Get the Recipe: Halloumi Burger
This vegetarian halloumi burger is hearty and delicious. With seared halloumi, on a tahini yogurt sauce, topped with lettuce, red onion, tomato and zhug (a Middle Eastern herb sauce).
Ingredients
For the tahini yogurt sauce:
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon tahini, well-stirred *see Note 1 below
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- pinch cumin
- pinch fine sea salt, more to taste
For the parsley cilantro sauce (zhug):
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
- 1/4-1/2 fresh jalapeño, diced pepper only for milder or add seeds for spicier
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon water
- pinch cumin
- pinch ground coriander
- pinch salt and pepper
For the halloumi burger:
- 2 hamburger buns
- 5.5 oz (160 g) Mediterranean-spiced halloumi block , or plain halloumi
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 slices tomato, thickly-sliced
- 2 slices red onion, peeled
- fresh leaf lettuce
Instructions
- Make the tahini sauce by stirring together the 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 Tablespoon tahini (well-stirred *see Note 1 below), 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, pinch cumin and pinch fine sea salt (more to taste). Use immediately or cover and refrigerate to use later in the day.
- Make the cilantro parsley sauce by adding the 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, 1/4-1/2 fresh jalapeño (diced pepper only for milder or add seeds for spicier), 1 clove garlic, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 Tablespoon water, pinch cumin , pinch ground coriander, pinch salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Process until broken down to a chunky sauce. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate to use later in the day.
- Cut the 5.5 oz Mediterranean-spiced halloumi block (or plain halloumi) in half crosswise into two slabs. Set aside. Prepare the 2 slices tomato (thickly-sliced), 2 slices red onion (peeled) and fresh leaf lettuce. Set aside
- Preheat the oven broiler with a rack at least 6 inches from the heat. Split the 2 hamburger buns and place them onto a baking sheet. Place under the broiler and toast to golden brown. *Watch closely, as it only takes a few minutes! Remove and set aside.
- Spread the bottom part of the hamburger bun with some of the tahini yogurt sauce. Spread the top half of the bun with the cilantro parsley sauce, then layer the tomato, red onion and leaf lettuce on top of the cilantro parsley sauce. Repeat with the other hamburger bun. Set aside.
- Heat the 2 teaspoons olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the halloumi pieces and cook, undisturbed, until golden underneath, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden. Immediately transfer the hot halloumi onto the bottom half of the hamburger bun with the tahini sauce. Carefully place the dressed top half of the bun on top. Enjoy!
Both the tahini yogurt sauce and the cilantro parsley sauce can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.
The halloumi slabs can also be cooked on a BBQ grill, though it may not be worth firing up the BBQ just for the halloumi. If you already have it going for other things, it is an option.
Notes
Note 1: Tahini is a sesame seed-based condiment available at many grocery stores within the International Foods section. A good substitute for tahini is to combine a nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut) mixed with a little sesame oil. Alternatively, if you have sesame seeds on hand, you can process them in a food processor with a bit of cooking oil to make a paste.
Tips!
You can stretch the halloumi block into 3 pieces by trimming 1 1/2 inches off each of the two slabs and using the two trimmed pieces to make a 3rd burger.
Halloumi can be salty! If you're using plain halloumi, you can soak it to reduce the saltiness. See the how-to in the post above this Recipe Card. I don't recommend soaking the Mediterranean-spiced halloumi, as the herbs will be washed off. I do find it is less salty overall, though.
Have all your burger toppings ready and the buns toasted before you cook the halloumi. Halloumi is best enjoyed immediately after cooking, not only because it is warm and melty, but because it can become a bit rubbery if allowed to cool too much after heating.
Change it up! See the post above this Recipe Card for more halloumi burger toppings you might like to try next!
Serving: 2serving, Calories: 575kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 1171mg, Potassium: 292mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1018IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 913mg, Iron: 3mg
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