This Cajun Halloumi Burger is a tasty veggie burger - and it's super quick to make in just 10 minutes! The halloumi gets wonderfully crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
With the new Burger King halloumi burger hitting the market, suddenly this type of veggie burger has become super popular! But it's so easy to make at home, that you definitely don't need to visit a fast food joint to get one.
It takes less than 10 minutes to make it yourself, max. Seriously, just slice, brush with cajun oil and fry for 2 minutes on either side. Serve it hot in a bun with your favorite dressing and some crispy lettuce and tomato.
Then prepare to be amazed at how great a veggie burger made of halloumi can be.
The salty, dense cheese becomes soft and creamy when heated. It gets a lovely crispy exterior that's made extra tasty with cajun seasoning. All perfect in a brioche bun with fresh lettuce and tomato.
I love to serve these halloumi burgers up with a crisp green salad or Spiralized Sweet Potato Fries, but my husband often has it with a cajun chicken salad.
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Cajun Halloumi Burger
To make this burger a little bit extra special, I've brushed the halloumi cheese with cajun oil. Sounds fancy, but it's just oil with a little cajun spice! It adds a lovely flavor to the burger.
I've also made a quick garlic yogurt sauce that pairs beautifully with the crispy, soft halloumi. For a different flavor, try it with homemade tartare sauce (ready in 5 mins) or my easy 10 minute homemade ketchup.
Hello Fresh, the UK's largest recipe box company, got in touch and asked me to recreate a recipe from their extensive online recipe collection. After swooning over so many great recipes, I settled on this Cajun Halloumi Burger. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did!
Tips and Tricks for Halloumi Burgers
- Check your halloumi package that it is suitable for vegetarians if required, some may contain rennet (which isn't veggie). I checked loads of brands in the supermarkets and all were vegetarian friendly.
- How you slice your halloumi will depend on the shape of your 'ball' of it. If it's smaller, use a few slices per person.
- Be sure to get the frying pan nice and hot, so the halloumi quickly sears and gets that lovely crispy crust.
- Halloumi is salty, so there's no need to season your burger.
- Don't like cajun spices? Just leave them out. No need to oil your halloumi if not using the cajun seasoning.
- I buy premade cajun seasoning at the supermarket, but you can also make your own.
- You can also barbecue, grill, griddle pan your halloumi, or stick it under the broiler. You want to get it hot, quickly!
- Halloumi is best served right away, however if you have leftover fried halloumi, then let it cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, put it in a frying pan over a medium/low heat and heat it slowly until the middle is warm. Reheating halloumi needs to be done slowly otherwise the outside will burn and the middle won't soften.
Serving suggestions for haloumi burgers
Cabbage salad
Grilled Chipotle Salad
Mini Mexican Street Corn
Mexican Bean Soup
What is Halloumi?
Halloumi is a semi-hard Cypriot cheese with a dense texture that's perfect for grilling, frying and enjoying warm. It is usually made with goat and sheep's milk, though sometimes cow's milk is also used. It's known for it's 'squeak' when you bite into it if it's not hot or melted. And it's definitely nicer hot!
Back in my youth, my best friend and I spent a few months travelling around Greece and Turkey (mostly living in treehouses!). As veggie, that meant that I ate a LOT of halloumi (and feta, and erm, ouzo).
I suppose a lot of Brits have discovered it on their travels. Now, the UK is one of the biggest importers of halloumi, consuming around 2,000 tonnes of the cheese every year.
What does Halloumi taste like?
Halloumi has a dense, chewy texture (slightly firmer than mozzarella) and a distinctly salty taste. With it's high melting point, halloumi really comes into it's own and becomes something special when it's grilled or fried.
You'll often see battered fried halloumi as a vegetarain alternative at fish and chip shops, and as halloumi fries in restaruants.
Now Burger King has jumped on the bandwagon with their own Halloumi burger. But it's just as easy and tastes better if you make it homemade.
Halloumi Recipes
If you're looking for other vegetarian halloumi recipes, try these!
Halloumi Souvlaki
Halloumi Kebabs
📖 Recipe
Cajun Halloumi Burger with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Knife
- garlic press
Ingredients
For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- 3 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- pepper
For the grilled halloumi
- 8.8 ounces (250g) halloumi
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
To assemble the burgers
- 2 brioche burger buns
- 1 tomato sliced
- lettuce
To serve (optional)
- sweet potato wedges
Instructions
For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- Spoon the yogurt into a small bowl and stir in the pepper and garlic (start with half, taste and add more if desired). Set aside.
For the Halloumi Burgers
- Cut the halloumi into slices just under 1cm thick.
- Stir the cajun seasoning into the 2 teaspoon of oil and brush over the halloumi slices.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat (if not non-stick add 2 teaspoon of oil). Once the pan is hot, lay the halloumi onto it and cook for 2 mins on each side or until seared. Turn and repeat on the other side.
To assemble the burgers
- Slice the burger buns in half and if desired toast them lightly.
- Spread a spoonful of the garlic yogurt sauce onto the bottom half and add slices of tomato and halloumi. Top with lettuce and the top of the bun. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Check your halloumi package that it is suitable for vegetarians if required, some may contain rennet (which isn't veggie).
- How you slice your halloumi will depend on the shape of your 'ball' of it. If it's smaller, use a few slices per person.
- Be sure to get the frying pan nice and hot, so the halloumi quickly sears and gets that lovely crispy crust.
- You can also barbecue, grill, griddle pan your halloumi, or stick it under the broiler. You want to get it hot, quickly!
- Halloumi is best served right away, however if you have leftover fried halloumi, then let it cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, put it in a frying pan over a medium/low heat and heat it slowly until the middle is warm. Reheating halloumi needs to be done slowly otherwise the outside will burn and the middle won't soften.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Noelle
The flavors of this are lovely!! Cant wait to make it again next weekend
Micki
I'm so glad I found this recipe! I had some halloumi sitting in the fridge, and this was perfect. So tasty!
kim
This dinner was so easy and flavorful! A total hit with my whole family!
Maya
I love how great this was for the whole family, perfect summer recipe!
Mary Bostow
Wow, I haven’t bought Halloumi in a while, but will definitely get some. This sandwich looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Irina
Sounds delicious! These veggie burgers are the best option to make for our upcoming party. We have some friends who are vegetarians. Thanks for sharing!