These Grilled Halloumi Kebabs feature sausage and eggplant for a savory and filling dish. The combination of sweet and savory ingredients like cheese and apple is ideal to please any crowd.
You’ll love the elevated, sophisticated quality of these homemade kebabs. The garlic basil balsamic vinegar dressing ties everything together with a pop of sweet and tangy flavor!
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💚 About This Recipe
Looking for a unique grilled dish that's packed with savory and tangy flavor? These halloumi skewers are the perfect addition to any barbecue spread!
They feature smoky sausage, fresh vegetables, and salty halloumi cheese, all slathered in a garlic balsamic Greek-inspired marinade. The end result is a medley of sweet and savory flavors that will add a bit of pizzazz to any summertime cookout.
Serve them with a batch of Frozen Strawberry Basil Margaritas for the ultimate warm weather meal! And if you love halloumi, this Easy Halloumi Salad will be up your alley as well.
Don't forget dessert! I think this sweet and tart gooseberry pie would be perfect.
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- olive oil - or any other kind of neutral flavored oil, like avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- balsamic vinegar - provides a sweet and tangy flavor that pulls all of the components together.
- minced garlic - I like to buy jarred garlic for a convenient shortcut, but fresh garlic also works great.
- seasonings - I add sea salt and black pepper to these kebabs, as well as some dried basil.
- apple - chunks of apple add a uniquely sweet and crunchy ingredient. Red delicious apples are my choice for this recipe.
- eggplant - the mild and slightly sweet flavor of eggplant pairs perfectly with the apple and savory sausage.
- red onion - you could use white onion or yellow onion as well, but I like the milder and more subtle flavor of this sweet onion.
- Italian sausage - choose sweet or spicy sausage depending on your personal preference.
- halloumi - this creamy cheese is perfect for grilling and compliments the sausage and other kebab ingredients perfectly!
🔪 Instructions
- Make the dressing by whisking olive oil in a small bowl with balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Take the eggplant, apple, sausage, onion, and cheese and cut them all into approximately 1-inch cubes.
- Add all of the cubed ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Pour about ¾ of the dressing over the kebab ingredients and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Arrange the ingredients on skewers as desired.
- Grill the kebabs over medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every so often, until the eggplant has softened and the sausage and cheese are golden brown. Serve with additional sauce for drizzling or dipping.
❔ FAQs
Halloumi is a type of semi-soft cheese that originates on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. It's made from a combination of goat's milk and sheep's milk and has a somewhat firm and squeaky texture. Because of its high melting point, halloumi cheese is often grilled or pan fried to give it extra flavor, and it can even be used as a substitute for meat or other protein.
Soaking halloumi before cooking is entirely optional, but in many cases it can lead to a result that's slightly softer and sweeter.
This likely means you've cut the pieces a bit too small. Larger pieces will hold together more tightly while you thread them onto the skewers.
Love kebabs? Try delicious Beef Seekh Kebabs, packed with savory Indian and Pakistani flavors!
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- If you don't have a grill or don't have the ability to fire yours up, you can also toss the ingredients in the dressing and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Use metal skewers or wooden skewers. If you're using wooden skewers or bamboo skewers and want to ensure a clean presentation, soak them in water before adding the ingredients. This will prevent the skewers from charring on the grill.
- Allow the ingredients to sit in the fridge in the marinade for up to an hour before grilling to infuse them with even more flavor.
📌 Halloumi skewers are packed with Mediterranean flavor and make for a unique and exciting dish at any barbecue or party!
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- For a vegetarian version of these halloumi kebabs, just leave off the sausage.
- Pair your halloumi skewers with an additional dipping sauce like tzatziki, a spicy chili sauce, or your favorite store bought barbecue sauce.
- If you can't find halloumi, you may also make these skewers with mozzarella or feta cheese. Just be aware that the end result will be slightly different.
- Use additional seasonings like red pepper flakes, chili powder, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika for some more flavor.
- Add more veggies like chunks of red bell pepper, yellow squash, sweet potato, or tomatoes (either chop larger tomatoes into pieces or use something smaller like cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes).
- Drizzle with a bit of fresh lemon juice or lemon zest, soy sauce, or a yogurt sauce. Add lemon wedges on the side.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
You can store your halloumi BBQ skewers still on the skewer, or remove everything from the skewers first. Either way, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and roast the leftovers until everything is heated through again. You could also add everything to a skillet with a little bit of oil.
I don't recommend freezing these kebabs--most of the ingredients will go through changes in flavor and texture once frozen and thawed.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Serve your halloumi kebabs with another light and refreshing dish like a Quinoa Chickpea Salad, a super easy Cucumber Salad, or this tasty One Pot Sausage and Couscous! They also pair well with any kind of side salad or other grilled vegetables.
✔️ More Grilling Recipes You'll Love
- Cilantro lime Chicken - This homemade marinade is the perfect way to produce juicy and flavorful grilled chicken!
- Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp - Seafood lovers won't be able to get enough of these tangy grilled shrimp with sweet and spicy flavors.
- Potato and Grilled Corn Salad - A perfect summer side dish for barbecues, cookouts, picnics, and more.
- Grilled Tri Tip Sandwich - Perfectly tender and smoky, this sandwich from Butter Your Biscuit is made from an affordable and tasty cut of steak!
Grilled Halloumi Skewers
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📋 Recipe Card
Garlic Basil Sausage and Halloumi Kebabs
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 red delicious apple
- 1 eggplant
- 1 red onion
- 10 ounces pre-cooked chicken Italian sausage (1 package)
- 8 ounces Halloumi cheese (1 package)
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Cut the apple, eggplant, sausage, onion, and cheese into approximately 1 inch chunks.1 red delicious apple, 1 eggplant, 10 ounces pre-cooked chicken Italian sausage, 8 ounces Halloumi cheese, 1 red onion
- Pour about ¾ of the dressing in the bowl and toss to coat. (Save the rest for drizzling or dipping when serving.)
- Thread the chunks of apple, eggplant, sausage, and cheese on skewers, in any order desired.
- Preheat the grill to medium high. Place on the grill and cook, about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the sausage browns.
Notes
- To cook these without firing up the grill, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, then place the kebabs on a baking sheet (or skip the skewers altogether and just place all the chunks in a single layer on the baking sheet) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- For even more flavor, after costing the sausage, cheese, and vegetable chunks with dressing, let them sit in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to marinate.
- Serve with a fresh salad, couscous, or grilled vegetables.
- For added variety, offer some additional dipping sauces on the side, such as tzatziki, barbecue sauce, or a spicy chili sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in August 2013, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in April 2024.
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Wendie says
My family loved this!
Sharon says
Such a tasty dish! I have never had halloumi before, and it made the dish!