These Halloumi kebabs taste like caprese salad and garlic bread went to the grill. Golden cheese, sweet tomatoes, fresh basil, and crispy bread on a stick. Simple to make, fun to serve, and always the first platter that empties.
In One Glance
- 🍢 Recipe name: Halloumi Kebabs (Caprese Style) with Garlic Bread Croutons
- ⏱️ Prep time: 20 minutes
- 🔥 Cook time: 6-8 minutes
- 🕒 Total time: about 25 minutes
- 👨👩👦👦 Servings: 4 (side dish)
- 🧾 Main ingredients: Halloumi, cherry tomatoes, basil, sturdy bread, garlic oil, balsamic glaze
- 😋 Taste: salty, toasty, garlicky, sweet-tart, herby
- 🧪 Allergens: Contains: milk (Halloumi), gluten (bread). May contain: sesame, soy, nuts, sulphites (check bread / glaze). Free from (base): eggs (check your bread), peanuts, tree nuts, mustard, fish.
- 💚 Why make it: easy vegetarian BBQ side, looks fun, works on any grill or pan
- 🍴 Difficulty: easy: prep, thread, grill
Jump to:
Garlic Halloumi Bread Kebabs With Basil
BBQ nights at our place move fast. Someone is lighting the grill, someone is looking for tongs, and three tall sons want to know, "What else is there besides meat." I like having one vegetarian option that feels just as good as everything from the grill. These skewers do that.
The bread toasts up like tiny garlic bread croutons. Halloumi turns golden and a bit squeaky-soft, the tomatoes burst, and basil plus balsamic make it taste like summer. My husband "tests" one before it hits the table, the boys go back for seconds, and nobody calls it "the veggie option." Mission accomplished.
What You'll Need
You can find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Halloumi: Firm grilling cheese that keeps its shape and browns beautifully; cut into chunky cubes so it does not fall apart.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet, juicy bites that char slightly and give that caprese feeling.
- Fresh basil: Whole leaves and chopped basil add fragrance and freshness at the end.
- Sturdy bread: Use baguette, sourdough, or Italian bread so the cubes toast instead of breaking; they soak up garlic oil and juices.
- Or use thick-cut garlic bread or Texas toast, cube it, and thread it between cheese and tomatoes. Watch it closely on the grill.
- Olive oil: Forms the base of the garlic oil and helps everything grill evenly.
- Garlic: Sliced into the oil for real garlic bread flavor.
- Salt and pepper: Light seasoning for the cheese and bread.
- Balsamic glaze: A sweet-tangy drizzle that finishes the caprese vibe.
How to Make This
You can find the full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Soak wooden skewers (if using), then stir together olive oil, garlic to make garlic oil.
- Step 2: Cut the bread and Halloumi into cubes, keep tomatoes whole, and pick fresh basil leaves. Thread bread, halloumi, tomato on skewers; repeat, and brush lightly with garlic oil.
- Step 3: Grill or cook on medium-high heat for a few minutes per side until the bread is toasty and the halloumi is golden.
- Step 4: Then finish with balsamic glaze and basil.
How to serve
Serve these Halloumi kebabs:
- as a vegetarian side next to burgers, ribs, and chicken,
- piled on a big platter with extra basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze,
- as a light main with a green salad and grilled veggies.
- Put a tray of these out and nobody asks for plain veggie skewers.
Top Tips
- Soak wooden skewers: Give them at least 20 minutes in cold water so the ends don't burn.
- Use sturdy bread: Choose baguette, sourdough, or Texas toast; soft sandwich bread falls apart on the grill.
- Light oil only: Brush a thin layer of garlic oil; too much makes the bread burn before the cheese colors.
- Preheat well: Hot grill or pan helps Halloumi release cleanly and gives quick grill marks.
- Don't flip too soon: Wait until the Halloumi has a light crust, then turn; if it sticks, give it another 20-30 seconds.
- Add basil at the end: Fresh basil straight off the grill keeps the flavor bright and the leaves pretty.
- Watch the glaze: Drizzle balsamic glaze after grilling, not before, so it won't burn.
- Serve immediately: Halloumi tastes best hot and just off the grill; plan these as a last-minute throw-on.
Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Halloumi kebabs with tomatoes, basil, and garlic bread croutons-caprese on a stick for your next BBQ. Grill, broiler, or air fryer friendly.
Ingredients
Garlic oil
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Kebabs
- 1 loaf bread, (baguette, sourdough, or Italian), cut into 12 cubes
- 8 oz. Halloumi , cut into 12 cubes
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- ½ cup basil leaves , ½ whole, ½ finely chopped
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Garlic oil
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 20 minutes.
- Heat the oil in the frying pan.⅓ cup olive oil
- Turn off the heat and add the garlic. Leave for 15 minutes and strain the oil.3 cloves garlic
Kebabs
- Thread bread, halloumi, and tomato onto each skewer.1 loaf bread, 8 oz. Halloumi, 12 cherry tomatoes
- Repeat the pattern until the skewer is filled, leaving space at the ends.
- Brush each skewer lightly with garlic oil. Let the kebabs rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the grill, grill pan, broiler, or air fryer to medium-high (about 400-450 °F for grill or 400 °F for air fryer).
- Brush each skewer again with the garlic oil.
- Cook 2-3 minutes per side until the bread is toasted and the Halloumi is golden with light grill marks.
- Transfer kebabs to a serving platter.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze and garlic oil. Sprinkle with finely chopped basil and add extra whole leaves. Serve immediately while hot.2 tablespoons balsamic glaze, ½ cup basil leaves
Notes
1. How to know they're perfect
- Halloumi is ready when: edges are golden, clear grill marks show, it feels firm, not rubbery.
- Bread should be toasted, not black; move skewers to a cooler spot if it colors fast.
- Tomatoes look soft and glossy, maybe just starting to blister.
- Bread burning? Use sturdy bread, a light oil coating, and medium-high heat. Slide to indirect heat if needed.
- Cheese sticking? Preheat well, oil the grates or pan, and do not flip too early. Wait for the crust to form.
- Rubbery when eating? Serve straight off the grill. Halloumi is best hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 832kcalCarbohydrates: 88gProtein: 31gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.05gSodium: 1491mgFiber: 7gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 414IUVitamin C: 13mgIron: 7mg
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