A humble, yet surprisingly flavorful side dish, these Marinated Grilled Veggies and Halloumi are simple to prepare yet elegant enough to serve to guests.
I love it when a simple dish can still feel special, and that’s exactly what this recipe for Marinated Grilled Veggies with Halloumi delivers. You can grill any vegetables you like, though I’m partial to zucchini, bell peppers, and green onions. A red wine vinaigrette marinade does double duty, first bathing the vegetables and halloumi with flavor before grilling, then dressing the warm vegetables once they’re off the heat. Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving, and the result is a satisfying mix of smoky, caramelized vegetables and warm, salty halloumi, and a punch of acidity from the dressing that makes it all come together.
How to Make It
This is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. If you are looking for the full recipe, keep scrolling!
Step 1: Toss together all of the ingredients, except the fresh herbs, in a large bowl.
Step 2: Place the vegetables and halloumi on the grill, making sure the peppers are placed skin-side down where possible. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 3: Set aside the vinaigrette marinade.
Step 4: Remove the veggies and halloumi from the grill and return them to the bowl with the oil and vinegar mixture. Toss to coat, then transfer the veggies to a serving platter and top with fresh herbs.
My Best Advice for Grilling Veggies
- Make sure your grill is well preheated, with very clean grill grates. I use a steam method with a soaked sponge to clean the grill grates while they're extremely hot.
- The recipe doesn't advise putting oil on the grill because the veggies themselves already have oil. However, you know your grill best. If you think you'll need to put some oil on first, do what usually works for your grill.
- Grill on one side, let it alone until it's well charred, then flip once. Touching the food on the grill frequently interferes with proper cooking and can make the temperature drop significantly.
- If the halloumi is sticking, it isn't ready yet.
If you make this Grilled Veggie and Halloumi recipe, be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!
PrintFull Recipe
Marinated Grilled Veggies and Halloumi
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Grill
Description
A humble, yet surprisingly flavorful side dish, these Marinated Grilled Veggies and Halloumi are simple to prepare yet elegant enough to serve to guests.
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini or summer squash, sliced into planks or rounds
- 2 red or yellow bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into large pieces
- 1 bunch green onions, trimmed
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced into ¼” planks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (see note)
- 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram, chives or basil are all good choices here)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the zucchini or summer squash, bell peppers, green onions, halloumi, olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning and salt. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Prepare a grill for high-heat cooking (around 400ºF) with very clean grill grates.
- Place the vegetables and halloumi on the grill, making sure the peppers are placed skin-side down. Set aside the now-empty bowl with the oil and vinegar mixture; you’ll use it again later. Cook, covered, until the vegetables start to soften and have well-defined grill marks, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a flat spatula or tongs, flip the veggies and halloumi and continue to cook, covered, for another 3 to 5 minutes. The veggies should be softened and the cheese seared.
- Remove the veggies and halloumi from the grill and return them to the bowl with the oil and vinegar mixture. Toss to coat, then transfer the veggies to a serving platter. Serve with fresh herbs garnished over the top, as desired.
Notes
Look for pre-sliced halloumi in your cheese section.
The grill grates need to be very clean to prevent anything from sticking to them. The recipe doesn’t call for greasing the grates because the veggies and halloumi have oil on them. If the grates have stuck-on food from a previous use, the food could stick. I clean my (cast iron) grates with water and steam when they are super hot. The steam gets them extremely clean.
If the halloumi sticks to the grill, give it more time before flipping.
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half.
Leave a Reply