Halloumi is the squeaky cheese that everybody loves, and it is so versatile. Why not skip the cheddar and Parmesan on your next pasta night and use halloumi instead? This delicious Halloumi Pasta is mixed with roasted tomatoes for a fresh and light pasta dish that still tastes super comforting.
The first time we mixed pasta and halloumi together was the result of some BBQ leftovers that we didn't want to waste and it was pretty life changing. Halloumi has such a great meaty texture, that it is perfect for a meat free pasta dish that still has plenty of flavour.
With very little effort, and using ingredients you probably have in your fridge and cupboard anyway, you can make an impressive pasta dish that is a little different from the norm. Roasted tomatoes really lift this dish and make it a little lighter, and the sweetness of them compliment the saltiness of the halloumi perfect.
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Why should you try it?
- An easy pasta dish
- Great for using up leftovers
- Less than 30 minutes to cook
- Great for feeding a crowd at a BBQ
What you will need
- Penna pasta - you don't have to use this type of pasta, as anything will work. As it's a chunky pasta dish, we prefer to use pasta shapes rather than spaghetti.
- Halloumi - the star of the dish, we have used cubes of it but you could add slices instead. If you don't have halloumi, then paneer would work instead.
- Cherry tomatoes - roasting the cherry tomatoes really brings out the flavour. You could keep them raw or use sun-dried tomatoes instead.
- Cream cheese - this is what forms the sauce for the pasta dish. You could swap it for a tomato based sauce, but we like to keep it creamy and who doesn't love double cheese.
- Lemon juice - this adds a nice freshness to to the dish and loosens up the sauce.
- Fresh basil - you could swap this for dill, chives or fresh parsley.
Step by step
One: Put the tomatoes in a roasting tin with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season. Put in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 for 25 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blister.
Two: Add the pasta to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
Three: Heat a frying pan and add the halloumi and dry fry for around 4 minutes, stirring.
Four: Drain the pasta and put it back in the pan. Stir in the cream cheese, lemon juice, fresh basil and salt pepper.
Five: Add the cooked tomatoes and halloumi to the pan and stir, then serve.
What is halloumi?
If you haven’t had halloumi before, then you are seriously missing out. You are in for a treat! The semi-hard cheese originated from Cyprus and although it doesn’t taste like much straight from the packet, it tastes amazing once cooked and has a whole different texture.
It can be made from cow, sheep or goat’s cheese, and has quite a salty flavour – which is what we love about it. Because of its high melting point, it’s great for grilling and frying and it keeps its shape meaning you get nice chunky bits in this pasta.
How to cook halloumi
We find dry frying the best way to cook halloumi because it is quick and doesn't require any oil for cooking. Simply add it to a hot frying pan in cubes and cook for around 3-4 minutes, turning so all sides are cooked.
The pasta sauce
Just because you can never have enough cheese in your life, we added a couple of spoonfuls of cream cheese to the pasta to form the base of the sauce, and then just a squeeze of lemon. Add in some fresh chopped basil and some salt and pepper and you have a really simple pasta sauce that lets the flavour of the halloumi shine through.
What vegetables can be added?
Once you have the base of halloumi, pasta and the sauce, you can use pretty much any vegetables. We kept it simple by roasting some tomatoes, as the juices really add to the sauce. But you could roast any other vegetables like courgette, aubergine and peppers, or even stir in some raw spinach and let the hot pasta wilt it.
What to serve Halloumi Pasta with
This is a really hearty and filling dish. However, if you want to bulk it out a bit, or you are serving it up to a few guests then we have a few options when it comes to side dishes:
Lemon Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Garlic and Herb Mushrooms
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Broccoli Slaw
FAQs
Halloumi is high in protein and calcium, but it is also high in fat and salt, so keep and eye on portion size. It's a great addition to a pasta dish because you can use it for little bursts of flavour rather than it being overpowering and too high in calories.
Halloumi isn't low in calories by any means, but once it is cooked it has so much flavour which means a little goes a long way. You don't need it use much of it to make an epic sandwich. 50g of halloumi has about 160 calories, but you can get lighter halloumi that is about 120 calories for a 50g serving.
