summer halloumi tacos with sesame zucchini slaw and basil tahini sauce
Much love for squeaky cheese, and these tacos balance the salty, fatty unmeltable block with nutrient-rich greens and a glorious herbed tahini sauce.
You know, I hope with the influx of pregnancies and births that everyone opting to raise a kid eventually teaches it etiquette in various situations. Now, I’m aware raising children is a battle – my mom had three, and one of them was me, for Pete’s sake, which is enough of a challenge as is – and those little gremlins have a mind of their own 90% of the time, but I feel like a lot of people believe good habits will be merely picked up and not properly taught. I don’t find that the case. And you can’t expect other adults to necessarily pick up the slack, either.
I rant about this because kids have loved swimming into my lap lane at the pool lately and one of these days I’m going to ram into one at sprint speed and cause someone a manner of damage.
And then, to translate more life skills into adulthood, teaching a small person early how to wait their damn turn. Looking at you, women who saw me waiting for a lane to open up and opted to steal one despite me having been there at least twenty minutes longer.
Maybe I’m being petty (oh, I probably am) but good Lord, people. Learn some manners. Teach your mini yous some manners. And all of this globalizes into just having some humility, man.
Okay, I’m done. Taco time, mates.
These gorgeous tacos verdes are a 20 minute weeknight project laced with an addicting green tahini sauce. More green for your dollar. Speaking of kids, let them squish their (CLEAN) hands in a pile of zucchini noodles to help mix the veggies with a sweet, salty, sesame-infused dressing. Family involvement is a certain bonus.
The only required cooking is a quick fry of the halloumi pieces, which takes 5 minutes max. Watch it closely because it might seem slow to crisp, but suddenly the bottom will deepen to a rich golden brown and it’s easy to overcook it by mistake. After cooking, let it drain a bit on paper towels while you prepare the rest.
Grab some fresh zucchini noodles – I prefer these to frozen since those get soggy very quick – and toss with cilantro and a dressing of sesame oil, cider vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and some red pepper flakes for an extra spicy bite. Simple, right?
Finally, the sauce. A food processor is easiest, but definitely possible to mix up by hand so long as everything is chopped the finest you can manage. The basil shines through alongside some fresh cilantro, tahini, lemon, and garlic.
Think of this whole ensemble as a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian flavors, which have a surprising amount of crossover, really. Inside a tortilla, of course. We all know I love mixing cuisines, as in last week’s Crispy Curried Chickpea Tacos, and this is just another idea for you to play with. Have at it and enjoy!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Got a halloumi craving? Try out the Summer Abundance Quinoa Salad with Fried Halloumi!
Ingredients
- 1 block halloumi, sliced
- 4 cups fresh zucchini spirals
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp honey
- 1-2 tsp Sriracha, or to taste
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 8 corn or wheat tortillas
- arugula and sliced mango, to serve
basil tahini sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2-4 tbsp water, to thin
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Drain halloumi and pat dry. Fry the halloumi 1-2 minutes per side until lightly crisp and golden. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Whisk together sesame oil, cider vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and red pepper flakes. Dump zucchini noodles into a large serving bowl. Toss with cilantro and dressing until thoroughly coated.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine tahini, cilantro, basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the water. Blitz until smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of additional water if you'd like the sauce thinner. Taste for salt and pepper. Pour into a small bowl.
- Warm tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds under a layer of damp paper towels. To assemble the tacos, add a tuft of arugula to the bottom of a tortilla and top with a big scoop or zucchini slaw. Arrange a piece of halloumi, drizzle with sauce, and sprinkle with fresh mango.
