Easy Grilled Halloumi with Peach Salsa

Halloumi cheese is your perfect summertime grilling buddy! Seriously though, it’s quick to make, has the most addicting texture, and plays nicely with many flavors; officially summer MVP status in my books!

This semi-hard, unripened cheese is typically made of sheep’s or goat’s milk, but is occasionally made from cows milk. Halloumi has a high melting point which makes it the perfect candidate for grilling and frying. Known for its signature ‘squeaky’ texture (Canadian brains automatically go straight to cheese curds for our beloved poutine), Halloumi crisps up nicely on the outside, providing a lovely contrast in textures.

Halloumi has been made for centuries on the island of Cyprus but is also wildly popular in Southeastern Europe and Turkey. This distinct cheese has become quite mainstream in the past decade and is relatively easy to find. Every spring, Trader Joe’s stocks Halloumi and I go full-on TLC Hoarders! No word of a lie, I have 7 blocks of Halloumi in my fridge right now; ZERO regrets!

Now that brings me to this delightfully summery peach salsa. Stone-fruit is all the rage during the summer months and this fruit salsa works oh-so-well with salty grilled halloumi cheese. This peach salsa is also fabulous served overtop of fish and chicken, or with tortilla chips.

The ideal way to cook Halloumi is over a grill or grill pan to achieve those eye-catching grill marks, but don’t fret if you don’t have either. Sometimes I use a non-stick frying pan out of convenience because it’s more readily accessible in my small San Franciscan kitchen; it yields the exact same result, minus the dramatic black grill marks.

Sacha Hirschfeld

Easy Grilled Halloumi with Peach Salsa

Savory grilled halloumi cheese gets oh-so-perfectly crispy on the outside but retains its signature 'squeaky' texture on the inside. Couple this dreamy cheese with my tart and sweet peach salsa for the perfect summery appetizer.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Chill time for the salsa 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Calories: 255

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Grilled Halloumi

• 8 oz halloumi cheese cut into 8 pieces
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Peach Salsa

• 2 cups peaches skin on and diced; about 2 peaches
• ⅓ cup red onion finely diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeds and ribs removed; finely diced
• ½ cup cilantro chopped and lightly packed
• 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped and packed
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tsp honey optional; I add this if the peaches are more on the tart side
• kosher salt to taste

Equipment

• 1 Grill pan or grill can also use a non-stick frying pan (you just won't get those grill marks)
• 1 pair of tongs
• 1 basting/pastry brush
• 1 paring knife
• 1 medium bowl

Method

 

Peach Salsa:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl; mix to combine. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to marry.
   

Grilled Halloumi:

1. Heat the grill pan or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Brush slices of Halloumi cheese with olive oil.
3. Add the slices of Halloumi to the hot pan; be mindful not to overcrowd the pan. I normally do this in two batches. Grill or pan-fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.
4. Arrange on a plate or platter and top with peach salsa. Serve immediately while the Halloumi is hot.
   

Notes

This salsa is best enjoyed the day of but you can certainly stretch it until the next day.