Grilled Veggie Halloumi Skewers

There's something about the smell of halloumi hitting a hot grill that makes summer feel official. My neighbor brought these skewers to a backyard gathering, and I watched people literally abandon their conversations mid-sentence to grab one fresh off the heat. The cheese gets this perfect golden crust while staying creamy inside, and the vegetables char just enough to taste like they've been kissed by fire. I've made them a dozen times since, always with someone asking for the recipe before they've even finished eating.

I made these for my sister's birthday dinner last July, and what I remember most isn't the meal itself but the moment my nephew asked if he could have seconds before everyone had even sat down. He's usually skeptical about vegetables, but something about them being on a stick and slightly charred made them seem less like health food and more like actual fun. That's when I realized this recipe works because it doesn't pretend to be anything it's not—it's just good food that happens to be vegetables.

Ingredients

• Halloumi cheese, cut into 2 cm cubes (225 g): This is the star—it's a squeaky cheese that won't melt completely on the grill, making it perfect for skewering and charring. If you can't find halloumi, you could substitute thick slices of paneer or a very firm aged cheese, though nothing quite matches that distinctive texture.
• Red and yellow bell peppers, cut into 2 cm pieces (1 of each): Different colors mean different flavor depths—the red ones are sweeter, the yellow more mellow—but honestly any combination works. Cut them roughly the same size as your halloumi so everything cooks at the same pace.
• Zucchini, sliced into 1 cm rounds (1 small): The thinner slices help prevent it from becoming mushy before the cheese finishes cooking. If your zucchini is large, quarter the rounds lengthwise so they're easier to thread and grill evenly.
• Red onion, cut into wedges (1 small): These get naturally sweet and caramelized on the grill, and their color fades to a beautiful translucent bronze. The papery layers hold together well when grilling, unlike some onion varieties that fall apart.
• Cherry tomatoes (125 g): They burst slightly on the grill and concentrate their flavor—it's like eating tiny, warm flavor bombs. Choose the firmest ones you can find so they don't split completely before coming off the heat.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp): This coats everything and helps the seasonings stick plus it prevents the vegetables from sticking to the grill grates. Don't skip it thinking you can oil the grill instead—coating the food first makes a real difference.
• Dried oregano (1 tsp) and smoked paprika (1/2 tsp): Together they create this Mediterranean warmth that makes people ask what the secret ingredient is. The smokiness plays beautifully against the char from the grill.
• Greek yogurt (200 g): This is thicker and tangier than regular yogurt, which means it's a perfect cooling counterpoint to the warm grilled vegetables and charred cheese. Full-fat versions are creamier but even the lower-fat versions work beautifully here.
• Fresh mint and parsley, finely chopped (2 tbsp each): These are non-negotiable—they brighten everything and make the sauce taste like it came from a Mediterranean restaurant. Don't chop them until just before you make the sauce or they'll start to darken.
• Lemon juice (1 tbsp), garlic clove minced (1), olive oil (1 tbsp): These three ingredients wake up the yogurt and prevent it from tasting heavy or one-dimensional. The garlic should be minced very fine so it distributes evenly instead of creating little sharp pockets.
• Wooden or metal skewers (8): Wooden ones need soaking to prevent charring, but metal ones are honestly more reliable and reusable. If you go metal, they do get hot, so warn people before they grab them straight off the grill.

Instructions

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Start your skewers early if wooden:

If you're using wooden skewers, submerge them in a bowl of water for at least 20 minutes before grilling. This small step prevents them from catching fire and becoming more char than skewer.

Coat everything in a large bowl:

Toss the halloumi cubes, bell peppers, zucchini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until everything glistens evenly. The coating makes the vegetables cook faster and gives them that restaurant-quality seasoning.

Thread with intention:

Alternate halloumi and vegetables as you thread them onto skewers, leaving a tiny bit of space between pieces so heat can circulate. This rhythm matters—alternating means you get a mix of everything in each bite, and even spacing means nothing burns while other parts stay raw.

Get your grill hot:

Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes until it's genuinely hot—you should hear a sizzle when something hits it. A hot grill is what creates that golden exterior on the halloumi and the slight char on the vegetables.

Grill with patience and attention:

Place the skewers on the grill and resist the urge to move them immediately. Let them sit for 3-4 minutes so they develop color and that telltale grill marks, then turn them and repeat on all sides, aiming for about 10-12 minutes total cooking time.

Make the sauce while they cook:

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt with finely chopped fresh mint and parsley, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly distributed, then taste and adjust the lemon juice or salt to your preference—this sauce should taste bright and herbaceous.

Serve while hot:

Transfer the skewers to a platter and let them rest for just a minute so the cheese stays creamy inside. Serve immediately with the herb yogurt sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling.

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There was this one evening when I made these for just myself and my partner, nothing fancy, no guests, and we ended up sitting on the back porch as the sun set, picking at the last skewer and trading bites of it dipped in the yogurt sauce. No conversation, no phones—just the simple pleasure of food that tastes like summer and effort that feels effortless. That's when I knew this recipe had become something more than just a meal.

Timing and Prep

The beauty of this dish is that almost everything can be prepped ahead of time. Cut your vegetables and halloumi the morning of, toss them with the oil and spices right before grilling, and you're ready to go. The sauce can be made up to two hours ahead and chilled, which means when your guests arrive, you're only working with a hot grill for 15 minutes total.

Vegetable Flexibility

While this recipe is built around peppers, zucchini, onion, and tomatoes, the framework is really adaptable. I've grilled these with eggplant rounds, mushroom caps, chunks of pineapple, and even whole scallions, and they all work beautifully as long as you're conscious of how quickly they cook. Softer vegetables like mushrooms actually cook faster than the halloumi, so you might want to add them toward the end of grilling.

Sauce Variations and Storage

The herb yogurt sauce is genuinely versatile beyond just these skewers—I've used it as a dip for raw vegetables, a spread on sandwiches, and even stirred into grain bowls. If you want more texture, add diced cucumber; if you want deeper herbs, increase the mint and parsley. It keeps refrigerated for about three days, though the herbs will gradually darken, so it's best fresh but still delicious later.

• For a tangier sauce, replace half the Greek yogurt with labneh or even sour cream.
• If you're making this dairy-free, a thick cashew-based yogurt works surprisingly well—soak raw cashews, blend with water and lemon juice, then season it the same way.
• Leftover skewers are actually great cold the next day, though I rarely have any.

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These skewers have become my answer to the question of what to cook when I want something that feels special but doesn't require hours of fussing. Whether it's a casual dinner or a gathering, they consistently make people happy.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ How do I prevent wooden skewers from burning on the grill?

Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes before grilling to avoid burning or charring during cooking.

→ Can I substitute halloumi with a vegan alternative?

Yes, firm tofu works well as a plant-based substitute and can be grilled similarly to halloumi.

→ What vegetables work best for these skewers?

Bell peppers, zucchini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes provide a colorful and flavorful combination that grills nicely.

→ How is the herb yogurt sauce made?

Combine Greek yogurt with fresh mint, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then chill until serving.

→ Are these skewers gluten-free?

Yes, all ingredients used including halloumi and vegetables are naturally gluten-free.

→ What seasoning enhances the flavor of the skewers?

A mix of dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper brings out the savory and smoky notes.