I find that most of the best recipes I create are sheer happenstance, a coming together of odds and ends in my kitchen. A few weeks back, I whipped together some of these halloumi bowls with leftover potatoes from the breakfast enchiladas, the last lonely avocado in the refrigerator, and the halloumi I'd been hoarding for some time. One bite and I couldn't believe how delicious this halloumi burrito bowl was. I posted to social and turns out, quite a few other people thought so too.
And so, here's the official recipe, fairly close to how I made it the first time. The combination of roasted potatoes with salty fried cheese and creamy guacamole- it's close to my perfect meal. If you're having trouble finding halloumi, look for it at your local co-op or ask your store if they can order it. Last resort- I've made my own paneer before then added a sprinkle of salt to the fried cheese. It's not halloumi but it's still fried cheese.
PrintHalloumi Burrito Bowl with Roasted Potatoes
A non-bean vegetarian burrito bowl with fried halloumi cheese, a simple homemade guac, and roasted potatoes. Filling and delicious, even for meat-eaters!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Cuisine: dinner
Ingredients
Potatoes:
- ¼ pound yukon gold potatoes, or something similar
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Guacamole:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 3 tablespoons minced cilantro, plus extra for topping
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Bowls:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ounces halloumi cheese
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
- 3 tablespoons toasted pepitas
- Hot Sauce, for topping
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425˚F. Cut the potato into ¼” cubes or slightly larger wedges. Toss with the olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Roast until the potatoes are lightly browning, 20 to 25 minutes.
- While the potatoes are roasting, Remove pit from avocado and scoop out the avocado. Place in a bowl and mash with cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Heat a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil followed by the halloumi. Fry halloumi until golden on each side.
- Divide the rice into two bowls and top with roasted potatoes, guacamole, pepitas, fried halloumi, and a drizzle of hot sauce if desired. Top with cilantro and pepitas before serving.
Notes
Tips & Tricks: I like to assemble these breakfast enchiladas and save some potatoes for this burrito bowl.
Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: brown rice, avocado, potatoes
Nutrition: see the information.
Nutrition
- Calories: 592
- Sugar: 2.7
- Sodium: 886
- Fat: 36.8
- Carbohydrates: 57.3
- Fiber: 12
- Protein: 14.3
- Cholesterol: 25.2
Step by Step
Halloumi Burrito Bowl
variations
This halloumi burrito bowl has endless variations. Swap out out the potatoes, add more vegetables, or make vegan- it's up to you! I'd recommend leaving the guacamole, just a personal preference though.
Vegan: While you could just leave out the halloumi, there is a saltiness you will miss from the meal. You could go with an alternative meat substitute like tempeh or seitan but I prefer to go with my old favorite, spiced black beans.
Additions: I like to add a few other items to this bowl if I have them around: garlicky greens, roasted zucchini or tomatoes, salsa, and/or any type of bean. Also, sweet potatoes are wonderful in place of the yukon gold potatoes.
Grains: I usually have leftover rice. If you don't, you could make a batch of rice in the time it takes to make all the other components. Or, switch to a quicker cooking grain like quinoa.
Explore Brown Rice
For all the grains out there, brown rice is my rock. It's a workhorse in the kitchen that can be the basis for so many meals. Plus, it's one of the grains I know I can easily source locally (thanks to Lundberg Farms). I prefer short-grain brown rice but for almost everything I do, long grain would work as well. A few of my favorite rice dishes:
Cauliflower Cakes with Brown Rice and Cheddar
Ginger Brown Rice with Carrots
Turmeric Rice with Coconut Kale
Maria says
YUM!!! Love embracing the grilled cheese this time of year. And in a burrito bowl sounds so delicious!! YUM! Everything is better with guac!
Pooja@YummieDiaries says
This looks stunning ! I love Halloumi and that too with deliciousness of borrito bowl:). Gotto to prepare this one of these days. A Quick question though - Halloumi is not very easily available where I live - Could a smoked cheddar be a good alternative ?
Erin Alderson says
You wouldn't want to grill it as it would melt- I highly recommend making the paneer. It's fairly easy and pan-frys beautifully!