Sweet & Spicy Seared Halloumi
with Garlic Spinach Rice & Almonds
- Milk
- Tree Nuts
The star of this 15-minute Mediterranean bowl is the halloumi grilling cheese—golden and crispy outside with all the melty goodness kept inside! You'll sear it to a crisp finish and set it over herby garlic rice with wilted spinach. Drizzle with a vibrant cilantro–red pepper jam sauce with mandarin orange brightness, then shower with almonds for crunchy contrast.
Ingredients
2 unit
Microwavable Rice
5 ounce
Spinach
½ teaspoon
Cumin
6 ounce
Grilling Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
2.5 teaspoon
White Wine Vinegar
1 unit
Red Pepper Jam
2 tablespoon
Garlic Herb Butter
(Contains: Milk)
1 teaspoon
Chili Flakes
1 unit
Mandarin Orange
¼ ounce
Cilantro
1 ounce
Sliced Almonds
(Contains: Tree Nuts)
Not included in your delivery
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Olive Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
-
Wash and dry produce.
-
Dice cheese into 1-inch pieces. Roughly chop cilantro. Halve mandarin orange.
-
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add grilling cheese and cook until browned, 1-2 minutes per side.
-
While cheese cooks, in a small bowl, combine cilantro, jam, half the cumin, half the vinegar, 1 TBSP olive oil, juice from mandarin orange, a pinch of salt and pepper, and as many chili flakes as you like (all the cumin, all the vinegar, and 2 TBSP olive oil for 4 servings).
-
Massage rice in package to break up grains. Roughly chop spinach.
-
To a large microwave-safe bowl, add rice, spinach, and garlic herb butter. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until rice is warmed through and spinach is wilted, 3-4 minutes.
-
Fluff rice with a fork; stir in half the almonds. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper.
-
Divide garlic spinach rice between shallow bowls and top with cheese. Drizzle with mandarin cilantro sauce and sprinkle with remaining almonds. Serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Many loved the sweet and spicy sauce, though some found it overpowering. The halloumi was a hit, but a few thought the dish needed more seasoning overall.
- Ease of prep: Quick and easy to make, with most appreciating the convenience. Some preferred cooking their own rice instead of using the microwaveable packets.
- Suggestions: Consider wilting spinach in the pan after cooking the cheese. Try adding less red pepper jelly or creating an alternative sauce for a more balanced flavor.
- Portions: Several customers wished for more sauce, while others wanted more halloumi or less rice for better balance.
- Texture: A few found the halloumi slightly tough or rubbery; searing it carefully may help achieve the ideal crispy-melty texture 🧀.
Reviews from our home cooks
This was delicious and very easy to make! All of the flavors balance each other well. This was my first meal with HelloFresh, I had no idea I could make food that tastes this good.
Delicious and easy to prepare. The drizzle is amazing and I used one entire pack of pepper flakes for 4 servings and it's got a good kick to it.
This was delicious and easy to cook! I liked the premade rice packets and how the 4 servings included the right amount of veggies! Very quick and tasty dinner.
Loooved this meal. The cilantro-tangerine sauce was delicious; the flavors are great all-around, and the meal is simultaneously filling and light.
It needs something tangy to it, I added lime and way more salt to mine and it helped, it just feels like it's missing something but I do LOVE that you guys are offering the halloumi more often
This meal here is why I keep getting Hello Fresh delivered. I would never make something like this on my own or even know it was a thing. This was FANTASTIC.
Excellent meal. Great flavors. I had some issues with ingredients not being usable, but could replace them. Overall this is a great tasting meal and I hope it is offered again.
This was yummy and I would get again. I think it would be better if the rice was a healthier grain or if there were more greens and more sauce.
As a vegetarian, I absolutely LOVED this meal! The spicy sauce was amazing- Yummy! 😋
So easy and fresh! Unique flavors that add something a little different to our weekly menu
