Grilled Halloumi & Chickpea Grain Bowl
A hearty grain bowl with golden-seared halloumi, crispy roasted chickpeas, and fresh vegetables drizzled with a creamy lemon-tahini dressing.
Halloumi is criminally underrated in the protein world. It packs about 7g of protein per ounce, similar to paneer, but it has one massive advantage: it doesn't melt when you cook it. You can throw it in a screaming hot pan, sear it until it's got a deep golden crust on both sides, and it holds its shape perfectly. It gets this chewy, almost meaty texture on the inside with a crispy shell on the outside. If you've never seared halloumi before, you're about to have a moment.
The roasted chickpeas are the other star here. Toss them with olive oil and spices, spread them on a sheet pan, and roast them at high heat until they're crunchy. They add this snackable, crispy texture to the bowl that you don't get from regular canned chickpeas. Combined with farro, which has more protein than rice or quinoa at about 7g per cooked cup, this bowl hits a legitimate 30g of protein per serving. The tahini dressing ties everything together with that nutty, lemony flavor that makes Mediterranean food so addictive.
This is a great weeknight dinner because everything can be prepped in parallel. While the farro simmers and the chickpeas roast, you chop the veggies and whisk the dressing. Sear the halloumi last so it's hot when you assemble. The whole thing comes together in about 35 minutes, and leftovers hold up well for lunch the next day. Just sear fresh halloumi if you want that crispy texture again.
The Protein Upgrade
A standard Mediterranean grain bowl with just vegetables and grains delivers about 10-12g protein. We added thick-sliced seared halloumi (about 17g protein per serving) and roasted spiced chickpeas (about 4g per serving), plus chose protein-rich farro over rice, bringing the total to 30g per serving.
Grilled Halloumi & Chickpea Grain Bowl
Ingredients
- 10 oz halloumi cheese (sliced into 0.5-inch thick slabs) 18g protein
- 1 can (15oz) chickpeas (drained, rinsed, and patted very dry) 5g protein
- 1 ½ cups farro (dry, or substitute bulgur wheat) 3g protein
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 medium cucumber (diced)
- ¼ cup red onion (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup kalamata olives (halved)
- 2 tbsp fresh mint (chopped)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp tahini 1g protein
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
- 1 clove garlic (minced, for dressing)
- 3 tbsp water (for dressing, adjust to thin)
Instructions
- Cook the farro according to package directions (usually about 25-30 minutes in salted boiling water). Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the dried chickpeas with 1 tbsp olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 25-30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crispy.
- While the chickpeas roast, make the lemon-tahini dressing: whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, and water until smooth and pourable. Add more water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Prep the vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, and halve the olives. Chop the fresh herbs.
- When the chickpeas have about 5 minutes left, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the halloumi slices for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. Remove and slice into strips.
- Assemble the bowls: divide the cooked farro among 4 bowls. Top each with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, roasted chickpeas, and seared halloumi strips.
- Drizzle generously with the lemon-tahini dressing. Garnish with fresh mint and parsley. Serve immediately.
Boost Your Protein
- Use two cans of chickpeas instead of one for an extra 4g protein per serving.
- Add a soft-boiled egg on top for an extra 6g protein per serving.
- Stir a spoonful of Greek yogurt into the tahini dressing for an extra 2-3g protein per serving.
Ingredient Substitutions
- No halloumi? Use paneer or extra-firm tofu, pan-fried until golden.
- No farro? Use quinoa, bulgur wheat, or brown rice.
- No tahini? Use Greek yogurt thinned with lemon juice.
- Swap kalamata olives for sun-dried tomatoes if you prefer less brininess.
