Gooey Oozy Yummy… Halloumi Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Red Onions

I’m not a cheese-mad person.

I don’t think that not eating meat is fine because I can stuff myself with cheese, I actually don’t like it that much and hardly ever eat it.

However, I tried halloumi just over a year ago and I think it is absolutely delicious and super tasty.

Vegetarian Halloumi, Normal and Light

It’s a Cypriot semi-hard cheese made from a mixture of goats’ and sheep (and sometimes cows’) milk, and it’s super easy to find a vegetarian version made with vegetarian rennet.

Its high melting point means that it’s great for grilling and frying…

Pasta with Halloumi, Red Onion and Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients for 4 portions (halving the ingredients for 2 portions works very well too)

350g short or long pasta;
Extra virgin olive oil for light frying;
250g pack of halloumi, sliced;
1 large red onion, chopped;
A large handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half;
1 tbsp Mixed Herbs;
a sprinkle of chilli flakes;
1 lemon, cut in half.

– Start by cooking the pasta according to packet instructions;

-Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add the chopped red onion;

-Leave to soften for a few minutes and then add the sliced halloumi;

Cook the halloumi with the red onion

-Add the mixed herbs, the chilli flakes and turn the heat to medium-high and let the halloumi crisp up and become super delicious;

Halloumi getting crispy

-Once it has crisped up, turn down the heat and add the cherry tomatoes;

Add the cherry tomatoes

-Leave the cherry tomatoes to cook over a low heat and once the pasta is cooked squeeze the lemon in the pan;

Squeeze the lemon in the pan of halloumi, red onion and cherry tomato

-Add the cooked pasta to the pan, mix everything together and serve.

Enjoy!

This is one of our absolute favourite dishes, the sweetness of the red onion, the saltiness of the halloumi, the freshness of the tomato and lemon, the herbs and chilli make it irresistible and it’s great hot or cold the next day at work.