Trahanas Soup with Halloumi

About This Recipe

Trahanas Soup with Halloumi is a Cypriot soup with measured ingredients, clear heat levels, practical timing and recipe-specific doneness checks.

Equipment

• ✓ Heavy saucepan
• ✓ Chef knife and chopping board
• ✓ Ladle
• ✓ Hand blender or heat-safe jug blender

Ingredients

• 30 ml olive or neutral oil
• 9 g fine salt
• 3 g black pepper
• 220 g halloumi, sliced and grilled
• 220 g sour trahanas grain
• 1.2 l light vegetable or chicken stock
• 180 g onion, diced
• 120 g carrot, diced
• 100 g celery, diced
• 20 g garlic
• 1.1 l vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 15 g fresh herbs
• 20 ml lemon juice

Easy Step-by-Step Method

Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.

1. Prepare evenly: Cut the trahanas grain and halloumis for Trahanas Soup with Halloumi into even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
2. Sweat the aromatics: Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and cook the onion over medium heat until soft.
3. Add flavour: Add garlic, ginger, herbs or spices and stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the main ingredients: Add the trahanas grain and halloumi and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring to coat it in the aromatics.
5. Add stock: Pour in the measured stock and bring to a boil.
6. Simmer gently: Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until every solid ingredient is tender.
7. Finish the texture: Blend until smooth if appropriate, or leave chunky for a broth-style soup.
8. Add the finishing liquid: Stir in any coconut milk or plant cream over low heat without boiling hard.
9. Balance: Adjust salt, pepper, chilli and lemon.
10. Serve: Serve hot with the listed herbs or garnish.

Chef Notes & Tips

Chef tip: complete the mise en place before cooking Trahanas Soup with Halloumi. Control the heat rather than rushing, taste only with a clean spoon and use a thermometer when the recipe includes meat, poultry or seafood.

Ingredient Substitutions

• ↔ Dairy cream → unsweetened plant cream
• ↔ Paneer or halloumi → firm tofu when a dairy-free version is needed
• ↔ Egg → use only a recipe-tested binder; do not substitute blindly

Food Safety & Doneness

Keep dairy and cooked ingredients refrigerated until needed. Use clean utensils and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Serving & Plating

Serve in a warm bowl, keep the rim clean and add the listed garnish in the centre just before serving.

Storage

Cool promptly and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat only once until steaming hot. Freeze only when the texture of the dish is suitable.

Nutrition & Dietary Information

Calories: 560 kcal

Protein: 17 g

Carbohydrates: 48 g

Fat: 21 g

Approximate values per serving. Actual nutrition varies with brands, trimming, cooking loss and portion size.