This vegetarian recipe makes a strong case for replacing a veggie burger with a slab of melty, salty cheese. It’s also a great way to use up all that summer squash, making it a win for any summer weeknight.
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What you’ll need
Large Nonstick Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Kitchen Towels
$16 At Amazon
Shallow Serving Bowl
$26.99 At Amazon
Cutting Board
$10 At IKEA
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4
Ingredients
2
1
2–3
1
¼
1
4
⅓
Preparation
Step 1
Trim ends from squash. Cut crosswise into 3”-long cylinders; cut cylinders lengthwise into ¼”-thick planks. Spread out on a kitchen towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let sit 10 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, slice Halloumi into ½”-thick slabs roughly the width of the buns (about 3” squares).
Step 3
Whisk garlic, pickle juice, honey, and a small pinch of salt in a small bowl; season generously with pepper. Set dressing aside.
Step 4
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Pat squash dry. Working in 2 batches, cook squash in a single layer, turning once or twice and adding another 1 Tbsp. oil between batches if needed, until deeply browned and charred on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer squash to a shallow bowl. Pour reserved dressing over and gently turn squash to coat.
Step 5
Wipe out pan and return to medium heat. Toast buns, cut side down, in pan until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plates.
Step 6
Increase heat to medium-high. Pat Halloumi dry; cook, turning once and pressing down lightly, until browned and starting to soften and melt, about 2 minutes.
Step 7
Distribute Halloumi among bottom buns. Top with pickled jalapeños and basil, then with squash. Close with bun tops.
How would you rate Seared Squash and Halloumi Burgers?
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Reviews (47)
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Anonymous
Toronto
7/12/2021
Absolutely delicious! I was a bit skeptical if this would all come together, but this was very very tasty. Perfect for summer when you want something fresh and easy. The only thing is that it was a tad bit dry, so I would recommend adding a little bit of mayo on one of the buns. This will definitely stay in my rotation for vegetarian recipes!
Katie
Vancouver, Canada
7/14/2021
This was amazing! We are making it again later this week — that’s how good it was! The perfect balance of flavors. We used brioche buns and I cannot imagine it any other way! Just a perfect supper sandwich: salt, fat, acid, (slight) heat. The pickled jalapeños made it so don’t skip those.
CC
Baltimore Md
7/19/2021
This is the perfect easy summer weeknight meal. I was skeptical of the marinade but oh my is it tasty. I can’t eat jalapeños so I used some dill pickle juice instead and it was excellent. Add some tomato and Mayo on the buns for some extra flavor to really round it out.
Lauren
Portland, OR
7/19/2021
This burger is a lovely way to add more vegetarian meals to your rotation. The recipe only needed one pan and was super easy. The burgers tasted good with the combination of flavors. I think the taste of basil really added to the cheese and bread. I will definitely make this often.
Jeanboise
Boise, Idaho
7/22/2021
this recipe is delicious and best of all, fast. i made a spicy mayo to go on them and honestly didn't feel like it was that necessary (i used trader joe's brioche buns that weren't dry at all). highly recommend this one for a wholesome weeknight dinner or bbq with friends.
annalise
Los Angeles, CA
7/23/2021
This burger is amazing, I was skeptical about the dressing and mix of flavors but it was perfect and, in my opinion, added that zing. We used mayo and because we ran out of plain mayo, I had mine with mayo/ketchup burger sauce. I may try with a bit more heat next time, perhaps fresh grilled jalapenos alongside the squash. Huge hit with the family.
Anonymous
Washington, DC
7/29/2021