It’s so easy to whip up a Halloumi Sandwich! Served with a quick and easy Avocado Pesto, these Halloumi Sandwiches make the perfect lunch!
Halloumi makes the perfect meat substitute in a sandwich. It’s got a gorgeous soft and chewy texture, with a huge punch of flavour to hold its own no matter what other fillings it’s paired with.
Avocado Pesto
This is what really takes this sandwich from a 9 to a 10. Both avocado and pesto would both individually go beautifully in a halloumi sandwich, but you when you combine the two great things happen. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Avocado – Perfectly ripe (but not bruised), just so it blends into a creamy consistency. If the avocado is under-ripe you’ll find it difficult to blend and it’ll give off a sour taste!
- Basil – Mainly just the leaves (some stalk is fine) and preferably as fresh as possible.
- Pine Nuts – These give a bit of texture to the pesto and offer a gorgeous nutty flavour.
- Parmesan – Must be freshly grated! Don’t sub the powdered/packet stuff, it’ll throw off the flavour and consistency.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This helps the pesto turn silky smooth and offers a nice gentle background flavour.
- Lemon Juice – This livens up the pesto and also helps prevent the avocado from browning too quickly.
- Garlic – 1 small clove. A little goes a long way as it’s raw!
- Salt & Pepper – Season well to bring out the best in this pesto.
Typically a pesto has a fairly thin consistency, but this avocado pesto has a much thicker consistency. It’s perfect for a sandwich because it’s thick enough to spread and doesn’t seep into the bread!
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can get away with making it the night before if you cover it with oil (to stop it oxidising) then tightly cover in the fridge. Just pour off the oil before using. However in general I recommend making it fresh because it does brown rather quickly.
Process shots: add ingredients to a food processor (photo 1), pulse until smooth (photo 2).
Pan Fried Halloumi
Do you have to cook halloumi to eat it?
You can it raw, but it’s FAR tastier cooked. And in my opinion the best way to cook halloumi is frying it. By frying the halloumi you not only add a mild smoky flavour where it lightly chars, but you also gain the perfect texture with it being crispy on the outside and gooey in the centre.
How do you prepare halloumi?
To prepare the halloumi for frying you’ll want to dice it into wedges and pat it dry. This is important to remove excess moisture so it doesn’t just steam in the pan.
Do you need oil to fry halloumi?
I used to add oil to the pan, but in all honesty if you’re using a good non-stick pan you really don’t need it. Only add oil if your pan isn’t non-stick (you can test with one piece).
Process shots: add halloumi to pan (photo 1), fry both sides until golden (photo 2).
Halloumi Sandwich
When it comes to making the sandwich, the halloumi and pesto are the stars, so you really don’t need much else. Here I’ve added some tomato, rocket/arugula and red onion just to pack out the sandwich, add some texture and compliment the flavours of the halloumi/pesto.
What Bread to use?
Here I used seeded Vienna rolls, but you can really use any bread/rolls you fancy! Something nice and thick/soft and preferably seeded will do the trick. You can optionally toast the bread too.
Process shots: slice bread (photo 1), spread avocado pesto (photo 2), add halloumi (photo 3), add tomato & onion (photo 4), add rocket/arugula (photo 5), fold over and enjoy (photo 6).
Serving a Halloumi Sandwich
Can I make these ahead of time?
Halloumi is at its softest when served fresh, it tends to go firm and chewy once it cools down. As such I recommend serving these sandwiches up right away!
- Crisp/Chip Recommendation: If you can get your hands on some Thai Sweet Chilli Sensations they go perfectly here!
- Side Recommendation: Great with a side of Sweet Potato Wedges to balance out the saltiness of the halloumi.
Crazy for Halloumi? Check out my Crispy Halloumi Fries!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this halloumi sandwich shall we?!
How to make Halloumi Sandwiches (Full Recipe & Video)
Halloumi Sandwich (with Avocado Pesto!)
Equipment
- Food Processor & Spatula
- Non-Stick Pan & Tongs
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Paper Towels
Ingredients
Avocado Pesto
- 1 large perfectly ripe Avocado, peeled & pitted
- 1 small bunch Fresh Basil (1oz/30g)
- 1/3 cup / 30g freshly grated Parmesan
- 4 tbsp Pine Nuts
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1.5 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 small clove of Garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
Halloumi Sandwich
- 4 Bread Rolls (see notes)
- 2x 8oz/225g blocks of Halloumi, diced into 8 wedges each (16 in total, 4 per sandwich)
- 4 pinches of Rocket/Arugula
- 3 medium Tomatoes, sliced
- 2 small Red Onions, sliced into thin rounds (optional)
Instructions
- Pesto: In a food processor add avocado, basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Pulse until smooth, then taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
- Halloumi: Use paper towels to press down and soak up as much moisture from the halloumi slices as possible. In a large non-stick pan (or a regular pan with a drizzle of oil) over medium heat add the halloumi. Fry both sides until golden and lightly charred, then remove. You may need to do this in batches.
- Sandwich: Spread one side of the bread with avocado pesto, then top with 4 slices of halloumi per sandwich. Top with tomato, then onion (optional) and finish with a pinch of rocket/arugula. Fold over, slice half and enjoy!
Quick Demo
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
If you loved this Halloumi Sandwich recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!
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