Grilled Harissa Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers

• 4 tablespoons good-quality store-bought or homemade harissa paste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 14 ounces halloumi, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 ounces red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (approximately 1 medium pepper)
• 1 medium red onion, thickly sliced or cut into 1-inch chunks
• 16 button or cremini mushrooms, stems removed if desired for easier threading
• 6 asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed and cut into thirds
• Salt to taste (use sparingly, as halloumi is naturally salty)
• A handful chopped fresh mint
• A generous pinch chopped fresh oregano (optional, but highly recommended for an aromatic touch)

Optional Accompaniments

These additions can transform your skewers into a more complete meal or offer a refreshing contrast.

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced, for a fresh bite
• Leaves from 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded, to serve as a bed
• 1/2 cucumber, finely diced, for crunch
• 6 ripe tomatoes, diced, for sweetness and acidity
• 3 lemons, cut into wedges, for squeezing over the finished skewers
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, for a cooling dip
• Toasted pita bread, perfect for scooping up any fallen bits and juices

1. 1. Prepare Your Grill: Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat, aiming for approximately 400°F (204°C). If you don’t have an outdoor grill, a ridged grill pan heated over medium-high heat on the stovetop or a preheated broiler set to high are excellent alternatives. Ensure your cooking surface is clean and lightly oiled to prevent sticking.

2. 2. Create the Harissa Marinade: In a spacious medium-sized bowl, combine the vibrant harissa paste with the olive oil. Whisk them together thoroughly until you have a smooth, well-emulsified marinade. This spicy mixture will impart incredible flavor to the halloumi and vegetables.

3. 3. Marinate the Halloumi: Cut the block of halloumi into 12 to 16 even, roughly 1-inch chunks. Add these halloumi pieces to the bowl with the harissa-olive oil mixture. Toss gently to ensure each piece of cheese is thoroughly coated in the fragrant marinade. Let it sit for a few minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

4. 4. Prepare the Vegetables: Cut the red bell pepper into chunks that are similar in size to your mushrooms, ideally around 1-inch pieces. For the red onion, you can either slice it thickly into rings or cut it into complementary 1-inch chunks that will easily thread onto skewers. Trim and cut the asparagus spears into thirds. The goal is to have all vegetable pieces roughly the same size to ensure even cooking.

5. 5. Thread the Skewers: Carefully thread the marinated halloumi and prepared vegetables onto your chosen skewers. You have two main approaches:
   
   Option A (Mixed Skewers): Alternate between different ingredients (e.g., halloumi, pepper, mushroom, onion, asparagus, halloumi again). This creates visually appealing skewers with varied textures.
   
   Option B (Separate Skewers): For more precise cooking, thread halloumi onto its own skewers and each type of vegetable onto separate skewers. This allows you to remove ingredients from the grill as soon as they reach their perfect doneness, preventing overcooking of more delicate items. If using this method, ensure there’s a small space between halloumi pieces to allow all edges to cook and char beautifully.

6. 6. Grill to Perfection: Arrange the threaded skewers on a plate. Drizzle them lightly with a touch more olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Remember, halloumi is quite salty, so season the vegetables primarily. Place the skewers on the preheated grill, grill pan, or under the broiler. Cook until the halloumi begins to char and turn golden brown, typically 2 to 4 minutes per side. Flip the skewers once to cook the other side evenly. Remove the skewers from the heat as soon as the halloumi achieves a gorgeous golden color and a slightly crispy exterior, while the inside remains delightfully stringy and soft. The vegetables should be tender-crisp with some char marks.

7. 7. Serve and Garnish: Once cooked, artfully stack the grilled vegetable and halloumi skewers on a serving platter. For an added burst of freshness and aroma, scatter with freshly chopped mint and/or oregano, if desired. Serve immediately with any of your chosen accompaniments, such as a refreshing Greek yogurt dip, crunchy shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and cucumbers, or warm pita bread for a complete meal. The bright squeeze of fresh lemon over the top will truly awaken all the flavors.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only. Individual results may vary based on exact ingredients and preparation methods.

Anna Scott

Anna was particularly excited about combining two of her favorite ingredients: halloumi cheese and spicy harissa paste. She praised halloumi’s unique ability to withstand high heat on the grill while developing a fantastic texture, and harissa’s inherent spiciness and versatility. She noted that while she hadn’t combined them before, they created a “brilliant skewer.”

She served these vegetarian skewers alongside lemon- and garlic-marinated grilled chicken breasts, complemented by a rice pilaf with peas and almonds. For her skewers, Anna opted for button mushrooms, cucumbers, and quartered tomatoes. She garnished the cooked souvlaki with fresh oregano leaves, finding that no additional accompaniments were necessary.

