This Halloumi Rice Bowl is what I make when the fridge looks a bit sad and dinner needs to happen in twenty minutes flat. Salty, golden halloumi, spiced rice, wilted spinach and a spoonful of yoghurt taste like far more effort than they actually take. Ras el hanout does the flavour heavy lifting, sultanas bring a bit of sweetness against all that salt, and a squeeze of lemon at the end wakes the whole bowl up. If you've only ever had halloumi grilled or stuffed in a wrap, this is your excuse to put it in a bowl instead.
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Recipe Highlights
TASTE: Salty, golden halloumi against warmly spiced, slightly sweet rice, finished with fresh lemon and dill so it never feels too rich.
WHAT'S SPECIAL: Halloumi has an unusually high melting point, so you get proper golden, crisp cheese in every bite.
EFFORT LEVEL: One frying pan, one pan of rice, twenty minutes start to finish.
SEB'S RATING: Seb still insists on calling this a pilaf, which it absolutely isn't, but he cleans his bowl every time.
What Is a Halloumi Rice Bowl?
A halloumi rice bowl is warm rice topped with pan-fried halloumi and built up with vegetables, herbs and a sauce of some kind, usually with something a bit sharp or sweet to cut through the salt.
Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese from Cyprus, traditionally made from goat's and sheep's milk, with a high melting point that means it goes golden brown and crisp in a pan instead of collapsing into a puddle like most cheeses would. That's really the whole trick of this recipe.
Seb calls this one a halloumi pilaf, though a proper pilaf cooks the rice in stock with all the spices from the start, and this is more of a cheat's version: cook the rice separately, then toss it through everything else at the end. Call it a pilaf, a biryani, or just a very good rice bowl. I'm not precious about it.
Ingredient Notes
Basmati rice is what I'd reach for here. The grains stay separate and fluff up nicely with a fork rather than clumping like some short-grain rice. Jasmine rice works too, just be aware its aroma is stronger and will compete a little with the ras el hanout.
Halloumi cheese is the star. Buy a block, not the pre-sliced kind, so you can cut it into cubes rather than slices, which gives you more golden brown edges per bite. Full-fat halloumi crisps up better than the reduced-fat version, though both work.
Ras el hanout is a warm, fragrant North African spice blend, usually a mix of things like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and dried rose petals. If you want to make your own, my Ras el Hanout recipe has the full blend.
Sultanas add little bursts of sweetness against the salty halloumi. Dried apricots or raisins, chopped small, work as a substitute.
Dill is what I use for freshness, but fresh parsley is a fine swap if that's what's in your fridge instead.
Plain yoghurt finishes the bowl as a simple sauce. Use full-fat Greek or natural yoghurt for the best texture, not a fat-free version, which tends to split.
Find the full ingredient quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make a Halloumi Rice Bowl
Toast the almonds first. A dry pan, medium heat, a couple of minutes until they smell nutty and just start to colour. Tip them straight onto a plate - they'll keep browning in the pan otherwise.
Cook the rice according to the packet, then drain and leave it to one side while you get on with everything else.
Fry the halloumi properly. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, add the halloumi cubes in a single layer, and leave them alone for a couple of minutes before turning. Rushing this is the main reason halloumi comes out pale rather than golden brown. You're looking for a proper crust - four to five minutes total, cubes turned occasionally rather than stirred constantly.
Build the bowl. Add the spring onions, garlic, chilli and ras el hanout, stir for a minute, then pile in the spinach, cover, and let it wilt for about a minute. Tip in the drained rice and sultanas, warm through for two minutes, then take the pan off the heat and squeeze over the lemon juice. Garnish with the toasted almonds, dill and a spoonful of yoghurt.
Tips for the Best Halloumi Rice Bowl
š§ Go easy on extra salt. Halloumi is salty on its own, so taste before reaching for the salt and pepper - you'll likely need less than you think.
š„ Don't crowd the pan. If your frying pan is on the smaller side, fry the halloumi in two batches so every cube gets proper contact with the heat instead of steaming.
šæ Fresh herbs make a real difference here. Dill and a scattering of fresh parsley both work, and either lifts the bowl more than a dried version would.
š Add the lemon juice off the heat, not while the pan is still on. Cooking it too long dulls the fresh, sharp flavour you want at the end.
š„ Don't skip the yoghurt. It's a small addition, but it acts as the bowl's sauce - without it, the whole thing reads as drier and a bit one-note.
Recipe FAQs
Halloumi has a higher melting point than most cheeses because of how it's made, using a heat treatment during production that sets the proteins in a way that holds together even when fried or grilled. That's what lets it go golden brown and crisp in a pan instead of turning into a puddle.
