These Halloumi Fajitas are tasty, filling, and so easy to make. Fajitas are the ultimate quick and easy dinner in our house. With homemade seasoning and smashed avocado, these fajitas always go down a treat! Ready in under 30 minutes!
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We love fajitas, they've been a regular on my weekly dinner rota for years now. Whether it's simple vegetable fajitas or spicy jackfruit fajitas they always go down a treat! These halloumi fajitas are one of our favourite veggie dinners, so easy to make and they can be on the table in 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights!
If you're recently gone veggie and are looking to level up your homemade fajitas then halloumi cheese is the answer! Halloumi cheese is one of the best things to add to your vegetarian fajitas.
Halloumi cheese has a high melting point meaning it doesn't melt easily and it holds its shape. This makes it great for adding to veggie fajitas. It adds a lovely tangy flavour along with texture and saltiness which balances great with those spicy veggies!
What Do We Need
- Halloumi - you will find halloumi in most supermarkets, in the cheese aisle. I use one block of halloumi for this recipe which serves 4 but you could add more if you want.
- Veggies - this is a very versatile recipe so you can switch up the veg if you want. I use peppers, courgette (zucchini) and an onion.
- Spices/Herbs - I make my own fajita spice mix, for this you will need ground cumin, paprika, chili powder, dried oregano, dried coriander leaf and fresh coriander.
- Extras - to make the smashed avocado you will need 2 avocado, fresh coriander and limes. I also add sour cream to my fajitas.
- Tortillas - you can use whatever tortillas you like here, I use wheat and corn tortillas.
How To Make Them
1. Start by mixing all the spices together with salt and black pepper. Cut the halloumi into slices then into strips. Place a tablespoon of milk onto a plate then dip each strip into the milk. Take one tablespoon of the fajitas seasoning and sprinkle it over the halloumi, turning the halloumi to make sure the strips are covered in the spice mixture. Put the halloumi in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
2. Fry the onion in oil for about 10 minutes then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Next, add the peppers and courgette (zucchini) and the remaining fajita seasoning. Add two tablespoons of water and cook for 10 minutes.
3. While the vegetables are cooking make the smashed avocado. Add two peeled avocados minus the stones, to a bowl. Add a pinch of sea salt then roughly mash the avocados with a fork. Add some chopped coriander (cilantro) and lime juice and stir until combined. Place this in the fridge until you're ready to serve the fajitas.
4. Once the veggies are cooked you can now cook the halloumi. Add a teaspoon of oil to a frying pan, the pan should be hot then add the halloumi. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side. The halloumi should be golden brown. You should now be ready to assemble the fajitas.
Top Tips
- Fajita Spice Mix: No need to buy store-bought mixes for these fajitas, making your own spice mix is quick easy and cheaper! All you need to do is mix those spices and herbs together and you are done! But if you want you can use a store-bought fajita or taco mix.
- Halloumi: I always get the best results for these halloumi fajitas when I cook the halloumi separate to the other vegetables. By coating the halloumi in milk it helps the spice mixture to stick to the halloumi. Cooking up the halloumi in a separate pan keeps the halloumi crispy. The result is so much better than throwing everything in the pan.
- Veggies: The veggies should be more on the crisp side for this recipe, but if you want them to be softer then cook them for longer.
- Tortillas - I like to heat my tortillas dirtectly on a gas stove, one at a time, this gives them lovely charred edges. You need to be careful doing this as they can catch very easily. The other (safer) way is to heat them in the oven. Whichever method you choose I recommend warming the tortillas berfore serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Don't like halloumi? Try paneer instead, paneer is a really great substitute for halloumi. I also use it for these paneer wraps. And if you don't want to use cheese at all try using tofu instead, you may need to cook that a little longer though.
- Want to spice it up a bit? My family like the heat of the fajitas but I like more heat! So I add some heat by adding in pickled jalapeños. If you're not serving this to kids then you could add more chilli powder or some chopped green or red jalapeños when you add the garlic.
- Add more vegetables! You could easily add more veggies to this recipe. Sliced portabella mushrooms are great in this as are roasted sweet potato cubes.
- Add some beans! Black beans can easily be added to the veggies if you want to bulk up your fajitas. Red kidney beans or re-fried beans are great to add in too.
FAQs
Technically, yes you can, but it is so much tastier cooked! For these fajitas, the halloumi is definitely best cooked.
Yes, you can. You can roast the halloumi if you prefer but it will take longer. If you want to make this whole dish roasted then check out my Roasted Vegetable Fajitas. You can add the halloumi to those if you like.
You can reheat the vegetables, but the halloumi will be a bit on the tougher side if you reheat it.
How To Serve Them
We love these served on warm tortillas. Spread a good tablespoon of the smashed avocado on the tortilla then add the veggies, top with a couple of slices of halloumi. Add a squeeze of lime juice, a dollop of sour cream or natural yoghurt and a few leaves of fresh coriander (cilantro). If you wish you could swap the smashed avocado for homemade guacamole. You could also add some spicy salsa too. And if you want an appetiser for these fajitas try my loaded nachos, they always go down a treat!
