Pasta with Lemon, Mint, and Halloumi
This delicious, quick, and easy pasta recipe makes a flavorful and light dinner. Made with chicken broth, lemon juice, halloumi, and mint, this dish is a Cypriot classic!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Garofalo®. The opinions and text are all mine.
This dish is one of my favorite comfort meals. It is so simple, yet has so much flavor! Pasta with Lemon, Mint, and Halloumi is a very traditional meal in Cyprus. It is typically made by boiling chicken, then cooking the pasta in the chicken broth. The pasta is served with pieces of chicken, lots of lemon juice, mint, and grated halloumi cheese. I also always add a lot of freshly cracked black pepper to my plate, but it is totally optional.
The combination of the chicken stock, lemon juice, and mint with the saltiness of the halloumi is, in my opinion, the absolute best. Whenever making this dish, I always make sure to use a high-quality, flavorful pasta. Since there is no sauce, the flavor of the pasta is really important.
When I teamed up with Garofalo®, I knew right away that I wanted to showcase their delicious pasta in this dish! It is simple and refreshing but also hearty and cozy. In this version, I opted to leave out the chicken, simply because I wanted a quick and easy recipe that can be prepared during a busy weeknight, but is also special enough to be served on weekends. To make this dish vegetarian, simply replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Pasta with Lemon, Mint, and Halloumi Shopping List
- Garofalo Pasta
- Chicken stock
- Lemons
- Halloumi
- Mint
- Black pepper
- Salt
Let’s Talk Garofalo Pasta
If you have never tried Garofalo Pasta, you are in for a real treat. Garofalo is the oldest and longest pasta maker (pastificio) operating in Gragnano, Italy. Since 1789 (I wasn’t kidding about it being old!), Garofalo has been making pastas in the birthplace of pasta. Garofalo Pasta is IGP certified (Identificazione Geografica Proetta). This certification is only given to pasta manufacturers in Gragnano, Italy who meet very strict production requirements to preserve the identity of the region’s pasta production. So, this is pretty much as authentic as it gets! Garofalo pastas are also one of the few Italian imported pastas that are Non-GMO. And trust me, you can tell how much Garofalo cares about their pastas just by their taste. Pick up a couple of packages of Garofalo Pasta at The Fresh Market, that’s where I bought mine!
How to Cook Pasta
The secret to this dish, or any pasta dish really, is to cook the pasta to al dente. Here’s how it’s done:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make sure that you use enough liquid. The general rule is 4 quarts (16 cups) per 1 pound of pasta.
- Add plenty of salt to the water.
- Pour the Garofalo Pasta into the boiling water. After about 30 seconds, the pasta will begin to soften. Stir the pasta so that it doesn’t stick.
- Set a time according to the cooking time on the package.
- Test the pasta to make sure it is al dente.
- Drain the pasta in a colander.
How to Make Pasta with Lemon, Mint, and Halloumi
Now that we have to basics of cooking pasta down, here’s how to make Pasta with Lemon, Mint, and Halloumi:
- Bring chicken stock and water to a boil.
- Add Garofalo Pasta and cook according to package.
- Reserve 2 cups of liquid then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Add pasta to a serving dish and top with the juice of 1 lemon, mint, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.
- Grate lots of halloumi on top and serve with extra lemon!
Garofalo and I are hosting a special giveaway. Check out my Instagram page for more details!
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love!
- Spiced Butternut Squash Pasta
- Shrimp Fra Diavolo
- Mushroom, Sausage, and Spinach Pasta
- Creamy Pumpkin and Chorizo Bucatini
- Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs
If you make this recipe, take a photo and tag #bakedambrosia on Instagram and Facebook so that I can see your creations and feature them on Instagram! To stay up to date with the latest recipes, follow Baked Ambrosia on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. ♡
Pasta with Lemon, Mint, and Halloumi Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 2 quarts water
- 16 oz pasta I used Garofalo Mezze Maniche Rigate
- 1 lemon juice and zest, plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 8 oz halloumi grated
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring chicken stock and water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package.
- Reserve 2 cups of liquid and set aside. Drain pasta. Place pasta in a serving dish. Add juice and zest of 1 lemon and dried mint.
- To serve, top pasta with a sprinkle of fresh mint, grated halloumi, salt, and black pepper
- Enjoy!
