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Halloumi Sandwich

halloumi sandwich with grilled bread lettuce and tomato.
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5 from 9 reviews

This is a quick and easy halloumi sandwich recipe that showcases the flavor and texture of the halloumi! Halloumi slices, onions, and bread are cooked on a grill pan (or skillet) and layered with lettuce, tomato, and a tangy garlic mayo.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 1/2 ounces (100 g) halloumi cheese, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
  • 2 onion rounds, 1/4 inch thick (see note 1)
  • 2 slices thick-cut crusty bread
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more to coat grill
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (see note 2)
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
  • black pepper, to taste
  • hot sauce, to taste (optional)
  • tomato slices
  • lettuce leaves

Instructions

  1. Heat a cast-iron grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. While the grill pan/skillet is pre-heating, continue with the next steps. (If you are not using cast-iron, see note 3.)
  2. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, a pinch of black pepper, and a few dashes hot sauce (optional) to a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Taste the mayo and add more lemon, pepper, and/or hot sauce if desired. Set the mayo aside.
  3. Pat the halloumi slices dry all around, then brush both sides of the halloumi and onions slices with oil and sprinkle both sides with black pepper.
  4. Oil the grill pan or skillet well. Place the halloumi slices, onion slices, and bread slices on the pre-heated grill pan or skillet. If you don't have enough room on your pan and need to cook the ingredients in stages, save the halloumi to cook last.
  5. Let the ingredients cook, undisturbed, for 2 - 3 minutes, or until nice grill marks appear. 
  6. Flip the ingredients and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes. The halloumi should have a soft appearance, and when you touch it with tongs or a spatula, it should have some give to it. Remove the ingredients onto a plate.
  7. Spread the mayo onto one side of each slice of bread. Layer the halloumi, grilled onions, lettuce and tomato onto the sandwich and serve immediately.

Notes

To make the onion rounds, cut the stem ends off the onion, then peel off the skin. Place the onion on the cutting board so the two cut ends are facing to the sides. Continue to slice the onion in the same direction as you cut off the ends, creating 1/4 inch thick rounds. Do not separate the slices into rings; it will be easier to grill the onion in one solid piece. However, it's no problem if the onions do separate a bit when you flip them on the grill. 

If you prefer the more powerful flavor of fresh garlic, feel free to substitute 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic for the garlic powder.

Cast-iron is thick and takes several minutes to pre-heat. If you are using a different type of pan, you may not need to pre-heat it as long, depending on the material, so adjust the timing accordingly. If you are going to use a non-stick pan, oil the pan first and only pre-heat it for a minute or two, being sure not to overheat the pan.

If you like, you can also cook the halloumi, bread and onions on an outdoor grill set over medium-high heat (around 375 - 450 degrees F). Be sure to oil the grill grates very well so the halloumi does not stick, and monitor the ingredients well during cooking to make sure they don't burn, since outdoor grills can have hotter and cooler spots.

The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand, type, and exact amounts of ingredients used. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/halloumi-sandwich/