Vegetarian Cookout? Try Halloumi!

Looking for a meat-free option for your Memorial Day barbecue or the summertime grilling season? Tofu and mushrooms are old standbys, but here's another idea: mellow, tangy, perfectly-textured halloumi cheese.

Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese traditionally made from a blend of goat and sheep milk (modern versions may include cow's milk). What makes it ideal for grilling or frying is the fact that it doesn't melt. Throwing it on the barbecue gives it a golden crust and warm, soft center that's pleasantly salty and tangy.

Here are some recipes we're eager to try this season:

1 Halloumi Wrapped in Red Pepper with Lemon & Chilli (Olive Magazine)

2 Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Lemon (Gourmet)

3 Basil Halloumi and Roasted Veg BBQ Skewers (Delicious Magazine)

4 Halloumi Skewers with Parsley & Lemon Salsa (Olive Magazine)

5 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Stacks (Bon Appétit)

Note: If you or your guests are strict vegetarians, be aware that halloumi is made with rennet. For other vegetarian and vegan grilling ideas, see Vegetarian Skewers Five Ways.

Related: Vegetarian Skewers Five Ways

(Images: Olive Magazine, Romulo Yanes/Gourmet, Delicious Magazine, Olive Magazine, Sian Kennedy/Bon Appétit)

Comments (9)

Omg, that first photo of the halumi in red pepper looks amazing. I'm not even vegetarian and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to make that soon!

Haloumi is amazing.

It also squeaks, so be prepared.

It's pretty easy to find vegetarian halloumi (at least where I live). Just look for one that says non-animal rennet on the label, like Christis Golden Star.

I love halloumi and really like all of these ideas...especially the first one with the halloumi wrapped in a red pepper. yum.

Finally! Some attention is being paid to us vegetarians! I feel like The Kitchn is validating our cooking struggles!

I sometimes grill halloumi on a cast iron grill pan, and find that while it does not melt into an oozy puddle, it does melt down into the grill mark ridges on my pan, making it hard to turn. I have tried skewers, but they rip right through the cheese when I try and lift them.
Anyone else have this problem? Is my grill pan too hot?

I recently went to a restaurant and ordered a portobello sandwich with this cheese, having no idea the texture. When I bit into it, I seriously thought they accidentally added chicken to my sandwich (I'm vegetarian). It was good!!!

Halloumi is great on the bbq. A great way of doing it is to slice it about half a centimetre thick, and marinate in a mix of curry paste (tikka is good), greek yoghurt and a little lemon juice, and then cook it straight on the grill. Try it - it's amazing.

I adore haloumi! I would have never thought to put it on the grill though, great idea...

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