Grilled Halloumi Kebabs with Za'atar
and couscous / zucchini ribbons
We can't resist throwing halloumi on the grill at least once each summer. This cheese that holds up to high heat makes beautiful kebabs, especially with this recipe's mix of colorful Mediterranean ingredients.
Ingredients
- Skewers, wooden or metal - 12
- Mushrooms, any button - 8 oz, halved
- Cheese, Halloumi - 10 oz, 2" / 5 cm cubes
- Za'atar - 2 tsp
- Olives, green and pitted - 16
- Yogurt, plain or Greek - 1/2 cup
- Stock, any type - 3/4 cup (sub water)
- Salt - 1/4 tsp
- Butter - 1 Tbsp
- Couscous, uncooked - 1/2 cup
- Bell peppers, from a jar of roasted red peppers - 1, chopped
- Lemon juice - 1 tsp
- Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
- Zucchini - 12 oz, sliced into ribbons with a peeler, spiralized, or diced
- Vinegar, red or white wine - 2 tsp
- Oil, olive - 2 tsp
- Oregano, dried - 1/2 tsp
Nutrition Facts
Prep
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Skewers - If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 15 minutes to prevent burning.
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Make couscous - Combine stock, salt, and butter in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous and cover with lid. Let stand for ~5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. (Can be done up to 4 days ahead)
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Garlic / Bell peppers - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Zucchini - Slice zucchini into ribbons, spiralize, or dice. (Note: We like keeping the zucchini raw in this recipe, but if you think you'd prefer it cooked, saute the zucchini in some olive oil for a minute or two until just tender.) (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
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Mushrooms - Slice mushrooms in half. (Can be done up to 2 days ahead)
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Halloumi - Rinse halloumi with water. Slice into 2” / 5 cm cubes. Toss halloumi with za’atar. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Assemble skewers - Thread halloumi, mushrooms, and olives onto skewers. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Make
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If cooking on a grill: Heat grill to 400F / 204C degrees.
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If cooking in the oven: Heat oven to 425F / 232C degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Brush with some oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place skewers on sheet pan.
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While grill / oven heats, toss zucchini with garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and oregano. Season with some salt and pepper. Set aside.
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{grill}: When grill is hot, brush grates with some oil. Grill skewers on all sides over direct heat until halloumi is golden and mushrooms are tender, 6 to 8 minutes total.
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{oven}: Bake skewers, turning halfway through cooking, until halloumi is golden and mushrooms are tender, 12 to 16 minutes.
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If couscous was made ahead, you can reheat in the microwave (you can also serve the couscous chilled or room temperature). Toss with bell peppers and lemon juice. Season with some salt and pepper. If couscous seems dry, add some olive oil.
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Serve skewers over couscous with yogurt. Enjoy with zucchini on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
31 reviews
4/4 gave this a thumbs up 👍Meatballs were super easy to put together & cooked quickly under the broiler. We used the leftovers the next night as wraps with meatballs + feta, cucumber & tomato. I made a quick raita from Greek yogurt to go with it. Tasty!
0 HelpfulThis was ok, but it had an aftertaste that wasn’t for me. I don’t think I would make it again.
0 HelpfulAlways love these flavors. Did orzo too instead of couscous since we had some. Just sautéed the Zuchinni and made up a sort of sub for the zatar.
0 HelpfulThese were great! Subbed ground beef because the store I shopped at didn’t carry lamb. Skipped the zucchini noodles and subbed a green salad. Also, used wooden skewers (my metal skewers are circular) and 15min soak was NOT enough and they burned right up! The couscous was a yummy combo.
0 Helpful