on the outside and a warm, gooey inside that’s not only tasty but surprisingly versatile, too. Don’t believe us? Here are 24 halloumi recipes that prove it.
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Katherine Gillen
1. Halloumi And Caramelized Mushroom Tacos
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian, gluten free
Not all taco fillings need to be slow-cooked for hours or prepped in advance. Case in point: These handhelds stuffed with pan-fried halloumi and tender, golden brown mushrooms.
YUM CREATIVE/I HEART CHEESE
2. Crispy Halloumi ‘fries’ With Roasted Tomato Dip
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Not only do the fries cook in just five minutes, but the roasted tomato dip comes together in the blender. In the words of Ina Garten, how easy is that?
Laura Edwards/The Yoga Kitchen Plan
3. Sweet Potato, Tomato, Kale And Halloumi Sheet Tray
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
When you want to make something stunning but don’t feel like cooking, this is your go-to dish. All you really have to do is chop some veggies and let your oven do the rest.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
4. Grilled Caprese Skewers With Halloumi And Sourdough
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
No barbecue is complete without skewers, and these are sure to kick the cookout off right. They’re fun to make, even more fun to eat and have “dinner party” written all over them.
Aubrie Pick/Great Tastes
5. Tomato Salad With Grilled Halloumi And Herbs
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, one pan
Think of this salad as a caprese upgrade. Pop some halloumi on the grill until it’s charred and gooey, and you might never go back to mozzarella again.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6. Grilled Peach And Halloumi Salad With Lemon-pesto Dressing
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Sure, you could make a boring grilled chicken Caesar for dinner. Or you could spice things up with this gorgeous fruit-and-cheese creation that begs to be eaten alfresco.
Spoon Fork Bacon
7. Halloumi Nuggets With Marinara Dipping Sauce
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
They’re basically mozzarella sticks for adults. Need we say more? Bonus points for finishing the golden nuggets with fried basil leaves.
Half Baked Harvest
8. Coconut Chickpea Curry With Rice And Fried Halloumi
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly
We bet you can’t find this at your local Thai spot. And we should mention the curry is cooked in a single pot, so you'll have minimal dirty dishes to clean post-dinner.
Half Baked Harvest
9. Roasted Cauliflower Fried Halloumi Tacos With Spicy Avocado-basil Guacamole
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Proof that vegetarian tacos can be just as tasty as meat-filled ones. These boast halloumi, shredded cucumber, black beans, spiced cauliflower and a uniquely herby guacamole.
What's Gaby Cooking
10. Melon Halloumi Salad
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Melon and feta are a fab combo…but we need something new. The briny flavor of halloumi really complements the sweet cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon and mint vinaigrette. Plus, it’s got that crunchy-outside, creamy-inside thing going for it.
Half Baked Harvest
11. Pan-roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon, Dates And Halloumi
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
It’s time to introduce halloumi to our other two favorite ingredients: bacon and Brussels sprouts. Bookmark this to serve at Thanksgiving dinner.
What's Gaby Cooking
12. Fried Halloumi Tacos With Guacamole
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, kid-friendly
Step aside, fish tacos. These vegetarian ones are just as crispy and satisfying, with the added benefit of cheese and charred corn guacamole. (Thanks, Coterie member Gaby Dalkin.)
Floating Kitchen
13. Butternut Squash And Apple Soup With Fried Sage And Halloumi
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
This soup couldn't be more autumnal if it tried. Use a tart type of apple like Granny Smiths—the acidity will cut through the squash's sweetness just right.
Salt & Wind
14. Pea Guacamole And Seared Halloumi Soft Tacos
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
It doesn’t get much better than sweet peas, ripe tomatoes and golden halloumi, all wrapped in a tortilla blanket. Thanks, Coterie member Aida Mollenkamp.
Spoon Fork Bacon
15. Sweet Potato Agnolotti With Halloumi, Pecans And Fried Sage
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
If you’re going to make homemade pasta, you might as well go all out. (And who’s ever complained about extra cheese and brown butter?)
How Sweet Eats
16. Grilled Vegetable And Halloumi Skewers With Pistachio Pesto
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Charred cheese, caramelized vegetables and pistachio pesto sure beat a hot dog or hamburger. For the ultimate fridge clean-out, use whatever veggies you have on hand.
The Pig and Quill
17. Roasted Shrimp And Polenta With Halloumi Crisps
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly
Aside from being totally delicious and impressive, this dish comes together on a single baking sheet. Go the extra mile by adding crispy prosciutto or pancetta on top.
Clean Eating Magazine
18. Arugula And Cantaloupe Salad With Grilled Halloumi
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
In a room full of steaks, be a grilled halloumi salad. Feel free to swap in spinach for arugula, blueberries for blackberries or honeydew for cantaloupe.
This Mess Is Ours
19. Apple, Halloumi And Labneh Flatbreads
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Oh hey, 15-minute flatbread dinner. With your sweet, salty and spicy flavor profile, we might just make you every night for the rest of forever.
The Bojon Gourmet
20. Roasted Yellow Tomato Soup With Green Harissa And Halloumi Croutons
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Choosing between bread and cheese is almost impossible, unless you’re talking croutons. These have a toasty exterior, creamy interior and are just what your savory tomato soup needs.
How Sweet Eats
21. Halloumi Hummus Bowls
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
The secret to an irresistible grain bowl? A generous variety of color, flavor and texture. This one is creamy, chewy and crispy, with plenty of fresh herbs and lemon for good measure.
Feel Good Foodie
22. Za'atar Spring Rolls
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
These crackly, crispy appetizers are filled to the brim with halloumi cheese and fresh mint. In case that's not enough dairy for you, they're served with labneh yogurt for dipping.
Half Baked Harvest
23. Chili Crisp Peanut Noodles With Crispy Halloumi
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
One bite and this nutty masterpiece will wiggle its way into your weekly rotation. First, the halloumi is pan-fried in sesame oil. Then, it's tossed in fresh garlic-chile oil, peanuts and sesame seeds for spice and extra crunch.
The Mediterranean Dish
24. Easy Fried Halloumi With Warmed Honey
Time Commitment: 5 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
Make this drool-worthy dish the focal point of your next charcuterie board. Place the fried cheese in the center with a bowl of honey for drizzling, then surround it with grapes, figs, berries, olives and pita chips.
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For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
