This Easy Halloumi Pasta is quick and easy to make, but packed full of flavour – perfect for busy days when you still want to eat well. It features perfectly fried cubes of halloumi, a simple-but-delicious tomato sauce… and of course pasta!
Love pasta? Love halloumi?
Then you will love this Easy Halloumi Pasta. This is very much one of those ‘busy days’ recipes. It’s so quick and easy to make, but packed full of flavour – so you won’t miss out on deliciousness, just because you are busy!
It features perfectly fried, golden cubes of halloumi, a simple-but-delicious tomato sauce… and of course pasta! I prefer this with penne pasta, but you can use any pasta shape you like.
How to make Halloumi Pasta
This delicious halloumi pasta really is very simple to make.
All you need to do is pop your pasta on to boil. Meanwhile, make a simple tomato sauce by frying onions, garlic and bell peppers, then add passata and oregano.
While the sauce is simmering, fry the cubes of halloumi until perfectly golden. When the sauce is ready, add the halloumi, drained pasta and torn fresh basil. Easy peasy!
Why fry the halloumi separately?
You know me – I do like to minimise the number of pans where possible. So, I did experiment with frying the halloumi in the same pan as the onions and peppers.
However, that did not work out too well. If you fry the halloumi in the pan before the onions and peppers, the onion won’t soften properly. And if you fry the halloumi in the pan after the onions and peppers, the halloumi won’t get that lovely golden colour. And either way, the halloumi is in the pan too long and it gets too soft and gloopy.
If you really want to use the same pan, you can fry the halloumi first and remove to a plate, then fry the onions and peppers and return the halloumi back to the pan at the end… but that just makes the recipe take way longer… and you end up with 7 minutes in the middle when you’re not doing anything!
Using 3 pans is more time efficient and it produces the best results.
What to serve with Halloumi Pasta
Halloumi Pasta really does not need any accompaniments – it’s a complete meal in its own right. But if you want a little something extra, you can serve this with garlic bread or crusty French bread and/or a side salad.
What to drink with Halloumi Pasta
For me, hands down the best wine match for this halloumi and tomato pasta is Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc works really well with tomato-based dishes and the saltiness of the halloumi.
If you are not a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, other good options would be a fruity rosé or a lighter Italian red, such as a Valpolicella or Barbera… maybe even a simple Chianti.
Make it your own…
This recipe is very flexible, so feel free to adapt it to suit your tastes and/or whatever you have available to you in your kitchen! Here are a few ideas:
- Use diced chicken breast, as well as or instead of the halloumi
- Add prawns, as well as or instead of the halloumi
- Use lardons or chorizo, instead of the halloumi
- Use feta in place of the halloumi (crumble it over at the end – don’t fry the feta!)
- Use a different colour pepper, as well as or instead of the yellow pepper
- Use diced courgette, aubergine, carrots or mushrooms, as well as or instead of the yellow pepper
- Use dried Italian mixed herbs, as well as or instead of the oregano and basil
(Did you adapt this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comment section below.)
Can you reheat leftover Halloumi Pasta
This is definitely a dish that’s best eaten fresh. But if you do end up with leftovers, I recommend turning the leftovers into a pasta bake.
Simply, put any leftovers in a plastic lidded container and place in the fridge, where they will keep for up to 3 days.
To reheat, put the leftovers in an ovenproof dish and place into an oven preheated to 180C (160C fan / gas mark 4 / 350F). Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until piping hot all the way through.
Can you freeze Halloumi Pasta
I don’t recommend freezing pasta. However, the sauce (including the fried halloumi cubes) freezes very well. Simply put the cooked and cooled sauce into a plastic lidded container and place it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to 3 months.
Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a saucepan until piping hot, before stirring into freshly cooked pasta.
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
- Creamy Prawn Tomato Pasta
- Easy Chorizo and Prawn Pasta
- Easy Creamy Chorizo Pasta
- Easy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
- Tomato, Pepper and Chorizo Pasta
Creamy Prawn Tomato Pasta
Easy Halloumi Pasta
Ingredients
- 300 g penne pasta (or any pasta shape you like: rigatoni, fusilli and spaghetti also work well)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 yellow (bell) pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic grated or crushed
- 400 g halloumi drained and diced into 1cm x 1cm pieces
- 400 ml passata
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 10 g basil leaves plus extra for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions / your own preferences. Drain immediately when cooked to your liking.
- Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the diced onions in a fairly large saucepan and fry over a low heat, with the lid on, for 3 minutes, or until softened but not brown.
- Add the diced pepper and fry on low for a further 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and fry on low for a further 1 minute.
- Add the passata, oregano, salt and pepper to the onions/peppers, turn up the heat and bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down and simmer for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan. Heat over a medium heat for 1 minute. Fry half the halloumi, so that it is golden but not too brown on most sides. Remove to a plate and fry the remaining halloumi until golden.
- When the 7 minutes are up, add the halloumi and the pasta to the sauce together with the basil. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
- Serve garnished with more basil.
Notes
- Suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Pin Easy Halloumi Pasta for later
FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan
Have you got your hands on a copy of my meal plan yet? If not CLICK HERE to download a copy of my FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan today!
Leave a Reply