Basmati rice is the best choice, since the grains stay separate and fluff easily with a fork. Jasmine rice is a good alternative, though its stronger aroma competes a little more with the spices.
I wouldn't recommend it. Both the rice and the halloumi lose texture once frozen and thawed, and the halloumi in particular turns rubbery. It's best made fresh or kept in the fridge for a few days.
Reheat the halloumi separately in a hot, dry pan for a minute or two rather than microwaving it with the rice. It won't be quite as good as freshly fried, but it holds up far better than reheated in the microwave alongside everything else.
Chopped dried apricots or raisins both work well as a swap, or leave them out entirely for a less sweet, more savoury bowl.
Variations
This is a fridge-clearing sort of recipe once you know the method. Add whatever vegetables you have going: chopped bell pepper and red onions cooked alongside the halloumi both work well, or stir through a handful of cooked chickpeas at the same point as the rice for extra protein and bulk.
Swap the sultanas for chopped dried apricots, or leave them out entirely if you'd rather keep things savoury. A pinch of black pepper alongside the salt-forward halloumi rounds out the seasoning if you find you want more.
Serving Suggestions
This is a complete meal on its own, but a side of cucumber and tomato salad or some warm flatbreads wouldn't go amiss if you're feeding more people or bigger appetites.
Storage
Halloumi rice bowl keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan or the microwave, though be aware that halloumi firms up and squeaks more on reheating - it never quite recaptures that first-fry texture.
For that reason, if I'm meal prepping this, I'll often store the fried halloumi separately and reheat it in a hot, dry pan for a minute or two to bring some crispness back, rather than microwaving it in with the rice. I wouldn't freeze this one - the texture of both the rice and the cheese suffers.
More Halloumi Recipes
If you're after more ways to use up a block of halloumi, my Mandarin & Halloumi Couscous Bowl is another fast, fridge-friendly bowl worth trying, or go for the Halloumi Wrap With Greek Yogurt Sauce if you fancy it in a wrap instead.
Quick & Easy Halloumi Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 120 g (ā cup) basmati rice
- 2 garlic cloves minced or finely chopped
- 1 chilli finely chopped
- 1 spring onion (green onion) thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 225 g (8 oz) halloumi cheese cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon ras el hanout
- 120 g (4 cups) spinach
- 5 g (1-2 tablespoon) fresh dill finely chopped
- 10 g (2 tablespoon) flaked almonds
- 30 g (Ā¼ cup) sultanas (or raisins)
- 1 lemon juice only
- 2 tablespoon plain Greek yoghurt
Instructions
- Toast flaked almonds in a dry pan until just starting to colour. Tip them onto a small plate to prevent further browning and set aside.
- Cook rice following packet instructions. Drain and set aside until later.
- Whilst the rice is cooking, cut the halloumi into bite-size pieces. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the halloumi cubes and cook for 4-5 min until starting to brown and crisp up.
- Add the spring onions, garlic, chilli and ras el hanout and cook for another minute stirring continuously.
- Then add the spinach, stir and cover with the lid. Cook for approx 1 minute until spinach starts to wilt.
- Once wilted, add the cooked drained rice and sultanas. Cook for 2 minutes to warm the rice through.
- Take the pan off of the heat and squeeze in the lemon. Garnish with the toasted flaked almonds, dill and a spoonful of yoghurt!
Nutrition
Savita says
What a delicious bowl, it is perfect for my weeknight busy dinners. Loved this easy spinach rice recipe.
Ieva says
Thank you š So glad you enjoyed it
Dannii says
I love anything with halloumi and this was delicious. So much flavour.
Ieva says
Same here! We absolutely adore halloumi!
Sue says
We made this on a hot night last week and LOVED it, thanks!!
Ieva says
Thanks for trying it! Glad you liked it š
Dana says
This is amazing! Halloumi is so good. I'd never made it with rice beforeāit's amazing. So glad I found this recipe. Thank you!
Ieva says
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Dana! š
Person who ate the food #3 says
so good! I love that this recipe doesn't skimp on spices or garlic.
I used a rice cooker for the rice and it was too much to add to the pan at the end (I made 3x amount). Since the rice was still warm from the cooker, I just added the sultanas to the rice and mixed it separately and then combined everything when serving.
The only real changes I made: added butter to the rice and cooked rice with chicken bouillon. Also used chili flakes instead of chilis (store was out). Can't wait to make again with actual chilis!
Ieva Greber says
Sounds like you made it work very well! Glad you liked the recipe! And, I am a trong believer that you can (almost) never have too much garlic š
Natalie A says
My husband is picky and we both LOVED this dish! Thank you from New Zealand!!
Ieva Greber says
That's so lovely to hear! Thank you for giving the recipe a go! š