These sweet and savory Grilled Halloumi Skewers bring together deliciously marinated halloumi and veggies for a delightfully bright summer dish.
Hopefully by now you have had a chance to get to know that crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside cheese lover’s dream called halloumi! And either way, we’re here today to share a delicious grilled halloumi skewers recipe the whole family will enjoy.
What is Halloumi?
Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese typically made from a mixture of goat and sheep’s milk. It’s a quintessential summer grilling treat because of its high smoke point, which makes it great for high temperature cooking like grilling and frying.
This recipe for sweet and savory halloumi and vegetable kebabs will be a welcomed addition to your table. Vegetarians and carnivores alike will love the richness and layers of flavor the za’atar spice adds to this dish.
Why Za’atar spices? Za’atar is a blend of spices common in Middle Eastern cuisine and typically contains toasted sesame seeds, dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, and sumac. The combination of za’atar and honey along with the salty halloumi cheese hits all the right notes from savory to sweet, salty, and sour.
Grilled Halloumi Skewers — What You Need
These skewers call for a mixture of sweet peppers and onions, but you can add other vegetables if you prefer – zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms would all be great additions to this recipe.
For the grilled halloumi marinade:
- Minced garlic
- Fresh mint leaves
- Za’atar spice
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
What Can You Use Instead of Halloumi?
If halloumi isn’t available to you, this recipe can also be made with cubes of paneer cheese, which is an un-ripened fresh Indian cheese that can also be grilled or fried.
If you use paneer in place of the halloumi, you will need to add a bit more salt to the marinade as Paneer is very low in salt.
using paneer instead?
Why not make your own! We have an amazing step-by-step tutorial to make your own paneer at home.
Tips for Grilled Halloumi Skewers
Prepare Skewers for Grilling
When you’re preparing wooden skewers for grilling, you should soak the skewers in water first – about 30 minutes will do. This step will help the skewers from burning on the grill. Another great option are reusable metal skewers.
Well Oil the Grill
When you get your grill or grill pan ready for the skewers, its important to make sure it is well oiled so that the cheese doesn’t stick to the grill.
Marinade As Long as You Can
Marinade the halloumi and veggies for at least 60 minutes. And if you’re not short on time, these skewers can be prepared a day ahead, and will soak up all the beautiful flavors of the marinade even more.
How to Make Grilled Halloumi – Step by Step
Let Skewers Soak
Place 6, 6-inch skewers into water and let them sit for about 30 minutes before skewering the ingredients. Set aside.
Clean Grill
Clean and oil your grill to make sure nothing will stick to the grill as it cooks. A paper towel with olive oil works well for greasing the grill slats.
Prep Veggies
Cut the halloumi, peppers, and onion into 1-inch chunks and place in a medium bowl, and set aside.
Whisk & Pour Marinade
In a small bowl, mix together the following and whisk to combine:
- garlic
- mint
- za’atar
- honey
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt & pepper
Pour the marinade over the halloumi and vegetables and toss to coat each piece in the marinade.
Prepare Skewers
Remove the wooden skewers from the water and begin to thread the halloumi and vegetables on the skewers. You want to divide the vegetables and cheese evenly amongst the skewers, alternating vegetables and cheese as you work.
Preheat the Grill
Reserve any leftover marinade in the bottom of the bowl for brushing on the skewers as they grill.
Turn the grill on to medium-high and make sure it is fully to temperature before you begin grilling.
Grill the Kebabs
Place the kebabs on the hot grill with enough space between each so that they aren’t touching. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing with the remaining marinade as they cook.
Grill the skewers until the cheese has browned and crisped, and the vegetables are just cooked through.
Serve & Enjoy
Serve with a selection of grilled meats, salads, dips, and fresh breads of your choosing for a complete meal, or alone as an appetizer. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Halloumi Skewers
When you’re considering what to serve your kebabs with, they will pair well with a variety of dips like hummus, tzatziki, and baba ganoush, along with fresh salads and pita or naan bread warmed on the grill.
A selection of grilled meats or fish like lamb chops or shrimp would also be a nice addition to round out this meal. Serve with wedges of lemon and lots of fresh herbs to bring the taste of summer to your table!
Grilled Halloumi Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 lb. halloumi cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small red bell pepper trimmed and cut to 1-inch pieces
- 1 small orange bell pepper trimmed and cut to 1-inch pieces
- 1 small red onion peeled and cut to 1-inch chunks
- 1 clove of garlic peeled and finely minced
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp za’atar spice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice plus more to finish
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Place 6, 6-inch skewers into water and let them sit for about 30 minutes before skewering the ingredients. Set aside.
- Clean and oil your grill to make sure nothing will stick to the grill as it cooks. A paper towel with olive oil works well for greasing the grill slats.
- Cut the halloumi, peppers, and onion into 1-inch chunks and place in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, mint, za’atar, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and whisk to combine.
- Pour the marinade over the halloumi and vegetables and toss to coat each piece in the marinade.
- Remove the wooden skewers from the water and begin to thread the halloumi and vegetables on the skewers. You want to divide the vegetables and cheese evenly amongst the skewers, alternating vegetables and cheese as you work.
- Reserve any leftover marinade in the bottom of the bowl for brushing on the skewers as they grill.
- Turn the grill on to medium high and make sure it is fully to temperature before you begin grilling.
- Place the kebabs on the hot grill with enough space between each so that they aren’t touching. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing with the remaining marinade as they cook.
- Grill the skewers until the cheese has browned and crisped, and the vegetables are just cooked through.
- Serve with a selection of grilled meats, salads, dips, and fresh breads of your choosing for a complete meal, or alone as an appetizer.
This recipe looks delightful! I love za’atar and my daughter brought some back from Israel! So good!
My grill isn’t working, do you think I can make these kabobs in the oven?
Hi Alyse, sorry for the delay! Yes, the oven should work, too!
Really enjoyed this as a crowd pleasing BBQ option for vegetarians and carnivores alike. Will be a repeat.
Fantastic!