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Cypriot · Mediterranean

Grilled halloumi with watermelon and mint

Vegetarian

Χαλλούμι με καρπούζι · challoúmi me karpoúzi

Slices of Cyprus's squeaky brined cheese grilled until golden and served with chilled watermelon and fresh mint. A classic Cypriot summer pairing of salty and sweet.

Grilled halloumi with watermelon and mint is a Cypriot starter from Cyprus, ready in about 10 minutes and made with halloumi and watermelon. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
5 min
Cook
5 min
Total
10 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
260

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Cut the chilled watermelon (opens in a new tab) into wedges or thick slices and arrange on a platter. Slice the halloumi (opens in a new tab) 1 cm thick and pat dry with kitchen paper.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a griddle or dry non-stick pan over medium-high heat and cook the halloumi (opens in a new tab) slices until deep golden on both sides, about 2 minutes a side.

    A flatbread cooking on a hot griddle
    How it looks · Photo: Muhammad Khawar Nazir on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Lay the hot halloumi (opens in a new tab) over the watermelon (opens in a new tab), drizzle with olive oil (opens in a new tab), scatter over mint (opens in a new tab) and pepper (opens in a new tab) and serve straight away with lemon (opens in a new tab).

    • 2 min
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Cyprus · Well documentedHalloumi is a protected Cypriot cheese; eating it with watermelon is a popular summer custom on the island.More food from Cyprus
Dish
Lunch · Snack · Breakfast · Appetizers & starters · Salads
Cooking method
Grilled, Pan-fried
Taste
salty, sweet, refreshing
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday
Cook more with
Watermelon · Mint
Techniques
Grilling · Charcoal grilling · Pan-frying

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom halloumi

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

260 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 217 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 24%
  • Carbohydrate 22%
  • Fat 54%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy260 kcal120 kcal
Protein15.8 g7.3 g
Carbohydrate15 g6.9 g
Net carbohydrate14.3 g6.6 g
Sugars10.5 g4.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.7 g0.3 g
Fat16 g7.4 g
Saturated fat7.6 g3.5 g
Trans fat0.5 g0.2 g
Cholesterol40 mg18 mg
Sodium418 mg193 mg
Salt equivalent1 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
291 mg
Calcium
448 mg
Iron
0.6 mg
Magnesium
33 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
185 µg
Vitamin C
12 mg
Vitamin D
0.3 µg
Vitamin B12
1.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
22 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: lemon.
  • Halloumi: No halloumi entry in FDC SR Legacy; low-moisture part-skim mozzarella is the closest firm brined-style cheese (halloumi is saltier).
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Serve the halloumi hot — it turns rubbery as it cools.

Common mistakes

  • Moving the halloumi too soon — let a crust form and it releases from the pan by itself.

Serve with

  • Add bread and olives for a light summer lunch.

Storage

  • Best eaten immediately.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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