Roasted Halloumi Fajitas (2024)

Thanks to its robust, grill-able texture, halloumi cheese is so much fun to cook with and makes the best vegetarian fajita filling! In this recipe, halloumi is seasoned and roasted in the oven with veggies to make easy vegetarian sheet pan fajitas. No one will miss the meat… halloumi fajitas will be your new favorite!

Introducing my favorite (dare I say life changing) vegetarian fajita recipe

As a vegetarian who lives in the UK, I eat a lot of halloumi. I am old enough to remember when it was the cool new thing, but now it’s become a staple pub food ingredient here, showing up in burgers, breakfasts and fish and chip shops. Since halloumi came around, vegetarian menu choices have been 10000% less dull, and meat eaters are usually happy with it too. It’s special like that!

What I am trying to say is, halloumi is a tried and tested crowd pleaser and you should make these fajitas for… well, just about anyone.

Fajitas are one of those dishes where sometimes vegetarians simply get everything but the meat. No alternative protein, just a blank space, which feels sad. That is why halloumi is perfect for this job. It’s a meaty protein which makes the vegetarian option super appealing.

Halloumi Fajitas made easy!

My goal here was also to create a really easy recipe for you, so these fajitas are cooked on a baking tray in the oven. Typically fajitas are prepared on a sizzling hot grill, and you could certainly do this at home with a griddle or cast iron pan, but there is a learning curve with these types of pans and it requires a certain amount of attention. The sheet pan fajita method, while certainly inauthentic, makes things a little more straightforward and foolproof.

It’s just as simple as putting all your toppings on a sheet pan (large baking tray) and roasting in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

This is my favorite way to make homemade fajitas because you get some nice charred crispy bits that you wouldn’t get with a wok or frying pan. And so hands off! While everything is roasting, you have plenty of time to set the table, bring out some toppings and warm your tortillas. All in all, a low stress, low effort weeknight meal that everyone’s going to love.

Top Tips & Ingredient Notes

Spice mix: I’ve included my own spice mix recipe, but feel free to swap in a packet of your favorite fajita seasoning, in which case you’re looking at an even quicker and easier dinner.
You can make this spicier by increasing the chili powder or using a hotter blend.
If you can’t find any halloumi, try paneer! It has a great bite. Paneer is less salty so the result isn’t quite as rich, but still great.
If you are new to using halloumi, check out my guide to cooking with halloumi which includes an FAQ / troubleshooting section.
Vegan? Try a tofu based vegan halloumi.
Your cook time can vary: You want to bake for 20-25 minutes, until they’re cooked to your liking. Keep a close eye on things because all ovens are a little different! The current images show them cooked for the full amount of time, for a super crispy result. Less time keeps the peppers a little more crunchy and the halloumi a little more soft. Some readers have tried a hybrid – putting the onions and peppers in for a longer time, up to 30 minutes, but adding the halloumi later. This makes sense if you want super caramelized vegetables without over-doing the halloumi.

Suggested Variations:

Love this fajita filling? Try changing it up and putting it in a different format…

Fajita Bowls: For a gluten free version, you can make this fajita filling into a “bowl” meal instead. Add rice, refried beans, and whatever toppings you like.
Fajita Salad: Prepare a big bowl of lettuce, add some corn, avocado, beans, diced tomatoes and onion, and top with your halloumi fajita filling!
Fajita Tacos: Use corn tortillas and add some slaw or lettuce to the top for a more taco-style meal.

More Easy Halloumi Dinner Recipes

Are you a fan of the squeaky cheese? ME TOO. I have a lot of halloumi recipes plus an extensive guide on how to cook halloumi for newbies. Here is a sampling of other dinners you may enjoy…

Honey Lime Halloumi Tacos

Halloumi Enchiladas

Roasted Halloumi Fajitas

8 fajitas, to serve 3 or 4 people

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

4.66 from 179 ratings

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Ingredients

250 g (9 oz) halloumi cheese, sliced into strips
3 bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 large white onion, sliced into strips
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

Fajita Seasoning

2 tsp oregano
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp of cumin
1 tsp garlic granules

To serve

8 flour tortillas
Toppings of your choice: avocado, sour cream / yogurt, salsa

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 410F / 210C (190C fan) while you slice the halloumi, onion and peppers.
Prepare the fajita seasoning by mixing everything together in a small bowl.
Put the onions and peppers in a large bowl, then add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and most of the fajita seasoning. Toss to get everything coated nicely in the oil and seasonings. Scatter over the baking sheet. Then put the halloumi in the bowl with another 1 Tbsp of oil and the remaining seasoning, toss very gently to coat, and add it to the baking sheet too.
(Alternatively you can just place the halloumi, onion and peppers directly onto the baking sheet, sprinkle the fajita seasoning and oil over the top, and use a spatula to get everything coated in the oil and seasonings – this may not give a perfectly even result, but it works fine and saves a bowl.)
Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the halloumi is cooked to your liking. (You may need more or less time – every oven is different, so do check in often.)

Notes

The fajitas pictured were cooked for 25 minutes but below the recipe card you can see an older version of the photos which were cooked for 20. Cooking for longer gives a richer, crispier result with more caramelized vegetables. Cooking for shorter gives crunchier veggies and softer halloumi. You can even cook the vegetables for longer and add the halloumi later. The choice is yours!

Every oven is a little different. The first time you make these, check in after 15 minutes. Adjust the heat or cooking time if you need to.

This makes enough for about 8 fajitas. Cooking for 4?That’s 2 each, so add a side of rice or beans. Cooking for 2? That’s 3 each for a full dinner, and then save a little bit to make quesadillas with the following night. Bulk out the quesadillas with refried beans and mozzarella.

Reheating your fajita mixture? Warming in the oven, covered, is the best way to bring the halloumi back to life. If you’ve cooked the halloumi on the crispier side, it won’t reheat as well and may be quite rubbery so if you know you intend to reheat some, you may wish to cook for less time and get softer halloumi.

Cuisine: Mexican Inspired

Course: Dinner

Author: Christine Melanson

Serving: 1g, Calories: 552kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 884mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 5g

Equipment

Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick Oven Tray

The 2021 Update

This Halloumi Fajitas Recipe was originally published in 2018, then updated in 2021 with a few changes:

Addition of a video and a wider selection of photos.
New photos showing the fajitas cooked for the higher end of suggested cook time rather than the lower end, reflecting feedback from users who have made these fajitas.
Updating the recipe method to suggest tossing the ingredients in a bowl before putting on the baking tray, to improve the reliability and replicability of the recipe.

30 Minute Meals Budget Friendly Halloumi Recipes Main Course Mexican Inspired Recipes Recipes with Cheese

posted by Christine Melansonon July 10, 2018 (last updated Feb 15, 2024)

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