Halloumi fajitas are one of my favorite go-to veggie meals. And bless me, it is crazy good! And for me to say that, it’s freakin’ good.
If you’ve been here before or especially if you watch my videos on YouTube, you know right off I’m not the veggie eater in the house. I mean I do eat veggies and love them, all shapes and colors, but my wife is the veggie eater. I roll with it though because she rarely disappoints when it comes to meatless meals that this is no exception.
One day she said, “Hey babe, let’s make some halloumi fajitas one night this week.” I must have not been hungry at the time and that idea got the thumbs down.
Then another day, maybe three weeks later, she mentioned it again. (With my memory, I’m sure she was betting that I wouldn’t remember the previous conversation … and she was right.) On that second mention I must have been hungry because I said, “Hell yeah, let’s go get some halloumi!” Also, it would give me a chance to put my Cuisinart 360 to good use. (I am not affiliated in any way with Cuisinart, I just love this griddle.)
And we loved it more than fajitas at a restaurant. Full disclosure, that’s not saying much because we have ass for Mexican restaurants in my town. Everything they serve looks like someone in the back puked on the plate. But in any case, it’s become a staple.
I’ve been living under a rock…What in the world is halloumi?
Halloumi is a cheese, a squeaky cheese, made typically from sheep or goat’s milk. Some people call it the “grilling cheese” because you can grill this without it melting, which is why it’s perfect for fajitas. It has a squeaky texture on your teeth, kind of like paneer or other cheeses that are resistant to melting. Halloumi’s flavor is salty-ish, umami, deliciousness. Unlike any other cheese I’ve had.
Halloumi is high in protein, with 19 grams per portion and high in calcium. It’s FODMAP friendly. Because halloumi is made with goat or sheep’s milk, it’s low in lactose. So if you’re lactose intolerant you may be able to tolerate halloumi.
I’m gonna tell you right off, halloumi may not be easy to find in your area, depending on where you live. I can only find it at a Middle Eastern store in my town. Maybe Whole Foods would have it, but I haven’t checked there yet. (The Middle Eastern store is closer to me. Laaaazzzyyy.) If you can’t find it, paneer could work in a pinch, though the flavor will not be the same.
When you fall in love with halloumi, because I know you will, try some other halloumi recipes. I’ve used them for kabobs, kebobs, kebabs, take your pick on the spelling. I’ve made halloumi fries. It’s just so good and versatile and I swear, maybe I’m a weirdo, but I love how it squeaks on my teeth!
Halloumi Fajitas
Looking for a meatless meal to make the whole fam happy? Halloumi fajitas are here to serve.
Ingredients
Fajita Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons chipotle powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Fajitas
- 1 block halloumi, cut into 1/2″ slabs
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 2 any color bell peppers, sliced
- tortillas
Instructions
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Combine all of the fajita seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Give it a good mix up to get it all together. Set aside.
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Get your grill, griddle, or skillet hot – medium/high heat is perfect. Add a bit of oil to the vessel and when hot, add your veggies. Generously sprinkle the fajita seasoning on them. Stir the veggies around to get them all coated.
While your veggies are cooking, sprinkle the fajita seasoning on both sides of the halloumi slabs.
Saute until the veggies are done to your liking. I like to still have some crisp, but the choice is all yours. When done, remove to a plate or platter.
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Add a bit more oil to the pan if needed. Add your halloumi slices. You just want the slabs cooked until you see a color build on it. Maybe 3-4 minutes. When you like the color, flip and do the same thing. Just wanting some color.
Remove from the vessel and slice into strips.
Serve with warm tortillas – however you achieve that. I like to throw them in a hot cast iron skillet if I’m doing this on the stove, or on the griddle if I’m doing it on my Cuisinart 360 griddle. You can throw them on the grill too.
This look great! I first became exposed to Halloumi on a trip to the UK where I had a grilled cheese sandwich. Except it wasn’t what I was expecting – the cheese was grilled, but the sandwich was not. It was delish.
You are right, it is hard to find. Sometimes Trader Joe’s has a cheese called “Grilling Cheese” which seems suspiciously similar to the way I remember that sandwich, so that’s what I go with.
Good to know Trader Joe’s has a grilling cheese, which I’m pretty sure is the same thing. Now if only I could get them to put a store near me! I do have a Whole Foods a couple minutes away, but I haven’t checked there yet.
Halloumi…it’s just so…robust and sqeaky! I love it! Grilled cheese…now you have my head working overtime!
Hi again, Jaxx. Thank you so much again for sharing this post with the Hearth and Soul Link Party. I’m featuring it at the party this week! I hope you will join us. Thank you again for being a part of the Hearth and Soul community!
I love Halloumi! It is such a versatile cheese and your fajitas are a wonderful way to use it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe at the Hearth and Soul Link Party, Jaxx!
Looks yummy!
Looks so delicious!
I had never heard of it either! But it sounds interesting.
If you love cheese or interested in reducing your meat intake…well worth it to seek it out. It really has a taste like no other.