Halloumi is a marvellous cheese hailing from Cyprus that does not melt on the grill, making it the perfect meat alternative. The outside gets crispy while the inside turns velvety. Cut the block of cheese into fairly thick chunks so they don’t break apart when skewering them. Dollops of sun-dried pesto give the dish even more pizzazz.
Sodium watch
While halloumi is lofty in protein, it can also be higher in sodium. So enjoy these kebabs, but just be sure to watch your salt intake elsewhere that day.
Halloumi Kebabs with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh mint
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil or camelina oil
- 8 oz (225 g) halloumi cheese, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) cubes
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 eggplant, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut into 3/4 in (2 cm) chunks
- 4 cups (1 L) arugula
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories197
- protein8g
- fat15g
- saturated fat6g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates9g
- sugars4g
- fibre4g
- sodium297mg
Directions
01
To make pesto, pulse together tomatoes, walnuts, mint, garlic, and lemon juice in food processor. With the machine running, pour in oil and 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water, and blend until mixture is just slightly chunky.
02
Preheat grill to medium-high and grease grill grate. In alternating order, thread halloumi, red pepper, eggplant, and onion onto 8 skewers. Grill kebabs for 6 minutes, turning once halfway, or until vegetables are tender and cheese is golden. Be careful not to burn the cheese.
03
Divide arugula among serving plates and top with contents of kebabs. Garnish with dollops of tomato pesto.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
