Treat yourself to these yummy Mushroom and Halloumi Burgers! These flavor-packed veggie burgers are loaded with delicious toppings and easy to prepare. They make an awesome lunch or dinner that you'll look forward to eating all day!
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A good vegetarian sandwich can be hard to come by ... you know what I mean? Which is why you're going to LOVE these mouthwatering Portobello Mushroom and Halloumi Burgers! This fun sandwich is a delicious twist on the ubiquitous portobello burger that's on so many menus.
These Halloumi Cheese Burgers are absolutely bursting with flavor! First of all, there's that salty, grilled cheese. Then, you've got the juicy roasted mushrooms and the zesty pickled onions.
My favorite part just might be the sauce though. It's a quick tomato sauce that 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 turn mealtime into an event ... keep reading to learn how to make them!
Ingredients
These yummy veggie burgers use fresh, healthy ingredients you can find at almost any store. Here's what you'll need:
- Mushrooms - Meaty portobellos add so much flavor and texture to this sandwich. Make sure to use the biggest mushrooms you can find, because they shrink down as they cook.
- Halloumi - 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.
- Burger Buns - Use your favorite buns here.
- Greens- I used mixed baby greens for a gourmet touch, but any other lettuce will work, too.
- Picked Onions - Homemade pickled onions couldn't be easier to make or more delicious! In a pinch, use a thin slice of red onion instead.
- Tomato Sauce - These burgers features a homemade tomato sauce that's so delicious. It's prepared with olive oil, garlic, grape tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and basil .... don't skip it, it's so easy to make!
Where to Buy Halloumi
Look for halloumi in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store or purchase it online. If you have a local store that specializes in Mediterranean ingredients, you can probably get a better price there. In the Dallas area, I get mine at Sara's Market & Bakery (it's located in Richardson), and they even carry multiple brands.
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 ... lots of options. If you're cooking this recipe indoors, you'll also need a large baking sheet to roast the mushrooms.
How to Make Mushroom and Halloumi Burgers
These vegetarian burgers aren't difficult to prepare, 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.
Once you do that, you can start cooking the burgers. You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Pickle the onions. The onions need about an hour to pickle (although you can prepare them in advance), so start there. Simply heat a combination of vinegar, sugar, and salt, add the onions, then let rest until they've turned bright pink. Want to save time? Use slices of raw onion instead.
- Make the sauce. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large frying pan, then cook your garlic just until fragrant. Add the grape tomatoes, cook them until they soften (about five minutes), then add the balsamic vinegar. Keep cooking the sauce until it thickens (see pic below), then stir in basil and season with salt.
- Cook the mushrooms. Brush both sides of your portobellos with olive oil, then roast them for about 10 minutes on each side, or grill them until tender. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tip: The portobellos will shrink a lot as they cook, so make sure to purchase the biggest mushrooms you can find.
- Grill the halloumi. While the portobellos cook, brush both sides of the halloumi slices with olive oil. Place on grill (I used a grill pan), then cook until golden. Flip and cook on the other side. Don't have a grill? You can also fry the cheese over medium heat instead. Tip: For the best grill marks, don't move the cheese until it's ready to flip it.
- Assemble the burgers. To assemble the burgers, top the buns with a small handful of lettuce, followed by the pickled onions, portobellos, tomato sauce, and cheese. If your buns are really thick, hollow out the top bun a bit to make the burgers easier to eat.
Don't they look delicious? I just love the bright flavors in these tasty Halloumi Cheese Burgers, and I know you will, too!
Tip: This recipe is really flexible! Feel free to experiment with other sauces, like Romesco, Pesto, Pesto Mayo, even Guacamole.
Serving Suggestions
I served these Halloumi Mushroom Burgers with Grilled Vegetables and Red Potato Salad, and it was the perfect summer meal!
They'd also be delicious with a simple salad (try a Garden Salad, Greek Coleslaw, Lemony Chickpea Salad, or Easy Kale Salad) or paired with fries or a potato salad (like these Old Bay Roasted Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potato Fries, or this Tex Mex Sweet Potato Salad).
Related Recipes
Looking for more halloumi recipes? You'll love my Halloumi Wrap, Grilled Halloumi Salad, Halloumi Pesto Sandwiches, Halloumi Tomato Pasta, Halloumi Fajitas, Honey Glazed Halloumi, and Halloumi Fries, too!
Searching for more Veggie Burger recipes? Check out these next:
- Southwest Veggie Burgers
- Mushroom Swiss Veggie Burgers
- Korean BBQ Tofu Sliders
- Greek Veggie Burgers
- Vegetarian Teriyaki Burgers
- Black Bean Edamame Burgers
- Indian-Spiced Chickpea Quinoa Burgers
- Green Burgers
Halloumi Burgers
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
- ½ block Halloumi cheese, cut into 4 slices (4.4-ounces / 125 grams)
- 4 burger buns
- lettuce
pickled onions - kosher salt
- pepper
Equipment
- Grill pan (or outdoor grill)
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!
Notes
Nutrition
