Halloumi Gyros
These easy Halloumi Gyros are incredibly delicious and perfect for busy weekdays. Warm pita bread with pan-fried halloumi cheese, fresh tzatziki sauce, and tomato cucumber salad. Ready in 30 minutes!
Why yes, I made the halloumi gyros as just another way to enjoy my tzatziki sauce! After making my cauliflower shawarma and tofu gyros earlier this summer, I wanted another protein option to include.
With 21 grams of protein per serving, these halloumi gyros are packed with so much flavor and are a must for weeknights as they are ready in just 30 minutes.
Pan-fry the halloumi, then top with quick tzatziki sauce and a simple cucumber and tomato salad. See below for more details, or head down to the full recipe below.
Ingredient Notes
- Halloumi Cheese: If you haven’t tried halloumi cheese before, this is a great starter recipe to introduce you to it. Unlike most other cheeses, halloumi cheese is very firm and easy to grill, air-fry, or pan fry, and it will hold its shape. It’s kinda like paneer cheese!
- Flatbreads: You can use any type of flatbread for this, such as pita bread, naan bread, or my homemade flatbread. I do recommend warming the flatbread first before serving, either in the microwave or in a dry skillet.
- Greek Yogurt: The homemade tzatziki sauce is one of my favorite parts of this sandwich! It’s so good, and I usually make a double batch to enjoy in other recipes or as a salad dressing. I use regular Greek yogurt with whole milk, but low-fat yogurt or dairy-free yogurt will work.
- Cucumber: You’ll use cucumber in both the tomato cucumber salad and the tzatziki sauce. I know that many tzatziki sauce recipes include grated cucumber, but I like to finely chop it for a better texture. For the tomato-cucumber salad, chop the tomato, cucumber, and red onion pieces evenly.
How to Make
Step 1: Make the Tzatziki Sauce
Make the tzatziki sauce by combining all of the ingredients for the sauce: the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, salt, pepper, and diced cucumbers. I know that some tzatziki sauces use grated cucumber, but I prefer finely diced cucumber for extra texture.
Step 2: Make the Tomato Cucumber Salad
Make the salad by finely chopping the red onion, cucumber, parsley, and tomato. Set aside in a bowl and season to taste. Your gyros will be fairly salty with the halloumi cheese, so you want the salad to be bright and flavorful to balance the flavors. I don’t season this salad portion, but you can if you’d like.
Step 3: Fry the Halloumi
Heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium heat. I usually add a little oil to help prevent sticking!
Slice the halloumi into 1/2-inch thick slices, then pan fry for 1-2 minutes per side until a golden brown crust appears. You want the halloumi cheese to be nice and hot for these gyros, so I like to make the salad and tzatziki sauce ahead of time so that as soon as the cheese is ready, I can assemble the sandwiches.
Step 4: Assemble
Warm the flatbread or pita; this will make it more pliable and easier to fold. You can grab flatbreads in the bread aisle of most grocery stores (I’ve seen regular and whole-wheat options), or you can make my homemade flatbreads or use pita bread.
Spread with a generous layer of tzatziki sauce, pan-fried halloumi, and the cucumber salad. Wrap and eat!
How to Make Air Fryer Halloumi
For extra crispy halloumi, you can also make it in the air fryer instead of pan-frying. To air fry, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees and then place the halloumi slices in a single layer on the baking tray.
Cook for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
How to Serve
I enjoy these halloumi gyro sandwiches on their own, or alongside a traditional Greek salad. When we were in Greece last summer (and ate many a halloumi gyros!), they were often served alongside roasted potatoes or a tomato salad.
Tips for Success
- Dry The Halloumi First: Slice your halloumi into pieces that are about 1/2 inch thick. If they’re too thin, they can become dry and chewy when cooked. You can the halloumi to have a gooey interior and crispy exterior. I also like to pat the halloumi slices dry with a paper towel before cooking. This helps remove excess moisture to get a beautiful golden, crispy crust instead of a soggy one.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the halloumi in a single layer, in batches if necessary. If you put too many pieces in the pan at once, the temperature will drop, and the halloumi will steam instead of fry.
- Warm Your Pita Bread:Â A soft, warm pita is crucial for a good tofu gyro. Briefly warm your pita bread in a dry skillet, oven, or microwave until pliable. This makes it easier to fold!
- Don’t Skip the Salad: The cucumber tomato salad provides a refreshing contrast to the salty, savory halloumi.
- Serve Right Away: Halloumi is best enjoyed hot. As it cools, it can become rubbery. Assemble the halloumi gyros, then serve them right away to experience the cheese at its best—warm, gooey, and crispy.
More Vegetarian Recipes
- Baked Vegetarian Ziti
- Vegetarian Bean Chili
- Quinoa Zucchini Fritters
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Grilled Halloumi with Berry Mint Salad
If you try these Halloumi Gyros, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Your feedback helps other readers, and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.
Halloumi Gyros
Equipment
- Non Stick Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce package Halloumi cheese
- 4 flatbreads or pitas
Tzatzki Sauce
- 2 6-inch cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely diced
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Tomato Cucumber Salad
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped, seeded peeled cucumber
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Make the Tzatziki sauce by whisking together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, cucumber, salt and pepper. Taste and set aside.
- Make the tomato salad by combining the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and parsley. Taste, adjust, adding salt as needed. I usually add a small amount, knowing that the tzatziki and halloumi are also salty!
- Slice the halloumi into ½-inch thick slices. Heat a cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Add the halloumi slices to the pan and cook for 1 – 2 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 1 – 2 minutes.
- Assemble! Warm the flatbread over a dry skillet or microwave for about 30-60 seconds until just softened, then kayer with a generous smear on tzatiziki sauce, pan fried halloumi, and tomato cucumber salad. Enjoy immedietly!