Grilled Halloumi Cheese Steak (Print View)

Golden grilled halloumi served with colorful charred vegetables and a hint of balsamic and herbs.

# Components:

→ Cheese

01 - 14 oz halloumi cheese, sliced into ½ inch thick steaks

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
04 - 1 small zucchini, sliced into rounds
05 - 1 small red onion, sliced into wedges
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Marinade & Dressing

07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - In a large bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Add bell peppers, zucchini, and red onion; toss until evenly coated.
03 - Grill the vegetables for 3 to 5 minutes per side until tender and lightly charred. Remove and set aside.
04 - Place halloumi slices on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown with grill marks.
05 - Arrange grilled halloumi on a platter, top with grilled vegetables, and scatter cherry tomatoes over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Halloumi actually gets better on a hot grill—it caramelizes instead of turning into a puddle, giving you this salty, charred crust that's almost addictive.
  • It comes together in 25 minutes total, which means you can pull off something that tastes restaurant-quality on a random Tuesday.
  • The grilled vegetables soak up just enough of that garlicky vinaigrette to feel like they belong together, not like an afterthought.
02 -
  • Halloumi needs high heat and quick cooking—if your grill isn't hot enough, it'll turn rubbery and bland instead of developing that golden, squeaky crust you're after.
  • Don't cut your halloumi too thin; thick steaks hold up to the heat and stay tender inside while crisping outside, but thin slices dry out before they brown.
  • Cherry tomatoes go on last and raw because cooking them would turn them into little sauce-bombs that oversaturate the dish.
03 -
  • Let your halloumi come to room temperature for about ten minutes before grilling so the inside cooks gently while the outside chars—cold cheese from the fridge will burn outside before warming through.
  • If you don't have a grill pan, a regular skillet works in a pinch, though you'll lose the visual drama of grill marks and the vegetables won't caramelize quite as evenly.
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