This Halloumi Burger is one of my favorite easy weeknight dinners, ready in 20 minutes. Full of flavor with golden halloumi cheese, and a smoky red pepper aioli that takes this veggie burger to another level. Trust me, you won't miss the meat!
![Halloumi burger with a smoky red pepper sauce and veggies](https://cookingwithayeh.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Halloumi-Burgers-2.jpg)
If you love halloumi cheese as much as I do, you will love this recipe! The halloumi is grilled to perfection with a golden crust, and literally takes minutes to cook. It's squeaky and salty and not like your regular cheese. Here I've made a quick red pepper aioli for a smoky spicy kick, that works so well in the halloumi burger. I'm not kidding when I say with every bite, you want more!
Halloumi cheese is from Cyprus and very popular in Greek cuisine. Having grown up with a big group of Greek friends, I've become accustomed to eating halloumi regularly for many years, and I’m not mad about it hehe!
Some more halloumi recipes I've shared are my halloumi fries, honey glazed halloumi and halloumi bites.
This is a vegetarian recipe, however even meat lovers will love it! Halloumi is high in protein, calcium and will keep you satisfied. It's then served with fresh veggies and grilled onions but pickled onions would also work great too. Its crazy easy to make with simple ingredients, great for a weeknight dinner or even a fun BBQ idea to impress guests.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick & Easy: This recipe comes together in 20 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights
- Crazy Delish: Golden grilled halloumi served with onions, veggies and a homemade red pepper aioli...yum!
- Veggie Delight: Perfect for vegetarians and even meat lovers will love them too!
- Versatile: Feel free to add your favorite burger toppings or sauces such as avocado slices, pickled onions or even a portobello mushroom
What is Halloumi?
Halloumi is a cheese from Cyprus and traditionally made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk which is then brined.
It has a high melting point and holds its shape once cooked, making it perfect for frying and even grilling. It has a strong salty flavor from the brine, and once cooked, it has a squeaky chewy texture, but in the best way!
It's also high in protein and calcium, so it's a wonderful meat substitute for vegetarians in burgers, salads or even as an appetizer on a mezze table.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Halloumi cheese is of course the famous star for today's recipe! It's a salty cheese originating from Cyprus and has a high melting point, making it perfect for grilling or frying
- Burger buns, choose your favorite type. You can use seeded, wholegrain, brioche bun or gluten-free buns if needed
- Red onions are grilled which become so lovely and sweet. White onions can also be used but aren't as sweet. Pickled onions would give a nice tang
- Lettuce and fresh tomato slices are classic burger fillings for added texture and freshness. Avocado, pickles or even mushrooms would be great too for a more hearty burger
- Sauce, I've made a delicious red pepper aioli using the below ingredients. Other sauces like my sriracha aioli work great or sweet chilli sauce, barbecue sauce will also go well
Red Pepper Aioli
- Marinated roasted peppers are the key ingredient that adds a lovely smoky yet sweet taste
- Mayonnaise is the base of the aioli, I always prefer whole egg mayo. Light mayo or Greek yogurt would work too, but it wont be as thick or creamy
- Garlic, red pepper flakes and fresh lemon juice together add so much flavor and will give the aioli a kick!
How to make a Halloumi Burger
This halloumi burger had me at each bite, it's so packed with flavor! Make it with my simple steps below.
Blend mayo, drained roasted peppers, garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and add a squeeze of lemon juice
Slice halloumi block into 2 pieces. Add one teaspoon of olive oil and rub into both sides
Cook sliced red onions with olive oil on one side of a grill pan over medium heat. Season with salt and add a small splash of water to help them soften quicker
When onions are almost done, add the halloumi cheese to the other side of the pan with olive oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes (without touching)
Flip the cheese to cook the other side. Remove onions and add burger buns face down. When cheese is golden brown, remove everything from the pan
To assemble, add a dollop of red pepper aioli to the bottom bun. Then add lettuce, tomato slices, a pinch of salt, grilled onions and the halloumi. Smear the aioli on the top bun and your done!
Tips and Tricks
- When making the aioli, don't add the lemon juice until its been blended, then add a squeeze. It can make the sauce too thin if added when blending
- The halloumi cheese is quite salty, so don't add any salt to it. You can also rinse it to remove the excess salt from the brine
- Make sure there's enough space between the halloumi when frying them so you can achieve a golden crust
- Don’t flip the halloumi too early. Let it cook undisturbed for a few minutes to achieve a nice golden brown color with grill lines
- Grill halloumi when you're ready to eat. It's best eaten fresh or it can harden or become chewy
Storage Instructions
- Halloumi burgers are best enjoyed fresh, as the halloumi itself is lovely and soft when hot. You can however make the red pepper aioli ahead of time
- Store leftover cooked halloumi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat, it can however become a little chewy
- You can also add any leftover halloumi to salads. Chop into cubes and add to a salad such as my lentil salad, quinoa salad or chopped Greek salad
FAQs
Slice the halloumi and drizzle with olive oil. Then add to a hot grill pan or frying pan with olive oil. Allow it to cook untouched for 2-3 minutes until golden brown then flip and cook the other side until golden
Halloumi is traditionally made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk
It has a strong salty flavor from the brine, with a squeaky soft texture and its absolutely delicious! Halloumi can be fried, grilled or marinated with lemon juice and honey. Check out my honey glazed halloumi
The closest cheese that can also be grilled or fried is paneer, but it doesn't have the same flavor profile. In terms of taste, saganaki or feta would be closest. You can use marinated portobello mushrooms instead of the halloumi in this burger
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with a Halloumi Burger:
More Halloumi Recipes
Looking for more recipes like this? Try these:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Halloumi Burger photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Halloumi Burger (with Smoky Red Pepper Aioli)
Ingredients
- 7oz / 200g halloumi cheese
- 2 burger buns
- 1 small to medium red onion - sliced
- 2 lettuce pieces
- 4 tomato slices
- 2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Red pepper Aioli
- ¼ cup whole egg mayonnaise
- 2oz / 55g marinated roasted red peppers
- 1 small garlic clove - or 2 if you like it garlicky
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less depending how spicy you like it)
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the red pepper aioli by adding the mayo, drained roasted peppers, garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt to a blender or jar (don't add the lemon juice yet)Using an immersion blender or blender, blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and add a squeeze of lemon juice - taste for seasoning
- Slice the halloumi cheese block into 2 pieces, add one teaspoon of olive oil and rub into both sides
- Heat a grill pan or skillet to medium heat. On one half, add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the sliced red onions with a pinch of salt. I like to add a small splash of water to help them soften quicker
- Once the onions are almost done, add a drizzle of olive oil to the other side of the grill pan and place down the sliced halloumi cheeseAllow the cheese to cook for 2-3 minutes without touching it to form a golden crust and grill lines
- Carefully flip the halloumi cheese blocks to cook the other sideSlice burger buns in half and remove the onions. Place down the burger buns to toast the insides. Once the second side of the halloumi is golden brown, remove everything from the heat
- To assemble, add a dollop of red pepper aioli to the bottom buns. Layer down the lettuce, tomato slices with a pinch of salt and the grilled onions Next, place down the halloumi cheese with a smear of the aioli to the bun tops, place on top and enjoy your delicious halloumi burger!
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