Garlicky Halloumi Tacos

Erin Alderson

Overhead shot of pan-fried halloumi in tortillas on a dark plate

In the grand scheme of vegetarian tacos on Naturally Ella, most, if not all, revolve around using legumes. This is great but I felt it time to share one of my favorite, extremely quick tacos that involved zero beans or lentils. Enter halloumi tacos. I shared these on instagram some time back and since then, I’ve been making them quite often.

These tacos, along with a salsa and two salads, encompass my favorite taco party recipes. I like to keep these halloumi tacos simple: a few greens, the fried halloumi tossed in garlic and cilantro, and topped with a sprinkle of onion and hot sauce.

Halloumi Tacos

variations

This taco recipe serves a great base for many different toppings and taco combinations. The halloumi is a mild tasting cheese so it’s all about the garlic, cilantro, and sauces. A few other ways I’ve served these tacos:

Vegetables: Grill (or roast) a zucchini and corn relish- the perfect way to use summer produce. If in the winter months, try squash or sweet potatoes that are chopped into a small dice and roasted until tender.

Sauces: Go crazy with the hot sauce and salsas. Even if I’m only making one variety of taco, I’ll have about five different salsas to choose from. A few of my favorite: roasted tomato salsa, roasted salsa verde, and stone fruit salsa (which is really good with fried cheese!)

Greens: I used a lettuce mix for these tacos but spinach, arugula, or kale would also be really nice with the cheese.

Overhead photo of two halloumi tacos on a dark plate

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Garlicky Halloumi Tacos | @naturallyella

Garlicky Halloumi Tacos

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Erin Alderson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Mexican, American
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Description

An easy vegetarian taco, the star is the fried halloumi enhanced with garlic and cilantro. These tacos can be a great base for adding roasted or grilled vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces halloumi or similar frying cheese (see note)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 tablespoons minced cilantro
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • Red onion (for serving)
  • Lettuce (for serving)
  • Hot sauce (for serving)
  • Lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Cut the halloumi into 4 slices, roughly 1/4″ thick. Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, swirling the pan around to cover the bottom. Lay the halloumi in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and fry for 2 to 3 more minutes, until both sides are golden. Transfer halloumi to a bowl.
  2. Turn off the heat to the pan, add the garlic, and sauté for a minute, just to warm the garlic. Add to the bowl with the halloumi along with the minced cilantro. Toss until everything is well combined.
  3. Assemble tacos with a pinch of lettuce, two slices of the halloumi, a sprinkle of minced onion, and drizzle of your favorite hot sauce or salsa.

Notes

Tips and Tricks: Not all halloumi is vegetarian. Check the package and look for an ingredient list that contains ‘vegetarian rennet or microbial rennet’.

Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: corn tortillas, olive oil

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tacos
  • Calories: 298
  • Sugar: 2.8
  • Sodium: 544
  • Fat: 18
  • Carbohydrates: 24.7
  • Protein: 11
  • Cholesterol: 50.5

Keywords: halloumi recipe, vegetarian tacos, fried halloumi

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