Anna used an indoor grill pan for cooking. She marinated the halloumi in the harissa mixture for just about a minute, emphasizing the importance of seasoning the skewers with a pinch of salt, mainly for the vegetables, as both halloumi and harissa are already quite salty. She cooked the skewers for 2 minutes per side, flipping once. The result was beautifully grilled cheese with a lovely “grilled” shade and perfectly cooked vegetables—cucumber slices retained a slight crunch, while tomatoes and mushrooms were soft and juicy. Anna thoroughly enjoyed this recipe, calling it a “brilliant way to combine two fantastic ingredients.”

Ilda Costa-Sarnicki

Ilda’s immediate reaction to the recipe was excitement, eager to find a use for her harissa paste. She observed that the grilled halloumi developed crispy edges and remained creamy inside for a few minutes while warm. Even when cooler and firmer, the halloumi was still very enjoyable, and she praised the captivating flavors and colors of the dish. It was such a hit that there were “no leftovers after a dinner for 3.” Her husband was pleasantly surprised by this meatless Monday meal, remarking that it “eats like chicken!”

Facing a shortage of bamboo skewers, Ilda ingeniously used double-prong metal skewers. To accommodate these, she cut her vegetables and cheese into larger chunks. Her chosen vegetables included sweet onion, cremini mushrooms, asparagus, and mini bell peppers in yellow, orange, and red. Any vegetables that didn’t fit on the skewers were grilled directly on the grill pan, ensuring nothing went to waste.

Ilda set her grill to 400°F and achieved a nice char on the veggies and cheese after 4 minutes per side. For accompaniments, she grilled pieces of ciabatta bread brushed with garlic pesto and sprinkled with mozzarella. The skewers and loose grilled vegetables were served with fresh salad greens, yellow tomatoes, and a bowl of labneh for dipping, creating a truly delightful and satisfying spread.

Jenny Latreille

Jenny found this recipe to be “really easy to put together” for a quick yet impressive grilled meal. She stuck to the recipe’s suggested ingredients, confirming she “enjoyed them this way” and wouldn’t feel the need to substitute for future servings. A highlight for Jenny was making her own homemade harissa paste from the site, which she was “quite pleased with.”

She tossed 16 pieces of halloumi with the harissa and let them marinate while she prepped her vegetables. Using a cast iron grill pan on the stovetop, she threaded the skewers as the pan heated. Jenny did encounter a slight challenge: her halloumi started to melt before the thicker asparagus and larger red pepper pieces were cooked to her desired tenderness. She surmised this was due to the varying thickness of her vegetables. Despite this, she noted that “undercooked vegetables are still excellent” and the halloumi was “cooked perfectly.”

Jenny served her skewers with warm flatbread, a cooling tzatziki sauce, fresh cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes, creating a refreshing and balanced meal.

Elsa M. Jacobson

Residing in urban America without access to a grill, Elsa successfully adapted the recipe using a broiler. She happily reported that, aside from lacking the iconic grill marks, her skewers were “every bit as appealing as those in the accompanying photo!”

Elsa made minor adjustments to her ingredients: she halved her large button mushrooms and noted that her onion strips could have been cut slightly smaller for more even cooking. Despite these small points, the lack of leftovers was a “sure sign of success.”

She chose to skip the optional accompaniments, serving the skewers with a hearty lentil, kale, and quinoa soup. This thoughtful pairing added extra protein, greens, and grains, creating a well-rounded and satisfying meal. They enjoyed generous servings of soup and one skewer each, complemented by warm pita bread on the side. Elsa also suggested that the skewers would be “tasty atop a simple green salad,” perhaps incorporating some or all of the suggested accompaniments.

Having even made halloumi from scratch in the past, Elsa truly appreciated this recipe. She highlighted how it beautifully showcases halloumi’s high melting point, allowing it to maintain its shape while charring exquisitely. The recipe transforms the “somewhat rubbery white cheese” into a “beautiful golden chunk of deliciousness,” boasting an appealing crispy exterior contrasted with a warm, soft interior.

Aryn Snell

Inspired by a friend’s successful halloumi barbecue, Aryn was eager to try this dish herself. Despite difficulty finding pre-made harissa paste, she resourcefully tracked down dried guajillo chilies and made the recommended homemade harissa paste recipe from the site, which she found “so delicious” that her morning eggs would be “100 times better” afterward!

While everyone enjoyed the skewers, Aryn noted they were “a tad bit salty.” She found that eating them alongside the fresh vegetables helped to balance the saltiness. Aryn also shared a valuable grilling tip: she had some difficulty ensuring all the vegetables and cheese touched the grill simultaneously. Next time, she plans to pay closer attention to cutting and threading ingredients to a consistent height, ensuring more even contact and perfect grilling on all sides. This insight highlights the importance of consistent preparation for optimal grilling results.