Pan fried Halloumi cheese and zucchini disks layered over penne pasta with RAGU traditional homestyle sauce. This easy vegetarian dish can also be made carb-free.
Fried Halloumi Cheese
Options, folks! We need lots of food options when it comes to cooking healthy and delicious foods, especially when the whole world changes schedules!
Back to school, back from vacation, and back to a routine!
When my kids were young I looked forward to the end of summer and the beginning of the school schedule.
It’s tough to go from staying up late watching movies and hanging out with friends to the routine of getting out of the door by 7:30 a.m. for a full day of classes.
On the other hand, providing structure can also be comforting. The kids know what to expect and where to be.
That’s important stuff when the mom-taxi rolls up and they jump in the car after their various after school activities.
When Ashley was a teen she was at dance practice or a play rehearsal.
Sam was on the football field, and they were both starving by the time the day was over.
One dish that I can always rely on to satisfy the whole family is pasta! I love how versatile pasta dishes are.
You can create a traditional meat and spaghetti dish or a quick seafood and linguini pasta meal in 30 minutes, and most times there will be leftovers!
I love homemade meaty crockpot pasta sauce, but when your schedule is tight and you want a shortcut, RAGÚ® Homestyle sauce is my go to sauce!
Not only is it quick to warm up, but when you open a jar of RAGÚ® it tastes like it’s homemade.
The sauce is thick and hearty and folds onto the pasta hugging each noodle so you get a coating of sauce in every bite.
RAGÚ® also tastes delicious with zucchini noddles, which I’ve been eating a lot of lately.
The hard part is deciding which of the five new bold flavors of sauce to choose from; Traditional, Meat, Roasted Garlic, Four Cheese or Mushroom.
For this Fried Halloumi Cheese Pasta dish I used the Four Cheese pasta sauce made with 100% California-grown, vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh spices!
It’s delicious right out of the jar, so no ingredient tweaking is necessary.
Even though our kids are out of the house, Alan and I still need quick meal options during the work week.
We’re not picking up the kids from practice or rehearsal, but we are multi-taking our own busy schedules.
I go to the gym after work, and Alan is running around taking care of of our fur babies as soon as he walks in the house.
This is when team work comes into play. I’ll text Alan to boil some pasta and simmer some RAGÚ® sauce. By the time I get home dinner is practically ready!
All I do is fry up the zucchini and Halloumi cheese, and in under 10 minutes we’re sitting down for our evening meal.
What Is Halloumi Cheese
If you haven’t tried halloumi cheese go find it right away!
It’s made from a mix of goat and sheep milk. I’m in love with the flavor.
It’s more flavorful than mozzarella, but not as tart as feta. It’s a perfect mix between the two.
It also has a high melting point so it doesn’t turn into a gooey mess when frying it up!
Also, don’t miss the round up 15 Weeknight One Pot Meals for Busy Moms that I shared last week.
Fried Halloumi Cheese With Zucchini and Pasta
Pan fried halloumi cheese with zucchini disks served over vegetables or pasta. Top with a ready made sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of pasta (penne)
- 1 tablespoon oil (coconut or olive)
- 4-6 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced
- 4-6 large disks of zucchini, sliced
- 1 package vegetable slaw (broccoli or zucchini)
- 1 23 ounce RAGU Homestyle pasta sauce
- Basil and parmesan cheese to top dish
Instructions
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 614Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1427mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 6gSugar: 13gProtein: 34g
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
Sabrina Fox
This has my stomach absolutely growling! It looks so deliciously appetizing.
Robin Masshole Mommy
That sounds delicious. I can’t wait to make this for my family!
Sandra Shaffer
It comes together very quick, so save it for one of your super busy nights!
Susan Mary Malone
Yum! I’ll definitely be making this!
Sandra Shaffer
Super, Susan! Hope you love it 🙂
Mary Pisarkiewicz
Yum, everyone love a good pasta dish! this looks fabulous, great job!
Sandra Shaffer
Thank you, Mary! Pasta is definitely a favorite. My husband could eat pasta and pizza every week!
LIz Mays
I buy that sauce nearly every time now. I just love how thick it is!
Sandra Shaffer
It’s true, Liz! Nice and thick sauce that you don’t need to drain the extra water from. So handy to have in the pantry too!
Neely Moldovan
WOW! This looks incredible! Such a great meal to add to dinner menus!
Sandra Shaffer
Thanks! I hope this recipe comes to mind the next time you’re craving a tasty and easy meal!
Toughcookiemommy
I love grilled and fried zucchini. Not only does it have amazing flavors, but it’s good for you too.
Sandra Shaffer
You are so right! I’ve been trying to change my mind set thinking that all fat is bad. It’s not! Good fats keep you satisfied longer and you’re right! It enhances the dish so much.
valmg @ Mom Knows It All
I love cheese but haven’t ever had halloumi. I have tried this sauce. I really liked the flavor and consistency of it.
Megan Marlowe
This looks divine! I love fried halloumi and zucchini too! So much YES!
Tami
We are growing tired of the same ol’ meals week after week. This will be a winner I’m sure.
Sheena
This looks like a fantastic comfort food meal! I know we’d love it at our house!
CourtneyLynne
Omg can we say yum?!?! I’m definitely going to be giving your recipe a try!
carrie @ frugal foodie mama
What a delicious quick & easy weeknight dinner idea! 🙂 And I am going to have to look for that halloumi cheese- never heard of it before, but now I am intrigued.
Healing Tomato
I am a huge fan of Ragu sauces. Not only do I use them in pasta sauces, they also make a great base for curry recipes. Yum!
Debra C.
I need to jump on the Halloumi cheese train, fried cheese? Gotta be good! Love that you’ve paired it with such an easy meal and delicious sauce. Ragu has such great flavor!!
Manju | Cooking Curries
Oooh!!! WOW!! fried haloumi cheese is my absolute favorite! I cant believe I never thought of adding it to a pasta! yum!
mary
I have never heard of that kind of cheese, but it looks good in the pan next to the zucchini. I will have to keep an eye out for it!