Treat yourself to this yummy Halloumi Burger recipe ... these flavor-packed veggie burgers make an awesome lunch or dinner!
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A good vegetarian sandwich can be hard to come by, you know what I mean?
And that's exactly why I'm loving these mouthwatering Halloumi Burgers! This fun sandwich is a delicious twist on the ubiquitous portobello burger that's on so many menus.
I first made these Portobello Mushroom and Halloumi Burgers a couple months ago, and I've been craving them ever since.
The flavors are so fresh and zippy, and I know you're going to love them just as much as I do. Keep reading for all the tasty details!
These Portobello Mushroom and Halloumi Burgers are absolutely bursting with flavor!
First of all, there's that salty, grilled halloumi cheese. Then, you've got the juicy roasted portobellos and the zesty pickled onions.
My favorite part just might be the sauce though. This quick tomato sauce tastes almost like ketchup, but sooo much better, and it really pulls all the flavors of this delicious sandwich together.
These wonderful burgers are an excellent way to brighten up any meal, and I'm going to show you exactly how to make them.
Ingredients
These yummy veggie burgers use fresh, healthy ingredients you can find at almost any store, and result is scrumptious!
Here's what you'll need for the quick tomato sauce:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Grape Tomatoes
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Basil
For the burgers, you'll need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Portobello Mushrooms (Use the biggest ones you can find.)
- Halloumi Cheese
- Burger Buns
- Salad Greens (I used baby greens.)
- Pickled Onions (Try my easy recipe.)
About Halloumi Cheese
Halloumi cheese was first produced on Cyprus, a small, island country located in the Mediterranean Sea. It's most popular in the Mediterranean and Middle East, and surprisingly, in the UK.
This unique cheese has a mild, but salty flavor and a firm, somewhat rubbery texture. Don't be surprised if it squeaks when you bite into it, kind of like cheese curds! Halloumi is ideal for frying or grilling, because it won’t melt when heated.
Look for it in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store or purchase it online.
You'll Also Need
To cook the halloumi, you’ll need a grill pan (I have this cast iron pan) or an outdoor grill. If you'd prefer, you can use a skillet to fry the cheese, or you can cook the cheese and mushrooms on an outdoor grill ... lots of options.
How to Make Halloumi Burgers
Let's get to it and make these delicious vegetarian burgers!
This recipe isn't difficult, but there are a few different components to make. To stay organized, start by prepping all your ingredients (quartering tomatoes, cleaning mushrooms, etc.) before you start cooking anything.
Make the pickled onions in advance, as well. They need an hour to pickle, but you can prepare them days in advance. In a pinch, use sliced red onions (unpickled) instead.
Making the Sauce
To make the sauce, heat a couple teaspoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant ... it should only take about 30 seconds or so.
Add the quartered grape tomatoes to the garlic. Cook the tomatoes until they soften, which should take about five minutes, then add the balsamic vinegar.
Keep cooking the tomatoes until the sauce is thick (see the bottom picture above). Then, remove the pan from the burner then still in the basil and season the sauce to taste with salt.
Tip: this recipe is really flexible! Feel free to experiment with other sauces, like Romesco or even Pesto.
Roasting the Portobello Mushrooms
While the tomato sauce is cooking, you'll start the portobello mushrooms and halloumi. That way, everything will be done at the same time.
Brush the mushrooms on both sides with olive oil, then place them on a baking sheet.
Roast the mushrooms for 10 minutes on each side (or until they're tender), then season them generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
Tip: the portobellos will shrink down a lot as you cook them, so make sure to purchase the biggest mushrooms you can find.
Grilling the Halloumi
Once you get the portobellos in the oven, start heating a grill pan over medium heat.
Cut the halloumi cheese into four slices, and brush both sides with olive oil. Place the cheese in the hot pan, then cook it on one side until it has nice brown grill marks. Flip the cheese, and cook it on the other side.
Don't have a grill pan? Cook the cheese in a frying pan until golden instead. You could also prepare the cheese and mushrooms on an outdoor grill, if you're grilling out. Check out my article on how to grill vegetables for tips.
Tip: for the best grill marks, don't move the cheese until you are ready to flip it.
Assembling the Mushroom and Halloumi Burger
Once everything is ready, it's time to assemble your burgers. Here's how to do it:
- Cover a burger bun with a small handful of greens. I used a baby kale lettuce mix.
- Add a couple slices of pickled onions.
- Place the portobello mushrooms on the onions.
- Spoon a generous amount of tomato sauce over the mushrooms. (You may have a little sauce let over ... try it on other sandwiches.)
- Top the burgers with a slice of grilled halloumi cheese.
- Finish with the burger bun. If your buns are really bready, hollow out the top bun a bit to make the burgers easier to eat.
- Eat and enjoy!
Don't they look delicious? I just love the bright flavors in these tasty Halloumi Cheese Burgers, and I know you will, too!
Serving Ideas
I served these Halloumi Cheese Burgers with Grilled Vegetables and Red Potato Salad, and it made the perfect summer meal.
These burgers would also be delicious with a simple salad, like Greek Coleslaw, Lemony Chickpea Salad, or Easy Kale Salad. Or try them with these Old Bay Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potato Fries, or this Tex Mex Sweet Potato Salad.
Related Recipes
If you loved this recipe, make sure to check out my Halloumi Wrap and my Grilled Halloumi Salad, and you can find all of my Veggie Burger recipes here!
Halloumi Burger
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
For Tomato Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
For Burgers:
- 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces Halloumi cheese, cut into 4 slices
- 4 burger buns
- lettuce
pickled onions - salt
- pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.
Prepare Tomato Sauce:
- Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Mix in balsamic vinegar, then cook until thick.
- Remove sauce from heat. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt. Set aside.
Prepare Burgers:
- While sauce is cooking, brush portobellos lightly with olive oil.
- Roast mushrooms for 10 minutes, then flip and cook for 10 minutes more (or until tender). Remove from oven, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Once mushrooms start cooking, heat a grill pan over medium heat.
- Brush halloumi with remaining olive oil, then add to hot pan.
- Cook halloumi until browned grill marks appear, then flip and cook on other side. Remove from heat.
- To assemble burgers, top bun with a small handful of lettuce, pickled onions, portobellos, tomato sauce, and cheese.
- Serve burgers immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
