Caramelized garlicky onion and cauliflower toss up with an olive and herbed quinoa finished off with some pan fried halloumi cheese and a greek yogurt drizzle: these Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls are the most epic meatless dinner!
Jump to RecipeMeatless meals can be so challenging. I’m not vegetarian, nor am I advocating for anyone to skip out on their meat fix. Rather, I’m just a believer that your average chicken, fish, or steak dinner can get a bit redundant — especially in a household where everyone has their own meat preferences. That being said, vegetarian dishes often get the reputation of not having enough protein, or simply not being satisfying enough. With protein-packed quinoa and halloumi, tons of veggies, and all the good herbaceous tangy greek flavors, these Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls never fail to please everyone. Better yet? I promise you’ll be adding this one to your weekly rotation!
the breakdown…
These Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls are super simple, if you ask me. Really, all there is to it is the quinoa base and charring up some halloumi. Easy peasy! That being said, these bowls are still packed with flavor… and here’s how we get all that in there:
Start off my caramelizing some really finely diced onion and cauliflower. You want your cauliflower to almost be the same size as your onion, or maybe just a bit bigger. The bite from the crispy edges that come from all this surface area is out of this world — especially when paired with the natural sweetness from the caramelized onion.
With those good veggies underway, it’s time to add even more flavor! Go in with tons of garlic and a whole tablespoon of dried oregano. This may seem like a lot, but, when the quinoa gets tossed into the mix, it’s really the perfect amount to bring all the good Mediterranean flavors that this dish craves. Oh, and, of course some salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes… because those are practically the holy trinity in my kitchen.
let’s talk flavor…
The onion and cauliflower are delicious on their own, but, really, the veggies’ main job here is to add a bit of texture to these Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls’ quinoa base. Thus, you’ve got to mix your red quinoa up with these veggies. I’m obsessed with the texture and nuttiness of the red variety of quinoa, so that’s always my go-to here. Plus, it brings in a bright color that every bowl so desperately needs. That being said, you could also use a different variety of quinoa, farro, bulgar, barley, couscous, or rice. Pretty much all grains are fair game here!! With that in the mix, you should also stir in some broth, just to keep things from drying out.
…oh, and, you should also throw in about a million other good things!! I’m talking acidic red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, some tangy castelvetrano olives (the best!), some flat leaf parsley, and some mint. You’ve got the tangy, the briney, the herby… I mean, what more could you ask for? Better yet, you’ve got it all whipped up together in one quinoa base, so there’s no need to go crazy with all the toppings!
all about that halloumi!!
Next up, you’ve got to char up that halloumi. If you aren’t familiar, halloumi is a hard, protein-packed cheese that is kind of like the flavors of a feta meet a harder textured mozzarella, if you ask me. Whatever it is, though, it’s freaking delicious — and is the perfect culprit for charring, grilling, and simply getting in some more vegetarian protein. In this Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls recipe, I opt to pan-fry the halloumi in a very hot skillet, with just a bit of oil. Yes, you could bread it, and yes, you could deep-fry it. Really, though, I don’t find these unhealthier options to be necessary. It’s crispy, salty, and oh-so addicting as it is!!
Lastly, let’s talk about toppings. As mentioned earlier, you really don’t need as many toppings for these bowls as you might with another bowl. This can be accredited to the fact that we already have so much goodness thrown into the mix. Still, you’ve got to bring in some sauce to the mix — because every bowl needs a bit of moisture, if you ask me. In these Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls, a simple mix of yogurt, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, dried oregano, dried dill, salt, and pepper. While simple, this combination of flavors is the truly the best fresh Mediterranean bite that really pulls this dish together. You could even add some tahini into the mix, if you wanted a bite!
when to serve these up…
Top everything off with some freshly toasted and chopped pistachios and just a bit of baby arugula for a fresh bite and voila! You’ve got yourself the easiest, most flavorful dinner for meatless Monday. In all honesty, though, it’s Thursday and I’m def making this one for dinner tonight… so these bowls are truly perfect for any occasion!! Whether it’s a busy weeknight, you’re meal prepping for the week ahead, or you are trying to impress one of your vegetarian friends or family members, these Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls are sure to be a hit!!
I hope you love these Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))
Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls
Course: Main Course, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Mediterranean, Greek, FusionDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes15
minutes30
minutesCaramelized garlicky onion and cauliflower toss up with an olive and herbed quinoa finished off with some pan fried halloumi cheese and a greek yogurt drizzle: these Charred Halloumi Mediterranean Red Quinoa Bowls are the most epic meatless dinner!
Ingredients
- the cauliflower quinoa base:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 small head cauliflower, finely diced
¼ + ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 cup red quinoa, prepared according to package
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped
¾ cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
½ cup mint, roughly chopped
- halloumi:
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz halloumi cheese, thinly sliced
- to serve:
¾ cup greek yogurt
1 tbsp tahini (optional)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried dill weed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Baby arugula to serve
Chopped pistachios, to serve
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the onion and cauliflower and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Pour in the first ¼ of broth to help the cauliflower cook down, as needed. Then, once the liquid has cooked down and the cauliflower and onion have caramelized, toss in the garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and sauté for another minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in the red quinoa, the rest of the broth, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olives, parsley, and mint. Allow to simmer while you prepare the halloumi, or until all of the liquid cooks down.
- In a separate large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add the slices of halloumi to the oil. Sear for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the cheese is crispy and slightly charred.
- In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, tahini (if using), red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, dried oregano, dried dill, salt, and pepper. Thin with water, as needed. The mixture should be thin enough to drizzle.
- Plate each bowl with a base of the cauliflower olive quinoa. Top with a few slices of the halloumi, a handful of baby arugula, some chopped pistachios, and a drizzle of the yogurt sauce. Serve and enjoy!