More Halloumi Recipes
If you love halloumi then I've got you covered! My Halloumi Wraps are one of the most popular recipes on my blog. They are seriously tasty and great for a tasty vegetarian lunch. Another really popular recipe is my Halloumi Burgers, one of the best veggie burgers, these are a firm family favourite. I have a great Halloumi Salad with butternut squash, a favourite salad of mine! And if you need a monster veggie sandwich then you'll love my Halloumi Sandwich with grilled veg!
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Halloumi Fajitas
Ingredients
For the halloumi fajitas
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil + 1 teaspoon for cooking the halloumi
- 1 medium (140g) brown onion peeled, cut in half lengthways then sliced thinly
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cloves of garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced.
- 1 medium (150g ) red bell pepper pith and seeds removed then cut in half and finely sliced
- 1 medium (150g) yellow bell pepper pith and seeds removed then cut in half and finely sliced
- 1 medium (185g)courgette (zucchini) cut in half lengthways then cut into medium slices
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 225 g halloumi (1 block) cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 8 7" flour tortillas you can also use corn tortillas if you like
- 2 avocados peeled and seeds removed
- a handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 2 or 3 Limes
- Sour cream or natural yoghurt
For the fajita seasoning
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried coriander leaf (dried cilantro leaf)
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder I used mild chilli powder, if you want more heat use a hot chilli powder.
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the fajitas seasoning + prepare the halloumi
- Add all the spices and dried herbs to a bowl and mix well. You will need 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of dried coriander leaf, ½ a teaspoon of chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- Add a tablespoon of milk to a plate, coat the halloumi strips in the milk. Add a tablespoon of the fajita mixture to the halloumi and coat the halloumi in the mix. Set aside in the fridge until you are ready to add to the peppers.
Cook the vegetables
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. I use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet for this recipe. Add the sliced onion and cook for about 10 minutes until translucent. Next, add the garlic and the peppers and cook for about two minutes. Now, add the remaining fajita seasoning and the courgette along with two tablespoons of water.Mix well to ensure everything is covered in the spice mix.Cook for about 10 minutes. Add another tablespoon of water if the vegetables get too dry.
- While the vegetables are cooking make the smashed avocados.Add the avocados to a bowl along with a pinch of sea salt. Roughly mash the avocados with a fork.Stir in a tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander and the juice of half a lime.Set aside in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- As soon as the vegetables are ready cook the halloumi.Heat a teaspoon of oil in a separate frying pan. The pan should be hot, if you drop a little flour in the oil and it sizzles immediately, your pan is ready.Add the halloumi and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes each side, until the halloumi is crispy.
- Serve immediately with tortillas, the smashed avocado, lime wedges, some fresh coriander and a dollop or two of sour cream.
Notes
- Nutritional Information - is approximate and is calculated using an online nutrition tool. Information includes tortillas and avocados. It does not include sour cream.
- Heat - There is some heat in this, however my 15 year old loves it. If you are serving this to younger children then I recommend that you reduce the amount of chilli in the spice mix, use mild chilli powder or omit it altogether. If you want to add more heat add more chilli or add some jalapeno pepper when adding the garlic.
- Tortillas - My tortillas measured in at 8".
- Avocados - avocados were medium-sized.
- Pro Tip: Rinse your halloumi under the cold tap then dry with kitchen paper before you put it into the milk. These will help remove some of that salty liquid it comes in and makes it less slimy.
- Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients, using a digital scale, if possible for best results.
Nutrition
*This recipe was first published on this site in March 2019. Updated January 2022 with new photos and nutritional information.
Christina Scholzhorn
This dish was a total hit, everyone in our family loved it and nothing was left over. Will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Michelle Alston
Hi Christina, I'm so glad to hear that you all loved it! These fajitas are a favourite in my house too 🙂
mimi rippee
Fabulous! I would never miss fajita meat if I made these!!! Love the way you seasoned them, too. Thanks!
Michelle Alston
Thanks Mimi 🙂
Carissa Shaw
Mmmmm... amazing! I never thought of using halloumi in fajitas. Thank you for the recipe!
Laura
I have been experimenting with fajitas for some time now, so really excited to try something new. Your recipe looks delicious and, what is very important, super easy to make, so I can't wait to get everything I need to make these delicious halloumi fajitas ASAP!
Michelle Alston
Thank you so much Laura, I hope you enjoy them x
David
looks delish! we try to do several plant based meals per week here and this would be a great option to add to the mix.
Michelle Alston
Thanks David, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Danielle Wolter
would you believe that i still haven't tried halloumi? Ive seen it all over the place, just haven't tried it yet. this sounds like an awesome recipe! love all the fresh veggies.
Michelle Alston
Thanks Danielle, I hope you get to try halloumi soon 🙂
Dannii
We made some halloumi fajitas a couple of weeks ago and it made such a nice change from chicken.