Grilled Halloumi Gyros with Lemon Oregano Dressing
Thick slabs of halloumi are grilled until golden and squeaky-soft, then tucked into warm pitas with juicy tomato, cucumber, quick-pickled red onion, garlicky yogurt sauce and a bright Cypriot-style lemon and oregano dressing. A meat-free gyro with plenty of char and zing.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Makes
- 4 gyros
Steps
Before you start
- Halloumi is already salty, so the dressing is only lightly salted. Taste before adding more salt.
- Pat the halloumi very dry; wet cheese steams instead of browning and sticks to the grill.
- The onion pickles and the halloumi dries while you make the sauces, so do steps 1 to 3 first and the rest while you wait.
- Have everything chopped and the pitas within reach before you light the grill. Halloumi cooks fast and is best eaten hot.
Slice and dry halloumi
- Remove the halloumi from its brine and pat the blocks dry with a towel.
- Cut each block crosswise into slabs about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick; you should get roughly 8 to 10 slabs from 16 oz (450 g).
- Lay the slabs in a single layer on a clean towel or paper towels, and blot the tops.
- Leave them to air-dry while you make the remaining components.
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Ready when: The surface feels dry and tacky, not wet, when touched.
Tip: Slabs thicker than ½ inch brown before the center softens, and thinner slabs turn rubbery, so aim for an even thickness.
Whisk lemon oregano dressing
- In a small bowl, combine 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil, 3 tbsp (45 ml) of the lemon juice, the lemon zest, 2 tsp of the oregano, the grated garlic, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Whisk with a fork for 30 seconds until cloudy and thick.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: The dressing looks slightly emulsified and smells strongly of lemon and oregano.
Tip: Re-whisk right before using; the oil and lemon separate on standing.
Quick-pickle the onion
- Put the sliced red onion in a small bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of the lemon oregano dressing and a pinch of salt.
- Press the onion down so it is coated, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes, tossing once or twice.
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Ready when: The onion turns bright pink and is limp but still slightly crisp.
Tip: Make the yogurt sauce and salad while the onion sits so no time is wasted.
Mix garlic yogurt sauce
- Wrap the grated half of the cucumber in a clean towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as you can.
- Stir it into the Greek yogurt with the grated garlic, 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a little pepper.
- Taste, and adjust with more lemon or salt.
- Refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: The sauce is thick and spoonable, with no pooled water.
Tip: Unsqueezed cucumber will thin the sauce and make the pitas soggy.
Toss tomato cucumber salad
- In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomatoes and the diced half of the cucumber.
- Drizzle with 2 tbsp of the dressing, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss gently.
- Leave at room temperature until assembly.
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Ready when: Vegetables are glossy and evenly coated.
Tip: Seed the tomatoes first so the salad doesn't become watery.
Heat the grillOven 450°F / 230°C
- Preheat a gas or charcoal grill, or a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat, for about 5 minutes until hot (about 450°F / 230°C).
- Scrub the grates clean.
- Brush the halloumi slabs on both sides with the 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil.
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Ready when: You can hold your hand 5 inches above the grates for only 2 to 3 seconds.
Tip: A clean, hot grate is the best protection against sticking; don't skip the scrub.
Grill halloumi slabs
- Place the halloumi on the grill at a diagonal to the bars.
- Cook without moving for 2 to 3 minutes, until deep golden grill marks form and the cheese releases easily.
- Flip with a wide spatula and grill 2 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tsp oregano, and drizzle with a spoonful of the dressing.
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Ready when: Both sides are golden brown with dark char lines, and the slabs feel soft and give when pressed.
Tip: If a slab sticks, give it another 30 seconds; it releases once the crust forms.
Warm the pitas
- Place the pitas on the grill for 20 to 30 seconds per side, just until warm, soft and lightly marked.
- Stack them in a towel to keep them pliable.
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Ready when: The pitas are hot, flexible and puffed in spots, not crisp.
Tip: Over-toasted pita cracks when folded, so pull it off as soon as it is warm.
Assemble and serve
- Spread each warm pita with about 3 tbsp of the yogurt sauce.
- Add 2 to 3 halloumi slabs, a large spoonful of tomato cucumber salad and a handful of the drained pickled onion.
- Drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice and any leftover dressing, then fold the pita around the filling.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: The cheese is still warm and soft, and the pita folds without tearing.
Tip: Wrap the bottom half of each gyro in parchment or foil to catch drips.
Good to know
Tips
- Don't salt the halloumi before grilling; it is already brined and salty enough.
- For the best char, don't move the halloumi until it releases naturally from the grill.
- Serve the halloumi straight from the grill, as it squeaks and toughens once it cools.
- For more filling, add shredded romaine, a few thin slices of kalamata olive, or a handful of French fries inside the gyro, as is common in Cyprus.
Make ahead
The dressing, pickled onion and yogurt sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated; bring the dressing to room temperature and re-whisk. Slice the halloumi up to 4 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then pat dry before grilling. Dice the tomato and cucumber and dress them just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Halloumi is best eaten within minutes of grilling, as it turns firm and rubbery as it cools. Store leftover components separately: cooked halloumi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, yogurt sauce and pickled onion for up to 3 days, and salad for 1 day. Reheat halloumi in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Pitas keep at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for 2 months; warm them in a dry skillet. Grilled halloumi doesn't freeze well, so don't freeze it.
Substitutions
- halloumi cheese → Firm, high-melting cheese such as kefalograviera, grilling cheese (queso para freir) or paneer. All hold their shape on a hot grill. Paneer is milder, so add a pinch more salt to the dressing.
- plain full-fat Greek yogurt → Dairy-free unsweetened coconut or soy yogurt. Use a thick, unsweetened one and add an extra squeeze of lemon.
- dried oregano → Dried thyme, or 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano per 1 tsp dried. Fresh oregano can replace dried in the dressing, but add it just before serving for the brightest flavor.
- pita breads, soft and pocketless if possible → Flatbreads, naan or large flour tortillas. Warm them the same way; thinner breads may need doubling up for sturdier gyros.