Crispy Halloumi & Double-Zucchini Spring Bowls with Hot-Honey Pomegranate Glaze
I believe lunch should make you stop and pay attention. Growing up in Tel Aviv, our table was always crowded with contrast—something hot, something cold, something soft, something with an aggressive crunch. That memory is the entire inspiration behind this bowl. We are giving zucchini a double life here. Half is charred in a screaming hot skillet until smoky and blistered, while the other half is shaved into bright, raw ribbons tossed with lemon and more mint than you think is reasonable. This dual-texture approach is what makes the recipe so incredibly special to me. It takes a humble vegetable and turns it into a masterpiece. On top goes thick slabs of squeaky, pan-fried halloumi glazed in hot honey and my absolute favorite ingredient, tart pomegranate molasses. And yes, it all sits on a mandatory, generous pillow of whipped tahini because tahini belongs on everything! To make this your own, do not hesitate to swap the halloumi for crispy za'atar chickpeas if you want a vegan version, or throw in a handful of toasted pistachios for extra crunch. Just promise me you will not skimp on the fresh herbs!
Featured Recipe
Crispy Halloumi & Double-Zucchini Spring Bowls with Hot-Honey Pomegranate Glaze
I believe lunch should make you stop and pay attention, and this vibrant spring bowl demands exactly that. We are giving zucchini a double-life here—half charred hard in a screaming hot skillet until smoky, the other half shaved into bright, lemony raw ribbons. Topped with squeaky, pan-fried halloumi glazed in hot honey and pomegranate molasses, all sitting on a mandatory pillow of whipped tahini.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa(Rinsed well)
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth(For cooking quinoa)
- 1/2 cup tahini(High quality, stirred well)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp lemon juice(Freshly squeezed, divided)
- 1/4 cup ice water(For the tahini sauce)
- 1 garlic clove(Grated or crushed into a paste)
- 3 medium zucchini(1 left whole for ribbons, 2 chopped into half-moons)
- 3 tbsp olive oil(Divided use)
- 8 oz halloumi cheese(Cut into 1/2-inch thick planks)
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses(Thick and tart)
- 1 tbsp hot honey(Or regular honey with a pinch of chili flakes)
- 1 cup mixed fresh herbs(Mint, dill, and flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped and divided)
- 1 tsp sumac(For the raw zucchini)
- 1 tbsp za'atar(For the quinoa)
- 1/4 cup toasted pistachios(Roughly chopped)
- 1 tsp kosher salt(mentioned in step 1, but not in ingredient list)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 2 cups water or vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup quinoa and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it steam with the lid on.
15 min
Tip: Rinsing the quinoa removes its natural bitter coating. Don't skip this!
- 2
While the quinoa simmers, let's make our tahini base. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together 1/2 cup tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1 garlic clove. The mixture will seize up and look thick and lumpy—don't panic. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup ice water, a splash at a time, until the tahini becomes pale, glossy, and cloud-like. Season generously with salt and set aside.
5 min
Tip: Ice water is the secret to getting tahini incredibly fluffy and white.
- 3
Now for our first zucchini treatment. Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave 1 medium zucchini lengthwise into long, thin ribbons. Place them in a bowl and toss gently with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp sumac, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs. Let it sit to marinate and soften slightly.
5 min
Tip: The acid in the lemon juice will gently 'cook' the raw zucchini, making the ribbons pliable but still crunchy.
- 4
Time for the high-heat magic. Heat a large heavy-bottomed or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, then immediately add the remaining chopped 2 medium zucchini. Let them sit completely undisturbed for 3 minutes to get deeply charred and scorched on one side. Toss and cook for another 3 minutes until tender but not mushy. Transfer to a plate.
7 min
Tip: Do not move the zucchini around the pan! Let the heat do its job to build that smoky crust.
- 5
Wipe the skillet out quickly if needed, then return it to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Carefully lay in the 8 oz halloumi cheese planks. Pan-fry for 2 minutes until a deeply golden brown crust forms, then flip. Cook for 1 more minute, then turn off the heat. Immediately drizzle the cheese directly in the hot pan with 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses and 1 tbsp hot honey, letting it bubble and glaze the halloumi in the residual heat.
4 min
Tip: Halloumi loves heat, but sweet glazes burn quickly. Turn the burner off right before you add the molasses and honey.
- 6
Fluff the warm quinoa with a fork and gently stir in 1 tbsp za'atar, the remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice, and the remaining 1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs. To build the bowls, create a generous swoosh of the whipped tahini on the bottom of each plate. Pile the herby quinoa on one side. Arrange the smoky charred zucchini next to it, then drape the bright, raw zucchini ribbons alongside. Crown the bowl with the hot, sticky-glazed halloumi planks and scatter heavily with 1/4 cup toasted pistachios.
4 min
Tip: Serve immediately while the halloumi is still warm and squeaky. The contrast of hot, cold, raw, and charred is everything.
Chef's Notes
Listen to me: halloumi is not meant to be a sad, rubbery afterthought. By pan-frying it over high heat until completely golden, and then hitting it with sweet, tart syrups in the residual heat of the pan, you turn it into a savory candy. Doing the zucchini two ways might feel fussy for a Tuesday lunch, but it changes the entire texture profile of the bowl from monotonous to thrilling.
Yael Mizrahi
Bold flavors, beautiful plates
Born in Tel Aviv to a Moroccan mother and Iraqi father, I grew up speaking the language of spice. My kitchen was always full of cumin, preserved lemons, and the sound of multiple conversations happening at once. I moved to London at 22, cooked my way through the city's best restaurants, and discovered that the whole Mediterranean was my playground. Now I create dishes that celebrate the entire region—from Marrakech to Athens, with plenty of stops in between.