This tomato toast with fried halloumi is perfection in a bite. With cherry tomatoes, halloumi cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil, it is a great choice whenever you want something quick, satisfying, and delicious.
This recipe has few ingredients and can be ready in 15 minutes tops.
If you love this Tomato Toast With Fried Halloumi, you will also love this Feta Grilled Cheese With Thyme Honey, Tomato Eggplant Sandwich With Pancetta or Pita Pizza Four Ways!
Why this recipe sings
Here is what you need
- Halloumi cheese. You can find it in supermarkets and grocery stores.
- Sourdough bread. I love the sour flavor of good sourdough. Obviously, you can use your favorite bread. Pick a nice loaf of bread from your bakery and go to town!
- Cherry tomatoes. You can also use ripe regular tomatoes. When they are not in season, I use the Campari variety. They are always sweet and juicy and never disappoint.
- Dried oregano. Italian or Greek seasoning mix will also work.
- Fresh basil leaves. I love the scent of fresh basil mixed with tomatoes and olive oil; it smells like Greek summer.
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Balsamic vinegar. You only need a teaspoon or two. A balsamic glaze will also work; just be mindful of the amount. Less is more.
Detailed measurements, instructions, and substitutions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
How to cook halloumi
This is one of the easiest fried cheese recipes. Cooking halloumi via stovetop or grill brings out its flavor. You only need a hot skillet (or a hot grill) with olive oil and seasonings like sea salt and pepper.
Here is what I do to make this halloumi toast.
Add your slices of bread and toast on both sides when the oil is hot but not smoking. Remove and set aside on a plate.
Place the halloumi slices and season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried oregano (to taste).
Fry cheese on both sides for one minute total.
Place the halloumi slices on the bread. Add the sliced cherry tomatoes—season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, and more dried oregano to taste. Add a couple of fresh basil leaves. Drizzle a little olive oil and a dash of balsamic on top. Enjoy!
Serving ideas
This halloumi toast is a terrific snack. Elevate the dish to complete meal with fried country potatoes, the crispiest zucchini, and a delicious corn-tomato salad. Add a soup, like traditional Greek white bean soup, a hearty meatball soup, or a yummy lentil soup.
Helpful tips
Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese but is very popular in Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. It is a semi-hard, unripened cheese made from goat’s, sheep’s, and sometimes cow’s milk. It is more often enjoyed fried or grilled; its unique squeaky texture has a high melting point ideal for grilling or frying.
Halloumi has a mild, neutral flavor that can be enhanced by grilling or frying it. A good substitute is a mild feta cheese. Add the feta cheese to the toast and put it under the grill for a few minutes to sassy up the feta. Add a drizzle of olive oil and some chili flakes and serve. You can use fresh mozzarella slices, skipping the grilling because mozzarella releases liquid while it cooks, which would not do well with the rest of the ingredients.
Check out my Greek pantry staples
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Fried Halloumi And Tomato Toast
Equipment
- cast iron skillet or a nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 slices halloumi cheese
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- dry oregano to taste
- fresh basil leaves to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- sea salt to taste
- balsamic vinegar to taste
Instructions
- Place a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot add one tablespoon of olive oil.
- Place two slices of sourdough bread on the skillet and toast them well on both sides. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet. Place the halloumi slices and season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried oregano (to taste). Fry cheese on both sides for one minute total.
- Place the halloumi slices on the bread.Add the sliced cherry tomatoes—season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and more dried oregano to taste. Add a couple of fresh basil leaves. Drizzle a little olive oil and a dash of balsamic on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute halloumi with feta cheese; check the salt in the cheese. You want to avoid over-salting. Instead of frying the feta, place the toast under a grill to jazzy up the feta.
- Another great substitute is ricotta cheese. Just spread a generous amount of ricotta on the toasted bread and follow with the tomatoes, basil, and seasonings.
Substitute with the tomatoes of your choice.
- There is no need to use cherry tomatoes if you don’t have them handy. My only suggestion is always to use ripe, good tomatoes. Off-season, I love Campari tomatoes; they are very close to Greek tomatoes and sweet and juicy.
- Always store your tomatoes on the counter instead of in the fridge. Remove the stems and place tomatoes upside down on a plate or cutting board at room temperature. Use your fully ripened tomatoes as soon as you can. Greeks always store their tomatoes at room temperature and consume them as soon as they are ripe and juicy.
Nutrition
