Halloumi Kebabs With Chorizo, Tomatoes And Honey Lime Dressing

What’s halloumi?

Halloumi cheese is a salty, slightly ‘bouncy’ sheep’s, goat’s or cow’s milk cheese originally from Cyprus. You can cook it in various ways, but generally you fry it in a dry pan until hot and crisp. Quite honestly, it isn’t always for everyone. Mr. Scrummy, for instance, declared it as ‘rubbery’ when he first tried it.

But I would highly encourage you to try it at least once before you decide if you’re in the ‘love halloumi’ or ‘hate halloumi’ camp. As for me, I’m firmly in the ‘love halloumi’ camp!

It’s incredibly delicious when cooked and crispy, as in this recipe. If you need more ‘proof’, you absolutely have to try:

• these legendary halloumi fries
• these 15-minute halloumi burgers
• these halloumi tacos with an amazing pineapple salsa
• this crispy halloumi salad with avocado, corn and tomatoes

Why you’ll love this recipe

• If you love to make grilled kebabs either on the BBQ or by throwing them under the grill/broiler, these are just a little different, don’t you think? Mediterranean style, I’d say!

• They’re versatile – perfect for a simple lunch, dinner or picnic for yourselves, but can be impressive enough to serve to guests.

• They’re incredibly quick and easy, with just 4 main ingredients and the simple dressing.

• They’re super tasty with the salty, crispy halloumi complementing the smoky chorizo and tangy tomatoes really well. Drizzle over the honey lime dressing and it’ll be a party in your mouth!

• They’re really easy to customize and make your own. Need a vegetarian option? Want to add more veggies? See ideas below!

One of the reasons I like these kebabs so much is that they look and taste more impressive than the sum of their parts.

You only need 3 ingredients to thread on the skewers, and some nice green salad leaves to lay them on:

Halloumi: Halloumi works great grilled/BBQ’d or broiled because it’s a very firm cheese that doesn’t melt everywhere. Instead, it browns and gets crispy after cooking for just a few minutes. You can use any brand that you can get hold of (in the UK/Australia it’s widely available, in the USA try Trader Joe’s, Wholefoods or a European style deli).

I really like to choose an authentic Cypriot brand if it’s available. It usually has little flecks of mint running through it and the perfect texture.

Chorizo: I usually buy whole chorizo sausages and slice them into roughly 1-inch thick slices. You need about 1 sausage for every 4 skewers. These days I find most chorizo sausages don’t have a tough skin on, but if yours does it’s easy to snip the ends and peel it off.

I buy mine from the deli section of my local supermarket, but you can also usually find it in the cured meats area with the bacon and other processed meats.

Cherry tomatoes: You’ll need 4 small tomatoes for each skewer. Any small tomato will work.

For the honey-lime dressing: For this you’ll need the zest and juice of a lime, and a bit of honey, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. I usually use either white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but ordinary white vinegar is fine too.

To serve/Garnish: I like to serve my kebabs on a bed of mixed green leaves. I also like to serve extra lime wedges on the side for people to squeeze over if they like.

The last thing you’ll need, of course, is some long wooden skewers. I wouldn’t use metal ones unless they’re really thin as it’ll be difficult to thread the ingredients onto them without them breaking.

In a nutshell, there’s nothing more complicated here than threading everything onto the long skewers. But here’s exactly how I do that:

Step 1: Soak the skewers in some water for a while before grilling so that they don’t burn. You can let them soak while you’re preparing all the other ingredients.

Steps 2 – 4: Unwrap the log of halloumi, then carefully slice it into roughly 1-inch cubes. You’ll need 12 cubes for every 4 skewers you’d like to make. Halloumi logs do vary in size, but I find I have more than enough for at least 4 skewers. Sometimes there are even leftovers. See below for leftovers ideas!

Step 5: Carefully thread the tomatoes, halloumi and chorizo onto the skewers. I usually start and end with a tomato. Pinch the halloumi tightly as you thread it on. Don’t worry if a few pieces break. You should have some halloumi cubes to spare.

Step 6: Grill them! You can either pop them on a BBQ grill, or you can grill them under a grill/broiler in the kitchen. They’ll only take 10 to 15 minutes. Just keep a close eye on them and turn them a few times so that they brown evenly without burning. The tomatoes and chorizo should be golden brown and the halloumi deliciously crispy in parts.

To make the dressing, simply whisk all the ingredients together in a small jug! It’s so easy. I do this when I prepare all the other ingredients. You want to be able to drizzle over the dressing while the skewers are still piping hot.

Don’t be tempted to skip the dressing! In my opinion the bit of juicy, sweetening balance it brings to the dish ties it all together.

How to serve them

• These halloumi kebabs make a perfect ‘wild card’ option for a BBQ or other kind of gathering. If you have vegetarians among you, you can even skip the chorizo and swap for another vegetable like zucchini/courgette, peppers or mushrooms.
• They also make an easy and very tasty midweek meal. Serve with crispy smashed Greek potatoes, roasted cauliflower mash, Mediterranean lemon rice with chickpeas, baked potatoes and coleslaw or just simple pitta bread or olive oil toasts.
• Make halloumi, chorizo and tomato burgers! Slide everything off the skewers and sandwich in your favourite rolls with the dressing, some salad, and perhaps a spoonful of coleslaw.
• Pack them for a picnic. Although they’re excellent piping hot, they’re also very enjoyable served cold.

How to use up any leftovers

You may or may not have some leftover cherry tomatoes, chorizo and cubes of halloumi. If you do, I’ve got you covered!

• My top suggestion: Make halloumi bites! Dip into Greek yogurt and sweet chili sauce for some pretty impressive crispy bites.
• Add some pizzazz to your weekend breakfast: Either broil/grill the halloumi cubes, chorizo slices and tomatoes for around 10 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp. Or pan-fry in a little olive oil. Serve alongside eggs and toast for a very yummy and easy breakfast!
• Make a sandwich or burger: Broil/grill or pan-fry as described above, then pile into a toasted sandwich or brioche roll. Add green salad, dressing if you have any left. and a little coleslaw if you like. Yum!
• Stir through couscous or pasta: Cook, then stir through warm couscous or pasta. Make more dressing and stir that through too. Enjoy!