If you only try ONE halloumi recipe from my site, make it this one.
This butter halloumi curry is creamy, rich, comforting and completely addictive. Think butter chicken…but vegetarian…and arguably EVEN BETTER.
Golden cubes of halloumi are tucked into a silky tomato and cream curry sauce that’s packed with garam masala, garlic and ginger.
The first time I made this I thought it would be good.
It was not good.
It was RIDICULOUSLY GOOD.
Halloumi turns out to be the perfect ingredient for a butter curry. It holds its shape, goes beautifully golden, and its salty richness works brilliantly against the sweet, creamy tomato sauce.
The result is a comforting vegetarian curry that feels like proper takeaway food – but made in your own kitchen in about 35 minutes.
If you love cooking with halloumi as much as I do, you might also enjoy my collection of easy halloumi dinner recipes, which includes everything from pasta to traybakes to curries like this one.
What Is Butter Halloumi Curry?
Butter halloumi curry is inspired by the classic Indian dish butter chicken (murgh makhani).
Traditional butter chicken features tender chicken pieces cooked in a rich tomato sauce finished with cream and butter. The sauce is smooth, mildly spiced and wonderfully comforting.
In this vegetarian version, the chicken is replaced with golden roasted halloumi. And honestly? It works BRILLIANTLY.
Halloumi’s firm texture means it doesn’t fall apart in the sauce. Instead, it keeps its shape and soaks up all that creamy curry flavour. Because halloumi is slightly salty, it also balances the sweetness of the tomato and the richness of the cream beautifully.
The result is a curry that’s:
- rich
- comforting
- mild but flavourful
- incredibly satisfying
It’s one of those dinners that feels restaurant-level impressive but is actually very straightforward to cook.
Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
A great curry isn’t complicated, but every ingredient plays an important role.
- Halloumi – The star of the show! Halloumi is a firm, salty cheese that holds its shape when cooked. Instead of melting like mozzarella, it goes golden and slightly chewy. This makes it perfect for curries.
- Tomato Puree – This is essential for getting that deep butter curry flavour. Tomato puree gives the sauce a rich tomato base without making it watery. Make sure you use concentrated puree, not chopped tomatoes.
- Onion, Garlic and Ginger – This classic trio forms the flavour base of countless curries. Cooking them slowly brings out sweetness and depth.
- Garam Masala – A warm spice blend that usually includes cinnamon, cumin, coriander and cardamom. It gives the curry its signature aroma.
- Cream – This is what makes the sauce luxuriously silky. Double cream gives the richest result, but single cream also works well.
- Butter – The finishing touch. Stirring butter into the sauce right at the end makes the curry glossy, smooth and deeply comforting.
How To Cook Butter Halloumi Curry
1. Chop the halloumi into bite size pieces and put on a baking tray in the oven. Cook until golden brown.
2. Soften onion, garlic and ginger in a large saucepan, then add tomato puree.
3. Add garam masala, chilli powder and bay leaf, then water and double cream. Bring to a simmer.
4. Use a stick blender to blend the sauce until smooth, then stir in the butter and cooked halloumi.
Top Tips for Butter Halloumi Curry
This recipe is very forgiving, but a few little tweaks can make the difference between good curry and truly excellent curry!
- If the halloumi goes rubbery – Halloumi can become rubbery if it’s cooked for too long. The trick is simply to brown it first, then add it to the sauce right at the end. Once it’s in the curry it only needs to warm through.
- If the sauce becomes too thick – Because the sauce contains cream and butter, it naturally thickens as it simmers. If it becomes thicker than you’d like, just add a splash of water and stir well. The sauce loosens very easily. If it’s not thick enough, just simmer for a little longer.
- If the curry tastes too salty – Halloumi is naturally quite salty, so occasionally the finished curry can tip slightly that way. The easiest fix is simply to add a little extra cream or a splash of water to soften the flavour.
- Don’t worry about chopping perfectly – Because the sauce gets blended, there’s absolutely no need to finely dice the onion, garlic or ginger. Rough chopping works perfectly well and saves time.
How To Get Perfect Golden Halloumi
One of the secrets to making this curry really special is browning the halloumi properly first. Golden halloumi adds flavour and texture to the finished dish. There are two ways to do this:
- Roasting (the easiest method) – Spread the cubes on a lined baking tray and roast at 220°C until golden. This is my favourite method because it’s hands-off and the halloumi browns evenly.
- Pan frying – Alternatively, fry the cubes in a little oil over medium heat until golden on each side. This works just as well but you do have to keep your eye on it.