You can eat raw halloumi, however we wouldn't recommend it. Cooking halloumi vastly improves the taste and texture, and it is less salty after cooking.
Halloumi is known as the squeaky cheese, but do you know why it makes that noise? The protein clumps created by the rennet in Halloumi are what give it its famous squeak. The sound comes from the long protein strands rubbing against the enamel of your teeth.
Yes, this freezes really well and it's a great dish to batch cook. Make sure it has fully cooled and then put it in a freezer container and it will store for up to 3 months.
You can easily turn this in to a pasta bake, although it might be a little dry as it isn't the sauciest dish. Pour everything in to a oven dish and then cover with grated cheese and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
Extra tips
- You can dry fry the halloumi, without using any oil. But you could cook it under the grill too.
- Give the dish a veggie boost by roasting some peppers, courgette and aubergine at the same time. Or mixing some spinach in just before serving.
- If your lemon is not very juicy, you might need to use a whole one.
- Make sure your pan is nice and hot before adding the halloumi, as it will give it nice crispy edges.
- You won't need to use a lot of salt in this dish, as the halloumi is quite salty anyway.
- Add a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts when serving. It's a great way to add some extra crunch.
- Leftovers of this halloumi pasta are delicious when cold.
- Add some extra protein with some chickpeas.
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Recipe
Halloumi Pasta
Ingredients
- 250 g cherry/grape tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 140 g penne pasta
- 100 g halloumi cubed
- 3 tablespoon cream cheese
- 0.5 lemon juice only
- 25 g fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Put the tomatoes in a roasting tin with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season. Put in a preheated oven at 180C for 25 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blister.
- Add the pasta to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Heat a frying pan and add the halloumi and dry fry for around 4 minutes, stirring.
- Drain the pasta and put it back in the pan. Stir in the cream cheese, lemon juice, fresh basil and salt pepper.
- Add the cooked tomatoes and halloumi to the pan and stir, then serve.
Notes
- You can dry fry the halloumi, without using any oil. But you could cook it under the grill too.
- Give the dish a veggie boost by roasting some peppers, courgette and aubergine at the same time. Or mixing some spinach in just before serving.
- If your lemon is not very juicy, you might need to use a whole one.
- Make sure your pan is nice and hot before adding the halloumi, as it will give it nice crispy edges.
- You won't need to use a lot of salt in this dish, as the halloumi is quite salty anyway.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
I ahve heard a lot about halloumi, but have yet to try it. I think I will pick some up the next time I go grocery shopping because this looks so good!!
Erika
I love pasta dishes and this looks amazing!
Whitney
I've never had halloumi but that pasta looks amazing! I love the tip to add cream cheese for the base, I want to try that!
Andrea Metlika
The tomatoes and halloumi are so flavorful and sound wonderful with the pasta.
Mary
I love halloumi! This pasta is great!
mary anderson
These are so intriguing and once again you've introduced me to a new recipe to try. I can't seem to click on the link in your ingredient list. Can't wait to try. thanks :)
Veena Azmanov
Pasta is one favorite Dinner option with my family. I love the combinations of ingredients to making this amazing dish. Looks yummy.
Kathryn | Sugar with Spice
This looks so amazing! Definitely saving this for later. Never though of adding fried halloumi to pasta before!
Jordin
Mmm, this pasta looks so delicious! And super easy to make, I love that! Perfect for the busy weeknights.
Emily
Love all the flavors in this dish, especially the fried halloumi. Such rich flavor!
Aimee Mars
I definitely don't eat halloumi enough and this is such a perfect recipe to use it in! It's also great for weeknights and I know my kids will love it too.
Suzy
I had never heard of halloumi but I really love salty cheeses! This pasta looks amazing and can't wait to make it!
cf
I am new to the world of halloumi. I first tried it on a recent trip to England! I am so glad that I tried it and tried your recipe. Delicious!
Jessica Formicola
I made this for lunch today and it was incredible! I already can't wait to make it again!