Mediterranean Bulgur and Halloumi Bowl

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Treat yourself to a colourful Mediterranean-inspired vegetarian bowl. Layered with seasoned bulgur, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, seared halloumi and drizzled with a creamy lemon-garlic dressing.

Why does everything taste better in a bowl? Bowls are a delicious food trend showing up everywhere. A bowl meal is simply good, healthy and flavourful ingredients piled into a bowl to create a satisfying and protein-packed complete meal. Simple, easy and nothing fancy.

These easy-to-make bowls are inspired by Mediterranean cuisine which I love. Hearty and delicious they will keep you feeling full and energized. The base of the bowl is high fiber bulgur that’s seasoned with cumin and parsley. The bowls also include heart healthy olive oil and olives, fresh vegetables, citrus, parsley, Greek yogurt, protein-packed chickpeas and seared halloumi cheese.

Drizzle bowls with a creamy lemon-garlic dressing that’s so good you’ll want to put it on everything! This dressing is addictive and I often make a double batch to use for salads throughout the week.

Lemon-garlic dressing

Ingredients needed

• Greek yogurt
• Buttermilk
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Red wine vinegar
• Garlic
• Oregano
• Salt and pepper

How to make the lemon-garlic dressing

In a medium bowl add yogurt, buttermilk, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk the ingredients well until smooth and creamy. Keep the dressing refrigerated until needed.

How to cook the bulgur

• Gather the bulgur ingredients: bulgur, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, cumin and parsley
• Add all the ingredients except for the parsley to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium high heat
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed
• Stir in the chopped parsley, keep warm

How to sear the halloumi cheese

• Slice halloumi into ⅜” slices and pat dry with paper towels
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly brush both sides of halloumi with olive oil
• Add halloumi slices to the hot skillet and sear the bottom side until a deep brown crust develops
• Flip the pieces over and sear the second side until a deep brown crust develops

Assemble the bowls

In shallow bowls layer warm bulgur, warm halloumi slices, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, olives, lemon slices and parsley. Drizzle the bowls with lemon-garlic dressing or serve the dressing on the side.

Make ahead

You can prepare each element of the recipe in advance. When ready to serve you can use all the ingredients cold, or if desired, re-warm the bulgur and halloumi cheese slightly. This recipe makes 4 servings. Quite often when it’s just me and my husband at home, I assemble two bowls for dinner and separately pack the remaining ingredients in the fridge so we can assemble quick cold lunches during the week.

Bulgur

Bulgur wheat is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. It’s a whole grain cereal made from dried, cracked wheat, has a nutty flavour with a chewy texture. Bulgur provides various nutrients and is a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and fiber. You can find bulgur in the international aisle of most grocery stores or the bulk food store.

Halloumi

Halloumi is a semi-hard, un-ripened, brined cheese that originates from Cyprus. It contains a good amount of protein and calcium and is made with a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk, and sometimes cow’s milk. It has a strong savoury and slightly salty bite with a firm rubbery texture. It has a high melting point which makes it perfect for frying, grilling or roasting as it browns or sears beautifully, doesn’t melt and stays intact. It’s a unique cheese and evens squeaks between your teeth when you eat it. You can find halloumi in the international cheese section of most grocery stores.

Try this delicious easy-to-prepare nutrient packed Mediterranean one-bowl meal!

Other bowls you’ll love

• Mexican Buddha Bowl
• Sesame Pork Noodle Bowl

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