Homemade Vegan Tofu Halloumi Cheese Recipe
Today we are making a Homemade Vegan Tofu Halloumi Cheese Recipe! Traditional halloumi cheese originates from Cyprus, and is a kind of soft, kind of hard cheese with a chewy texture with a high melting point – like a mix between feta cheese and mozzarella, with a bit of goat cheese thrown in. Sort of. It’s hard to describe the taste and texture if you haven’t tried it for yourself, but that’s the best I can do. Because it doesn’t melt so easily, it’s usually grilled on a griddle pan or even barbecued to serve the cheese!
Imagine the child of these three types of cheese, and you have halloumi! This salty cheese is traditionally made with a mix of goat milk and sheep’s milk. However, some places now also make it with some cow’s milk. To serve, you can eat it with raw salad, even a fruit salad like with watermelon as a summer snack. Or, serve with warm pita, crackers, roasted vegetables, with a Greek salad made of red onion, fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes, or more. It’s yours to enjoy however you like!
Vegan Halloumi?
So how are we making this recipe vegan, if it’s made of dairy milk? We’re using extra-firm tofu, which marinades in a herbed miso and lemon mixture. This makes it thick and chewy, because tofu is like a sponge that absorbs whatever it sits in! We press the excess water out of the tofu. Then, we have to let it sit in an easy-to-make marinade for at least an hour. Then, it’s pan-fried on the skillet, making the tofu “vegan cheese” golden brown on both sides. Perfect to serve up hot with a main course!
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Tofu Halloumi Cheese Recipe
Halloumi Texture Without Dairy: This recipe uses marinated tofu, pressed of excess liquid, to get the firmest, yet soft and cheesy texture of halloumi tofu. The combination of dried herbs, sour lemon juice and fermented soybean paste (miso) make this tofu have that feta-cheese-like flavor of halloumi, but slightly tangy, mild flavor that makes it perfect to pan-fry on a skillet and serve up with crackers or roasted vegetables!
Substitutions
Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon juice, not the bottled variety which tastes more acidic. You can also use lime juice, or try apple cider vinegar if lemon is not available.
Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu for this recipe. Other tofu varieties are not as firm, and they will crumble more when pressed down to remove the water. To get the firmest halloumi “cheese” texture, extra-firm will work best.
Nutritional Yeast Flakes: Another name for this is nooch, and it’s a cheesy-tasting powder that’s actually deactivated yeast. It’s fully vegan and is a good source of B-vitamins. You can find it in the vegan or gluten-free/natural pantry items section. Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to brand for this ingredient.
Avocado Oil: Substitute with extra-virgin olive oil, virgin or regular olive oil instead.
Dried Thyme & Oregano: You can mix this up by trying a different combination of dried Italian herbs, such as dried basil instead of the thyme or oregano. Dried rosemary has a much stronger taste, and I don’t recommend it here. Other herbs will all have a unique flavor, so try at your own risk – not all of them will have that “halloumi” cheese taste.
Miso Paste: This is a fermented soybean paste. There are different types of miso paste, such as red, yellow and white. This recipe calls for the white variety. I haven’t tried the other varieties of miso, so substitute this ingredient at your own risk.
Homemade Vegan Tofu Halloumi Cheese Recipe Notes
- Serve this as a side dish on a bed of fresh greens, with a salad, with roasted vegetables, pita or crackers, just to name a few options! I used fresh mint leaves on the vegan halloumi cheese in the photo, and it makes the tofu pop for presentation!
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If you make this Homemade Vegan Tofu Halloumi Cheese Recipe, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Homemade Vegan Tofu Halloumi Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
- Kitchen Towel
Ingredients
- ⅓ block extra-firm tofu
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- scant ¼ tsp garlic paste
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients, except the tofu, in a small bowl.
- Unwrap the block of tofu and cut it into a quarter piece being used for this recipe. Wrap it in a kitchen towel or paper towels. Alternatively, use a tofu press.
- Place a few books or a heavy object on top of the tofu block. Make sure it isn't too heavy or the tofu will crumble.
- Press tofu for at least 30 minutes, in order to press additional water out of the tofu.
- After the tofu has been pressed, unwrap from the towel and cut into medium-thick rectangles, like they are in the photos.
- Place the tofu in a shallow dish. Use a pastry brush to brush the oil mixture onto both sides of the tofu.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the tofu marinade flavors to absorb.
- Once the tofu has been marinated for at least an hour, turn on a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat.
- Drizzle a little bit of olive oil into the pan, then evenly place the tofu pieces into the skillet.
- Cook the tofu for a few minutes on each side, until browned. Use a rubber spatula to flip each piece over.
- Once the tofu is browned, it is ready to eat. Enjoy with pita bread, roasted vegetables, crackers, salad or your favorite way to enjoy halloumi!
Notes
- Based on this recipe.
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Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