Whichever method you choose, the goal is the same: crispy golden edges that hold up beautifully in the creamy curry sauce. For more details about cooking halloumi, check out How to Cook Halloumi (Pan, Grill, Oven, Air Fryer)
What to Serve With This Curry
This is quite a rich curry, so I like to serve it with simple sides that help balance the flavours.
The classic combination is:
• steamed basmati rice
• warm naan bread
The rice soaks up the sauce beautifully, while the naan is perfect for scooping up every last bit of curry.
If you’re making a bigger spread, this dish works wonderfully alongside other curries too. Some of my favourite pairings are:
• chicken balti
• saag paneer
• lentil dal
The mild creaminess of the butter halloumi curry balances spicier dishes really well.
Variations You Can Try
Once you’ve made this butter halloumi curry once, it’s easy to adapt.
Here are a few variations that work really well.
- Chickpea and Halloumi Curry – Add a drained tin of chickpeas to the sauce when simmering. This makes the curry more filling and adds extra protein.
- Spinach and Halloumi Curry – Stir a handful of fresh spinach into the sauce right at the end until wilted. The freshness balances the richness of the sauce beautifully.
- Cauliflower and Halloumi Curry – Roast small cauliflower florets alongside the halloumi and add them to the curry. This version is particularly good.
Butter Halloumi Curry
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 baking tray
- 1 stick blender optional
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 onions
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 inch piece of ginger
- 6 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 100 ml double cream
- 450 grams halloumi
- 60 grams butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
- Cut the halloumi into pieces roughly one inch square. Place a sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray and spread the halloumi over this. Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- Peel and roughly chop the onion, garlic and ginger. Put the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 10-15 minutes until starting to caramelise.
- Add the ginger and garlic, cook for another one to two minutes. Add the tomato puree, garam masala, chilli powder and bay leaf. Stir, then add 250 ml water and the cream.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes, then remove the bay leaf. Use a food processor or stick blender to blend into a smooth sauce.
- Add the halloumi and butter into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then taste and season with salt as needed.
Video
Notes
More Easy Halloumi Dinner Recipes
If you love cooking with halloumi as much as I do (and honestly, who doesn’t?!), there are so many brilliant ways to turn this salty little cheese into dinner.
It’s one of my favourite ingredients because it cooks quickly, holds its shape beautifully and adds instant flavour to all sorts of dishes – from pastas and traybakes to curries like this one.
If you’re looking for more ideas, I’ve put together a whole collection of easy halloumi dinner recipes where you’ll find loads of simple meals you can make on a busy weeknight.
Some of my favourites include:
- Halloumi traybake dinners – throw everything on one tray and let the oven do the work
- Halloumi and chorizo pasta – quick, comforting and perfect for midweek dinners
- Crispy halloumi schnitzel – golden, crunchy and VERY satisfying
- Halloumi pittas – fresh, punchy and brilliant for a relaxed dinner
You can browse all of them here: easy halloumi recipes for dinner
If you’re new to cooking with halloumi, this hub is a great place to start. There are loads of ideas for turning it into quick, easy weeknight meals – which is exactly what this site is all about.
FAQs
Can you fry halloumi instead of roasting it?
Yes. You can pan-fry the cubes in a little oil until golden before adding them to the sauce. Roasting is simply a little easier because it requires less attention.
No. This recipe is quite mild and creamy. If you prefer more heat, you can add extra chilli powder or a pinch of chilli flakes.
You can replace the halloumi with firm tofu and swap the butter and cream for plant-based alternatives. The flavour will be slightly different but still delicious.
This sounds amazing! I love that it is a vegetarian option too.
This sounds a great idea. Looks very similar to our paneer curry and I will make a point to add halloumi to the grocery list. I mcan’t wait to try it.
Oh my goodness, just looking at this dish is making my mouth water!
It looks creamy, cheesy, and flavorful!
Say halloumi and I am in! This is a great curry recipe, and it’s so easy to make! This will be a regular at our table, thanks so much!
I am curry daft and WOW this recipe hits the mark for fabulous flavors! It is SO easy to make too, a winner of a recipe! Thank you so much!
I’ve made other variations of butter chicken (like butter tofu), but this butter halloumi wins by a mile. It’s just ridiculously good on all levels. Thank you!
I am always looking for new ways to use halloumi and this was incredible. So much flavour.
I absolutely love halloumi, and this is such a fantastic option when I’m having a craving but want a vegetarian option. Can’t wait to try this, thanks for sharing!