Meatless Monday -Butternut and Haloumi Burgers with Green Tabouli

Serves 4

Pumpkin and halloumi were made to go together in these delicious vegetarian burgers.

I’m a bit obsessed with pumpkin, if you don’t believe me, just search the recipe archives for “pumpkin” and my obsession is there for all to see. I’m also a big fan of halloumi, but hey, isn’t everyone?!

Last year when we went to Tasmania, I had a pumpkin halloumi breakfast burger and I’ve been wanting to recreate it ever since. I got all re-inspired when I was leafing through my neighbour’s copy of Simply Nigella and saw her Butternut Halloumi Burgers. If the Flipped Egg Burger and Nigella Burger had a Halloumi Burger baby, this would totally be it.

Flashback to the Flipped Egg, Pumpkin and Halloumi Burger, fried halloumi cheese, roast pumpkin, balsamic onions, raw tabbouleh, tomato relish and summer greens. Oh yeah, baby! It’s totally worth a trip to Hobart’s Farmgate Market just for one of these babies, although with this recipe, you can recreate the magic at home!

Halloumi, pumpkin and the most deliciously refreshing green tabouli ever (thanks to some inspiration from The Healthy Chef.) I’ve added in some chilli flakes because the sweetness of the pumpkin and the heat of the chilli tick all the taste bud boxes and I’ve gone for a brioche bun because… BRIOCHE! Of course, you can use any burger bun of your choosing because you know when you have pumpkin and halloumi, however you sandwich them, you know the outcome is going to be downright delicious!

Ingredients

FOR THE BURGERS

1 large butternut squash, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

a pinch of chilli flakes

250g block halloumi cheese

4 brioche buns

FOR THE GREEN TABOULI

350g broccoli, broken into florets

4 spring onions

1 bunch continental parsley

1/2 bunch mint

1/2 avocado, chopped

20g pistachios

100g baby spinach leaves

juice of 3 limes or 2 lemons

1 tablespoon olive oil

How to

1. 1. Preheat oven to 200 C/ 180C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Slice the long part of the butternut into 1.5 cm rounds. I can get about 6-8 rounds until I hit the seedy end.
  3. Place the butternut rounds on prepared trays and drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle half the chilli flakes, then flip them over and sprinkle again so both sides are oiled and seasoned nicely.
  4. Roast the pumpkin rounds in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, turning half way through. The rounds are ready when they’re tender to the touch and browning at the edges. While the pumpkin is roasting, make the green tabouli. See notes below.
  5. Cut the halloumi into slices and when the pumpkin is ready lay the halloumi slices on top. Roast in the oven for another 10 minutes, until the halloumi gets soft and melty. The halloumi won’t melt completely, it’s just not it’s style.
  6. Allow the roasted butternut and halloumi to cool slightly, they’re super hot when they come out of the oven. Then pop the pumpkin patties into the brioche buns and top with the green tabouli. Eat immediately!

TO MAKE THE TABOULI

1. Roughly chop the pistachios. Finely chop the spring onions, herbs and spinach. Set aside.
2. Finely chop the broccoli in a food processor.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

TO MAKE THE TABOULI IN THE THERMOMIX

1. Chop the pistachios in the TM bowl for 2-3 seconds on speed 5. Set aside.
2. Put the spring onions, parsley and mint into TM bowl and chop for 3-4 seconds on speed 8.
3. Add the broccoli and chop for 4-5 seconds on speed 4-5 until chopped to your liking.
4. Add the remaining ingredients including the pistachios and mix on reverse speed 4 for 5-10 seconds using the spatula to assist.