If you’ve never grilled halloumi before, you’re in for a treat. Halloumi is one of the few cheeses that gets beautifully golden on the outside while staying soft and chewy in the middle instead of melting through the grill grates.
These grilled halloumi kebabs combine juicy peppers, zucchini, and red onion with cubes of halloumi that caramelize just enough to create crispy edges. Everything gets brushed with a simple lemon herb marinade before grilling, then served with a rich, smoky romesco sauce made from roasted red peppers, almonds, and sun dried tomatoes.
I’ve tested these a few different ways, and I found that keeping the vegetables in larger pieces helps them finish cooking at the same time as the cheese. Smaller vegetables cooked too quickly while the halloumi was still browning.
I’m always looking for ways to add colorful veggies to my meal, and this one delivers on all the color. You can serve them as a vegetarian main or alongside another grilled recipe (like pesto grilled chicken skewers), making them ideal for a summer cookout.
Looking for another veggie packed summer recipe? Try my roasted vegetable pasta salad next!
Why You’ll Love These Halloumi Kebabs
- Halloumi holds its shape on the grill, giving you crispy, golden edges without melting.
- The lemon herb marinade adds fresh flavor without overpowering the cheese.
- The homemade romesco sauce comes together in just a few minutes and can be made ahead.
- They’re naturally gluten free and easy to customize with your favorite vegetables, just like roasted veggie quinoa bowls.
- The colorful skewers make an impressive centerpiece for summer dinners, backyard barbecues, or entertaining.
- They’re filling enough to serve as a vegetarian main course but pair beautifully with grilled chicken, grilled steak, or grilled salmon if you’re feeding a mixed crowd.
Ingredient Notes
- Halloumi: Look for an 8-oz block of halloumi in the specialty cheese section. It should feel firm and slightly springy. Cut it into 1 inch cubes so it stays securely on the skewers while developing golden edges on the grill.
- Bell peppers: Using three different colors makes the kebabs especially vibrant, but any combination of sweet bell peppers works well.
- Zucchini: Slice it into thick half moons or large chunks that are similar in size to the halloumi. Uniform pieces cook more evenly.
- Red onion: Leave the onion in larger chunks so the layers stay together while grilling.
- Fresh herbs: parsley and thyme give the greek marinade a brighter flavor than dried herbs. If using dried herbs, reduce the amount by about half.
- Romesco sauce: Roasted red peppers, blancked (aka peeled) almonds, sundried tomatoes, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, olive oil, and smoked paprika.
How to Make Grilled Halloumi Kebabs
Step 1. Marinate the vegetables: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, garlic, and salt. Slice the zucchini, peppers, onion, and halloumi into pieces that are about the same size. Keeping everything close to 1 inch helps the vegetables finish cooking at the same time as the cheese. Add the vegetables to the bowl and toss until evenly coated with the marinade. I like to wait until I’m threading the skewers before adding the halloumi so it doesn’t break apart from too much mixing.
Step 2. Assemble the kebabs: Alternate the vegetables and halloumi on each skewer. Avoid packing everything too tightly because a little space allows the heat to circulate and creates better browning.
Step 3. Preheat the grill and make the romesco sauce: Preheat the grill to medium high (about 450) and oil the grill grates. Combine the roasted red peppers, almonds, parsley, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until mostly smooth with just a little texture remaining.
Step 4. Grill the halloumi kebabs: Place the skewers directly on the grill and cook for 5 to 8 minutes per side, turning once, until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred and the halloumi is golden brown on both sides. The halloumi is ready when the edges are crisp and deeply golden while the center is still soft and slightly springy. If you continue cooking after this point, it can become firm and chewy.
Step 5. Assemble and serve: Transfer the grilled halloumi kebabs to a platter and spoon the romesco sauce underneath or alongside for dipping. Finish with fresh parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
What Vegetables Work Best
Three colors of bell pepper plus zucchini and red onion is the combination I landed on here. The peppers caramelize and get a little sweet. The zucchini softens and picks up the grill marks. The red onion chars at the edges and gets jammy in the middle.
You want everything cut to roughly the same size (around one inch) so it all cooks at the same rate. A little smaller is fine for the vegetables since they just need to soften and char.
Other vegetables that work: cherry tomatoes (whole), mushrooms, eggplant, yellow squash.
How to Serve These
Spoon the romesco sauce onto the platter first, then lay the skewers on top. Or serve it on the side for dipping. Either way, every bite should have some of that sauce. Another option would be the tzatziki from my sheet pan chicken gyros or store bought hummus.
If you’re building a full vegetarian dinner spread, these pair well with:
- Grilled flatbread or pita
- A simple arugula salad or shaved brussels sprout salad.
- Couscous tossed with herbs and lemon zest
- A wrap situation: slide everything off the skewer into a warm pita, add romesco, done.
For the non-vegetarians at the table: these work beautifully as a side alongside grilled chicken, grilled steak, or grilled salmon. The romesco sauce goes especially well with salmon.
Can I Make These in the Oven?
Yes. Arrange the skewers on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with any remaining marinade, and broil on high for about eight to ten minutes, turning once halfway through. You won’t get the same char and smoke, but the flavors are all there. The oven also makes this a year-round dish.
Air fryer works too: 400°F for about ten to twelve minutes, flipping halfway. Work in batches so you don’t crowd them. I use the same approach for my air fryer smashed potatoes.
Make It Ahead
The romesco sauce can be made up to five days ahead and kept refrigerated.
The vegetables can be marinated up to 24 hours ahead.
The skewers can be assembled and held in the fridge for a few hours before grilling, just take them out 15 minutes before they go on the heat.
More Veggie-Packed Recipes
Grilled Halloumi Kebabs with Romesco Sauce
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Ingredients
Grilled Vegetabale Kebabs with Halloumi and Romesco Sauce
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 Tablespoons fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- Juice from 1 lemon about 2 Tablespoons
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 medium zucchini sliced into rounds then half moons
- 1 red bell pepper cut into large 1-inch chunks
- 1 orange bell pepper cut into large 1-inch chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper cut into large 1-inch chunks
- 1 red onion cut into large 1-inch chunks
- 2 (8 oz) packages halloumi cheese cut into 1-inch squares
Romesco Sauce
- 1 (12oz) jar roasted red peppers drained
- 3/4 cup blanched almonds
- 2 Tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
- 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes rinsed and drained
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. I like to use metal skewers for the grill.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, parsley, thyme, lemon juice, and garlic. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion, tossing to coat. Let marinate for 15–30 minutes.1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley, 1 Tablespoons fresh thyme, Juice from 1 lemon, 2 cloves garlic, 1 medium zucchini, 1 red bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 red onion
- Cut the halloumi into 1-inch cubes, then thread the vegetables and halloumi onto skewers, alternating ingredients. Brush any extra marinade over the halloumi. When testing I found tossing the halloumi with the veggies cause it to break, so brushing it with the marinade separately prevents that.2 (8 oz) packages halloumi cheese
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400–450°F) and generously oil the grates. Grill the kebabs for 5–6 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred, and the halloumi is golden and charred in spots.
- Meanwhile, add all of the romesco sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.1 (12oz) jar roasted red peppers, 3/4 cup blanched almonds, 2 Tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 3 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Serve the grilled kebabs warm with the romesco sauce spooned over the top or on the side for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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