Grilled Pear and Halloumi Skewers with Chili Sauce

This post is in partnership with California Pears. See below for more information.

There’s nothing like lighting up the grill in summer, especially because there’s so many delightful fruits and vegetables to put over the fire. These skewers showcase the best. Salty, grillable cheese paired with fresh pears and a tangy marinade: you can’t go wrong!

California Pears!

I’m excited to again be working with California pears to help kick off the season. While you may think of pears as a fall fruit, here in California it’s already pear season. Which, can be really amazing when you think in terms of summer recipes (like these grilled halloumi skewers!)

It’s no secret that I love grilling pears (like this salad I did last year). It’s especially lovely with the Bartlett pears. Need to source California pears? They are now available in many local stores including Albertsons/Vons.

Halloumi forever

What pairs better with pears than salty cheese? Halloumi is a favorite summer treat of mine because it grills up so nicely. Halloumi can be a bit tricky to thread onto skewers so one trick I have: cut into large piece and tear where the cheese wants to come apart. It’s a bit easier to work with this way and is less likely to crack when putting onto the skewers.

The essentials

Beyond the California Pears and cheese, there are two essential parts to these skewers. The first: onions. Grilled onions are a favorite of mine and really help balance out the salty/sweet. Then, the chili sauce comes in and brings everything together with a little heat. If you don’t do heat, back off the chili sauce and add a splash of soy sauce to the marinade.

What to serve them with

I could easily eat these skewers as-is but sometimes it’s helpful to have a base. Try serving them atop a nice grain pilaf or even a bed of greens. These go nice at a back-yard BBQ and work well with all types of summer salads and sides.

Grilled Pear and Halloumi Skewers with Chili Sauce

Print Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★

3 from 1 reviews

• Author: Erin Alderson
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 10
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 skewers, about 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Skewers

1 large or 2 smaller California Bartlett Pears

½ medium red onion

8 ounces Halloumi

Sauce

2 tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce

1 tablespoon neutral oil

Zest from ½ lime

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for serving

¼ teaspoon sea salt 

Cilantro, for serving

Instructions

• An hour before starting, place the skewers in water if using wood. 
• Give the pears a good rinse. Cut into quarters and carefully remove the middle part of each quarter. Then, cut eat quarter into pieces that are about ¾ of an inch square. Set aside and cut the onion into similar-width slices and halloumi that is about ¾” wide and ½” thick. 
• Thread the pears, onion, and halloumi onto skewers. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and brush over the skewers, turning and brushing all sides. Alternatively, you could toss all the ingredients in the sauce before placing on the skewer.
• Heat your grill or grill pan and place the skewers on the heat. Grill, turning occasionally, until the pears are charred and the cheese is crisp. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds before serving.

Disclosure: This recipe was created in partnership with California Pears. All thoughts and opinions are my own. It’s content like this that helps me keep this site running to provide the vegetarian recipes you see every week.