Meatballs are protein-packed powerhouses that make for an apt spaghetti crown or a meal all on their own. Delicious and hearty as they are, meatballs — whether they’re made with beef, lamb, or turkey — aren’t for everyone, namely vegetarians. However, with the help of one unexpected ingredient, meat-avoidant foodies can enjoy a deceptively delicious meatless meatball. Enter halloumi, the Mediterranean cheese that, when prepared correctly, doubles as a meatball dupe.
Halloumi is enjoyed not just for its rich, salty flavor, but also for its firm texture that holds up well to high heat. Although halloumi is often cooked over a grill or seared on a skillet for serving in salads or sandwiches, or as a burger topping, its heat tolerance and dense structure make it just as suitable for making meatless meatballs. Halloumi’s propensity to caramelize while maintaining its composition without melting culminates in a crispy, golden brown exterior that gives way to a tender interior, mimicking the quality of real meatballs. Although it has a unique flavor of its own, halloumi isn’t as bold as some cheeses, which makes it easy to combine with meatball essentials like breadcrumbs, binders, spices, herbs, and, of course, savory tomato-based sauces or lemony yogurt dressings.
Tips for making halloumi meatballs
Sculpting traditional meatballs is as easy as dumping minced ingredients into a bowl, mixing them with your hands like a true artiste, forming them into globes, and baking or searing them until they’re cooked to perfection. Luckily, with a few tips in mind, making halloumi meatballs is just as simple as preparing them with ground meat.
To achieve that charmingly irregular spherical shape of authentic meatballs, you’ll need to start with grated halloumi. Because its firm texture provides resistance against the grater, you shouldn’t have any trouble shredding it. Once you’ve grated your halloumi, introduce your meatball necessities — eggs, oil, and breadcrumbs. After adding your essentials to a mixing bowl, it’s time for the fun part — introducing flavor-forward fixings.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when cooking meatballs is skimping on seasonings, especially when making meatless meatballs. Load up on garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. To deepen its savory notes, consider incorporating some umami-dense ingredients like miso paste or soy sauce for a more “meaty” flavor. Once you’ve perfected your mixture, roll them into meatball shapes, bake them to perfection, and serve them with sauce, pasta, or veggie skewers.
